Benefits
-
A bipartisan House bill would reform federal tax law so that federal law-enforcement officers and firefighters can access funds from their 401(k)-style Thrift Savings Plans when they're eligible to retire without facing a penalty. Jon Adler, national president of the Federal Law Enforcement Officers Association, called the current situation "one of those glaring inequities that needed to be addressed and fixed."
May 27, 2014 -
Sens. Ben Cardin (D-Md.) and Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) introduced the Federal Adjustment of Income Rates (FAIR) Act Friday, calling for a 3.3 percent pay increase for federal employees for calendar year 2015. Federal employee union leaders praised the proposal, which would raise feds' pay more than the 1 percent President Barack Obama introduced in his 2015 budget proposal. The bill is similar to one introduced in March by House Democrats.
May 23, 2014 -
NARFE's Chris Farrell joins host Mike Causey to talk about some of the bills introduced in Congress that affect federal workers. May 21, 2014
May 21, 2014 -
When it comes to certain federal benefits, President Barack Obama and Florida Senator Marco Rubio have something in common. One of them is admiration for the federal Thrift Savings Plan, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey Says.
May 15, 2014 -
Jennifer Mattingley, director of government affairs for Shaw, Bransford and Roth, and Andy Medici from the Federal Times will give us an update on legislation affecting federal workers. May 14, 2014
May 14, 2014 -
Last month, Tammy Flanagan, senior benefits director for the National Institute of Transition Planning, joined Federal News Radio's senior correspondent, Mike Causey, to answer feds' questions as part of an exclusive online chat. The experts fielded dozens of questions from readers -- but couldn't get to all them. So, Federal News Radio went back to the experts to answer another round of questions for readers. In this special Q&A, find the experts' take on everything from the best date to retire this year and what happens to insurance premiums when you retire to whether the Thrift Savings Plan plans to offer in-plan conversions.
May 09, 2014 -
There are certain policies and benefits that you hope never to collect. That includes getting back the premiums you pay for homeowners' fire insurance, long-term care health premiums and disability retirement benefits, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
May 06, 2014 -
When it comes to retirement benefits, not all federal workers pay the same, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey say. In fact, the giant Federal Employees Retirement System, or FERS, now has three tiers.
May 05, 2014 -
Financial advisor Arthur Stein will answer your calls and emails about the TSP. Also, Andy Medici and Amber Corrin of the Federal Times will discuss, among other things, Public Service Recognition Week and the recently passed DATA Act. April 30, 2014
April 30, 2014 -
FEW Washington representative Janet Kopenhaver, will discuss pay inequity and other issues facing women in the federal government, and Andy Medici and Nicole Blake Johnson from the Federal Times will talk about the federal employee morale survey and the Heartbleed hacking. April 23, 2014
April 23, 2014 -
Federal Managers Association President Pat Neihaus, and Andy Medici and Nicole Blake Johnson from the Federal Times will give us an update on a number of different pay issues affecting feds. April 16, 2014
April 16, 2014 -
Carol Bonosaro, president of the Senior Executives Association, will discuss the status of the SES, and Nicole Johnson and Andy Medici from the Federal Times will talk about cloud computing and the likelihood that feds will get a pay raise. April 9, 2014
April 09, 2014 -
A customer service representative at the IRS who repeatedly greeted taxpayers calling a help-line with a chant urging President Barack Obama's re-election in 2012 could now be facing significant disciplinary action, according to the Office of Special Counsel. It's one of three cases of improper political activity at the agency recently uncovered by OSC. Meanwhile, three career officials at Customs and Border Protection are under fire by OSC for allegedly manipulating the hiring process to install job candidates favored by political leadership into career appointments.
April 09, 2014 -
They say that in Russia, many older people now long for the good old days when Joseph Stalin ran things. Senior Correspondent Mike Causey wants to know: What if in the near future federal workers look back to pay freezes, furloughs and shutdowns as if they were the good old days?
April 09, 2014 -
With apologies to Shakespeare, the most common question federal workers ask at benefits seminars is the To B or Not to B question. Should they pay $1,200 a year for Medicare Part B, or rely on their federal health plan? Short answer: It depends, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
April 07, 2014