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Pay and Benefits News 
Top News
- SES bonuses under fire at GSA, other agencies
- VA's Gould moves the needle on VA challenges
- Obama appoints Danny Werfel acting IRS head
- Photo Gallery: Meet the 2013 Service to America Medal Finalists
- Next-gen Apple devices cleared to join Defense IT networks
- In fight over intelligence IT system, Army prioritizes access to data
- White House wants to root out copycat programs - starting with STEM
- Pentagon furloughs to begin July 8
- Causey: Don't work or we'll fire you!
- House bill protects homeland security budget
- Intelligence Community free from furloughs
- DoD aims to speed approval process for mobile devices
- OMB fuels the passion, synergy between mobile, open data
- GAO, OMB spar over whether to measure data center cost savings
- Agencies craving STEMM talent should bolster skills of persuasion
- DoD wants to know real costs of IT business systems
The end is near, seriously!
Not to put a damper on things but you have less than two weeks to pick your health plan and less than a month until the end of the world. We can help you big time with the first deadline, but when it comes to the Mayan calendar warnings, you are on your own, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
Feds with families hardest hit by proposed changes to workers' comp
Disabled federal workers with dependents would be among the hardest hit by proposed changes to federal workers' compensation benefits, according to an analysis by the Government Accountability Office. The Labor Department has proposed setting a uniform level of compensation — 70 percent of the pre-injury salary — regardless of dependents and further reducing benefits to 50 percent when employees reach retirement age. But in its report which simulated those proposed changes, GAO raised concerns about the effects on beneficiaries.
Jimmy Choo at Payless Shoes?
Wouldn't it be great if you could get Jimmy Choo shoes or Savile Row suits at Payless Shoes or Wal-Mart? The hitch is you can't, and it's a reality federal workers and retirees need to consider when picking their 2013 health plan, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
Two's a couple, three's a family!
Whether your family consists of just a husband or you have 18 dependents, a family is a family as far as Uncle Sam is concerned. And that ticks off couples who resent paying the same health premiums as those charged a large family, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says. Is that right?
Your other health plan option - failure
In inspirational movies, a heroic general often says things like, "failure is not an option." And that's silly, of course, because failure is always an option and that's especially true for millions of current and former federal workers - some of whom are sleepwalking their way through the health insurance hunting season, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
Health insurance and the single life
When it comes to picking a federal health plan, two cannot live as cheaply as one - you want to be the Lone Ranger, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
Health premiums - Some agencies provide missing link
What do the Office of Personnel Management, the General Services Administration and the Defense Intelligence Agency have in common? Although their missions are very different, they are among the 40-plus agencies that are shelling out time and money to make it easier for their employees to pick the best health plan for 2013.
US pension insurer runs record $34B deficit
The federal agency that insures pensions for more than 40 million Americans last year ran the widest deficit in its 38-year history.
Locality pay, official time reports likely to rekindle federal pay debate
The Federal Salary Council will submit to the Federal Pay Agent in the coming weeks a recommendation to increase the number of localities that get special pay rates. OPM also will release the annual report on how much time federal employees spend on union activities during working hours. CHCO Council will also consider certification process for HR employees.
Layoffs, furloughs ... Take a deep breath
The end is near. We are only a few weeks away from sequestration and going over the fiscal cliff. So is there any hope? If history repeats itself, the short answer may be yes. Or at least maybe, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
Open season, Medicare part B, Petraeus, & sequestration
Federal health benefits expert Walton Francis
will
talk about FEHBP open season, and Federal Times
reporter Sean Reilly will discuss sequestration
and other issues affecting federal workers.
November 14, 2012
Pick a health plan: Monkey, goldfish or you?
There are several ways to select your 2013 federal health plan: You can do nothing, and stay where you are. You can let your pet chimp or clever goldfish make the selection. Or, you can do a little homework and save yourself $1,000 or more next year. It's your call, Senior Correspondent Mike Causey says.
Tips for Open Season 2013
Benefits consultants Walton Francis and Ed Zurndorfer offer top tips for federal employees considering a new health plan. Open Season runs from Nov. 12 to Dec. 10.
Federal-employee, veterans groups assail proposal to limit COLAs
Federal-employee groups and veterans organizations say a legislative proposal that would result in lower cost-of-living adjustments for federal and Social Security retirees is a non-starter. Moving to a "Chained" Consumer Price Index method of calculating inflation would curtail future benefits for Social Security retirees, including federal employees and veterans, opponents of the proposal say.
Medicare Part B and the presidential election
NARFE's David Snell joins host Mike Causey to
talk about best health care buys for federal
retirees. Sean Reilly from the Federal Times
will discuss the presidential election and its
impact on feds.
November 7, 2012
Open Season with FSAFEDS
Bart Turney from FSAFEDS discusses the benefits of flexible spending accounts.
November 5, 2012
Lifecycle Funds down as October TSP returns dip
After months of solid numbers, most of the funds in the Thrift Savings Plan posted negative returns in October, including all of the Lifecycle (L) Funds. The G, F and I Fund all posted slight gains.
Air traffic controllers and more
Trish Gilbert, executive vice president of the
National Air Traffic Controllers Association,
joins host Mike Causey on today's show. Mike
will also talk about the upcoming elections with
writers from the Federal Times.
October 31, 2012
TSP restarts transaction processing after Sandy
The Thrift Savings Plan starts processing transactions on Wednesday after the U.S. markets were closed for the past two days due to Post-tropical Cyclone Sandy.
Feds can apply for disaster relief through FEEA
Federal employees who experience major loss during Post-tropical Cyclone Sandy can apply for a grant from the Federal Employee Education and Assistance Fund. FEEA also offers no-interest emergency loans of up to $1,000. Loans are repaid through the employees' payroll.
