Pay & Benefits

• Long lasting complications from the 2013, 2018 government shutdowns

  Federal employment attorney Heidi Burakiewicz represents tens of thousands of employees who sued for damages after both the 2013 and 2018 shutdowns, and joined Federal Drive with Tom Temin to bring us up to speed on those cases.

  Pay

  October 01, 2021
• TSA’s biggest challenge in two decades? Securing better pay for frontline workers, leaders say

  Both Democrats and Republicans say they believe frontline officers at the Transportation Security Administration are underpaid. The House Homeland Security Committee's top Republican said he will support legislation to move TSA officers into the Title 5 pay and personnel system if other options fail.

  Workforce

  September 30, 2021
• Minimal COVID impact on many federal health premiums

  When the COVID pandemic hit, many predicted that premiums in the giant federal employee health benefits program would skyrocket.

  Federal Report

  September 30, 2021
• Military eating disorder advocates see win in 2022 NDAA

  Eating disorders in the military have risen 26% in recent years.

  Defense

  September 29, 2021
• Federal employees will pay nearly 4% more toward health premiums in 2022

  Employees and retirees enrolled in the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) will pay, on average, 3.8% more toward their premiums in 2022. The Office of Personnel Management announced FEHBP premium rates ahead of the upcoming open season, which runs Nov. 8 through Dec. 13.

  Benefits

  September 29, 2021
• So you have an estate: Now what?

  Most federal workers have college degrees. Most Americans don’t. While that doesn’t automatically mean anything, it’s something to consider when taking stock of your cash value.

  Federal Report

  September 29, 2021
• One group of Justice Department attorneys seeks pay parity with another

  At the Justice Department, assistant U.S. attorneys and trial attorneys are both, well, lawyers that do litigation. But they work under different pay systems.

  Pay

  September 28, 2021
• Curious about the impact of a shutdown? Just wait

  One of the big differences between government and the private sector is the field of labor relations. In industry, it is usually disgruntled workers who go out on strike.

  Federal Report

  September 28, 2021
• How the Postal Service shortchanges its hourly employees who work overtime

  A published report cites Labor Department records showing the U.S. Postal Service has regularly shortchanged hourly employees to the tune of nearly $700,000 in back pay.

  Agency Oversight

  September 27, 2021
• DoD temporarily raising housing subsidies for some troops as markets continue to climb

  Some troops could get as much as a 20% hike. The benefits would last from Oct. 1 to the end of the year.

  Defense

  September 27, 2021
• Government shutdown talk is back, again. Have we learned anything from the last ones?

  The government shutdown deadline is right around the corner. The good news? Congress has learned a few things from the last shutdown, bringing the tiniest bit of certainty to feds with their back pay and health insurance the next time it happens again.

  Federal Report

  September 27, 2021
• AFGE files new unfair labor practice charge against VA over collective bargaining

  Labor relations at the Department of Veterans Affairs soured a bit during the Trump administration. And they haven't gotten any better with Joe Biden in the White House.

  Unions

  September 22, 2021
• FERS + COVID = retirement tsunami?

  Have your career plans changed some, a lot or completely since the COVID pandemic? Has the retirement tsunami, first predicted in the 1990s, actually started?

  Federal Report

  September 22, 2021
• King-sized COLA coming — for some!

  Currently, most feds in retirement left under the CSRS program so they get full COLAs. But the overwhelming majority of people working for Uncle Sam now are under the FERS program.

  Federal Report

  September 21, 2021