Mike Causey's Federal Report is the best way to stay up to date on the latest issues affecting federal pay, benefits, and retirement. Plus, Mike's funny. New Federal Report columns can be found each weekday morning right here on FederalNewsRadio.com. Bookmark Mike's homepage or have his columns delivered directly to your email.

Plan B for feds

What would you do if something or somebody shut down the electrical grid? Does your agency (and do you) have a Plan B? What if there were no computers or cell phones? How would, how could you do your job. Or could you? Check out Senior Correspondent Mike Causey's column for more ...

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Old job-related nightmares resurface

Which occupational group has the worst nightmares: alligator wrestlers or federal workers? Thw answer might surprise you, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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The bad news/good news/OMG not-so-good news!

When somebody tells a fed they've got good news and bad news and which do they want first, there is no right answer. So what is it now. And what does it mean when the boss says to report to her office with a burlap sack and two mangoes?

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If a fed falls in the forest ... who cares?

Is Friday in the summertime your own personal Twilight Zone or is it just another day at the Pentagon, IRS or Homeland Security Department ... And did the federal government fake the moon landings as many conspiracy theorists believe? For answers, check out Senior Correspondent Mike Causey's column.

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Inside the TSP hack job

For people worried about their TSP accounts being hacked, no news is good news. If you didn't get a letter, it means you are one of the 97 percent whose data is safe. For more facts about the hack job, check out Senior Correspondent Mike Causey's column.

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The TSP hack attack: Where are we?

The cover up, as they say, is almost always worse than the crime itself. The rule of thumb, from the Watergate era, is follow the money, although people rarely do that. Following the money can be tricky. Also complicated. Especially in the computer age with multi- national players, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Bundling: Naughty or nice

If terms like "cooperative purchasing" and/or "contract bundling" turn you on, welcome to the wonderful world of buying, federal style, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. Check out day two of Federal News Radio's multimedia special report, "Inside The World Biggest Buyer."

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World's longest, most expensive shopping list

Uncle Sam, with your help, takes in more money than any person, place or thing on Earth. Equally important, he spends more in a week, again with your help, than most nation's do in a decade. That's why Federal News Radio's special series, "Inside the World's Biggest Buyer: How $500 billion Dollars Can Be Spent Better," which launches today, is a must-read whether you are on the giving or receiving end, says Senior Correspondent Mike Causey.

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Still the greatest generation

The D-Day anniversary on Wednesday jogged a lot of memories for people whose parents or grandparents fought and, in many cases, died. Nice to know that after 68 years (and two days) their service and sacrifice is still appreciated, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Feds as preppers

Are you a prepper? Are you stockpiling goods — beans, bullets, gold bars — to ride out a coming economic collapse, nuclear attack or natural disaster? Even if you aren't worried about those things, as a fed there are some things you should prepare for long before you retire, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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D-Day plus 68 years

Worried about your job, your benefits, your career? Lots of people are. But this might be a good day to put your put things on hold and think how different your life might be today if the Normandy Invasion, 68 years ago today, had failed, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.

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Zen 101: Is nothing better than something, or anything?

How much do you know about Zen? For example when, if ever, is nothing better than something, or anything? Is it desirable to be the bullseye if your opposition is the gang that couldn't shoot straight, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey wonders.

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So You've Been Hacked: What Next?

How does it feel to be hacked? To have your inner most financial details stolen from a safe spot. And not to learn about it for months. Lots of feds have lots of different reactions to the TSP identify theft situation. So how are you coping?

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Feds Depending On Invisible Friends

When you were little, you may have had an invisible friend, maybe a pet, a pretend brother or sister who loved you unconditionally or a superhero who defended you against bullies and monsters. Now that you are a grown-up federal worker you've graduated to new friends: invisible politicians.

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Senator questions delay in reporting TSP cyber breach

One senator is questioning why it took nine months for the Thrift Savings Plan board to find out about a sophisticated cyber attack that compromised 123,000 TSP participants' accounts. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) also wants to know why Congress wasn't informed of the breach until more than a month after it was reported to the board.

Comment

Alice In Wonderland's TSP Account

Is it the crime or the coverup that counts most? In the case of the TSP hacking case should the focus be on finding out who done it, or should we go after who it was done to — as in who let it happen? Was it a coverup and who knew what when ...

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TSP Hackers: The Naked Truth

Did you ever wonder why people in nudist camps play volleyball instead of poking sticks into bee hives? Think about it ... and then apply that logic to the recent identify theft attack on your Thrift Savings Plan account data.

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A tale of two agencies

The very different "scandals" at two polar-opposite federal agencies are still large on the radar, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. But how big a deal are they? What's likely to be the outcome, and how long will these two stories continue to have legs?

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Memorial Day: When we remember and salute

Memorial Day is anything but a holiday. It is a time when we remember those who served and whose lives were altered, or ended, by war, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. Today we pay tribute to them and to people in the federal family — past, present and future — who served or will serve.

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Holiday guilt: Have a terrible (as in wonderful) time!

Most of you have a four-day weekend coming up. Some will even slip out a little early to get a headstart, so everybody is happy, correct? Wrong! Not in Washington, the city of the worried well, where many of us see bad news as good news and disaster as an opportunity, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. So if you want to get ahead in D.C., wipe that smile off your face and suffer like the rest of us.

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