Pay & Benefits

  • It\'s Christmas and time for Mike\'s traditional Mushy Christmas column. With lots of readers, it\'s even more popular than fruit cake.

    December 25, 2007
  • The holiday that isn\'t... for some feds.

    December 24, 2007
  • Thanks to last-minute action by Congress, most white collar federal workers will be getting a slightly larger pay raise next month. Senior Correspondent Mike Causey has the magic numbers.

    December 21, 2007
  • Whenever Congress passes legislation that benefits federal workers you can bet it will benefit some member of Congress, or a staffer, as well.

    December 20, 2007
  • Although the federal pay raise is still up in the air, some federal retirees will get a COLA on as many as three different benefits. Senior Correspondent Mike Causey talks about the so-called double and triple dippers.

    December 19, 2007
  • What do federal workers think when the unions that represent them endorse a presidential candidate? Not very much, according to senior correspondent Mike Causey.

    December 18, 2007
  • Some government workers have more than 1,000 hours of unused sick leave, but only about one in every four will get any kind of reward for staying well when they retire. Today Mike Causey deals with FERS Flu Part Deux!

    December 17, 2007
  • When a federal union representing Defense workers, tax collectors or letter carriers endorses a presidential candidate, do you jump for joy or gnash your teeth? Mike Causey says there\'s a long history of federal unions jumping into political campaigns -- and it\'s already started this year.

    December 14, 2007
  • Most federal workers are now under the FERS retirement system and a growing number of them are suffering from what Senior \'FERS Flu\'. Meantime, some of the best minds in government are working on a possible cure.

    December 13, 2007
  • Congress, thanks to the 4-day week, didn\'t spend a lot of time this year working on legislation to help -- or harm -- federal workers. That\'s both the good news and the bad news. So what\'s the outlook for next year? Mike Causey looks at the congressional calendar.

    December 12, 2007
  • What do swallows and buzzards have to do with an allegedly new federal buyout plan? Mike Causey says the legend of the returning birds is true, but the bogus buyout package -- even though adjusted for inflation -- continues to be a myth.

    December 11, 2007
  • The expression “no brainer” is probably one of the most over-used terms (along with “at-the-end-of-the-day”) among elites in the Washington’s area’s influential/pompus government-media-legal community. That said (actually that’s another one!), virtually everybody in government has…

    December 10, 2007
  • Most people won\'t have significant medical bills next year, but there\'s a 1 to 3 percent chance you will be hit with an accident or illness that could drain $100,000 from your purse or wallet. Mike Causey says the clock is ticking . . .

    December 07, 2007
  • Looking for the perfect portfolio to fit inside your Thrift Savings Plan? Mike Causey talks with the pros about an investment model.

    December 06, 2007