SSA News 
Top News
- Senators push Tangherlini for assurances GSA is improving
- As VA works to eliminate one backlog, one more might emerge
- Senator: IRS to pay $70M in employee bonuses
- Furlough song: Laugh or you'll cry
- GSA's Dorris builds online gateway to government services
- Navy strikes enterprise licensing deal with Oracle
- Contractors with security clearances lack path to report problems
- NSA leak case gives vendors reason to reevaluate personnel
- Does security clearance process need a makeover?
- 8 contract executives guilty of 8(a) contracting fraud
- Whistleblower suit leads to $12M false claims settlement by SAIC
- NASA engineer, 29, recognized for improving aeronautical testing
- USPS reaches energy reduction goal ahead of schedule
- NOAA meteorologist helps save lives one storm at a time
- NASA picks 8 new astronauts, 4 of them women
- House passes sweeping $638 billion defense bill
- Latest postal reform proposal OKs 5-day delivery
- Wednesday federal headlines - June 19, 2013
Why does Social Security need 174,000 bullets?
It didn't take long for the Internet to start buzzing with conspiracy theories after the Social Security Administration posted a notice that it was purchasing 174,000 hollow-point bullets.
Sequestration, the Ryan budget, and more
Host Mike Causey moderates a roundtable discussion
of sequestration, postal service buyouts, and
more.
August 15, 2012
SSA offers early retirement to 9,000 employees
To be eligible, employees must have 20 years of creditable service and be at least 50 years of age, or have at least 25 years of creditable service at any age, including five years of civilian service, according to an SSA email to Federal News Radio.
Services expanding removal of SSNs on documents
The Defense Department is expanding the removal of Social Security numbers from service member documents.
Inspector General: SSA sitting on $134 million in uncashed checks
The inspector general for the Social Security Administration estimated the agency is sitting on about $134 million for benefit checks that sit uncashed by recipients for more than a year - money subsequently returned to the agency. But the IG report found most of the recipients who didn't cash their checks are still eligible for the assistance and the SSA could take additional steps to ensure they receive them.
2012 Causey Awards Winner - Kevin O'Brien
Kevin O'Brien, a human resources specialist in the Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General, was nominated for leading the organization's telework initiative.
Incomplete SSA records lead to payments to dead people
Information regarding a person's death is not always correctly transferred between the Social Security Administration's databases, according to a new report from the agency's inspector general. As a result, various agencies may be sending money to dead people or fraudsters.
Federal Drive interviews -- June 15
Todd Ramsey of IBM and Jonathan Breul, executive director of the IBM Center for the Business of Government, offer the contractor's point of view on acquisition. Carolyn Colvin of the Social Security Administration details a new program to help veterans apply for disability. Roy Smith of ITG discusses the Rapid Acquisition Program.
OMB alumni to suggest revisions to cyber section of A-130
The group will create a white paper with recommendations this summer to modernize the 10-year-old policy. Among the areas they are looking at are continuous monitoring, cloud computing, shared services and the definition of a system. Updating A-130 will help agencies move from a 'checklist' mode to monitoring systems in real time for threats and vulnerabilities, said Frank Reeder, a former OMB official.
SSA, AFGE sign off on final contract
After more than two years of tough negotiations, the Social Security Administration and its largest union, The American Federation of Government Employees, have signed off on final contract. The contract includes changes to office travel and vision benefits.
DoD, Social Security aim to speed up wounded warrior benefits
A new project lets SSA disability case processing sites take in DoD electronic medical records originating in multiple locations. That capability went nationwide this week. The centers simply log onto a single DoD website.
The TSP program and the new federal employee
Economist Dave Redden joins host John Elliot to talk about investment options for federal employees.
April 16, 2012
Agencies lay out plans for Open Gov 2.0
Every agency issued updated open government plans, updating progress and detailing new initiatives for the next two years. NASA will change the way it designs and builds its websites. SSA will focus on health IT and putting services online.
Legislative changes needed to make bigger dent in improper payments
OMB controller Danny Werfel said the computer matching provisions in the Privacy Act make it harder for agencies to share information that would make stopping or finding waste, fraud and abuse easier. Senate lawmakers agreed they need to update the law to protect information but reduce the complexities.
Social Security
Lester Austin, public affairs specialist at the Social Security Administration, answers your Social Security questions.
March 26, 2012
Social Security and federal pensions
Federal benefits specialist James Marshall discusses how your benefits could be affected by Social Security.
March 19, 2012
Frank Baitman takes over as HHS CIO
The Department of Health and Human Services taps Frank Baitman to be its new chief information officer. He comes to HHS from the Food and Drug Administration where he was an entrepreneur-in-residence.
AFGE, SSA reach 'conceptual agreement' on new contract
A long-fought negotiation between the American Federation of Government Employees and the Social Security Administration seems to be over as the two sides agree to terms of new national contract.
Payroll tax negotiations reopen: Are feds' pay and benefits safe?
Negotiations to renew a payroll tax cut for 160 million workers and jobless benefits for millions more kicked off on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, with both sides optimistic of an agreement despite last year's bitter battles over President Barack Obama's jobs proposals.
NARFE concerned with provisions in House payroll tax cut bill
Julie Tagen, legislative director for the National Association of Active and Retired Federal Employees, told Federal News Radio that certain provisions in the bill would affect federal employees.
