Search Tags:  Emily Kopp

USPS faces competing interests in path to reform

Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) said he wants to give the struggling Postal Service more flexibility to act like a private business, including the ability to force retirement-eligible employees to step down. Meanwhile, the Postal Regulatory Commission worries the Postal Service is losing sight of its public mission.

Tags: postal rate commission , USPS , Darrell Issa , workforce , management , budget , House Oversight and Government Reform Committee , postal reform , Ruth Goldway , Heritage Foundation

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Low number of Latinos gives urgency to diversity initiative

The latest OPM report on Latinos in the federal government shows no improvement in 2009 and 2010. They remain the most underrepresented racial and ethnic group in the federal workforce, making up eight percent of employees. OPM has convened a council to recommend improvements.

Tags: Latino , Hispanic , diversity , John Berry , Veronica Villalobos , OPM , hispanic council on federal employment , workforce ,

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OPM extends more benefits to feds in military families

Federal workers with a family member serving overseas in the military will be able to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for reasons including arranging childcare, attending military events and receiving counseling. The new rule goes into effect next month.

Tags: DoD , pay and benefits , military families , Family and Medical Leave Act , OPM ,

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Sarbanes 'excited' to reform federal hiring

Democratic lawmakers want to codify the White House's hiring reform initiative to ensure that agencies keep working at making their processes faster and simpler. Rep. John Sarbanes (D-Md.) said the process is too complicated and changing it is key to attracting the best and brightest.

Tags: hiring reform , workforce , federal hiring process improvement act of 2011 , John Sarbanes , Congress , Daniel Akaka , elaine kamarck ,

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Agencies still must do more to fix hiring process

Federal hiring still takes too long and asks too much of applicants. But the agency hiring process is inching closer to mirroring the private sector. Officials, academics, analysts and union representatives agreed that agencies need to take the next steps to maintain progress.

Tags: workforce , hiring , OPM , John Berry , hiring reform , Rob Shriver , Max Stier , elaine kamarck , Partnership for Public Service , Alan Balutis , NAPA , Brookings Institution ,

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Feds have sacrificed enough, federal groups tell supercommittee

Postal workers and federal employees groups are urging the "supercommittee" to reject President Barack Obama's proposed increase in employee retirement contributions and support his cap on contractors' salaries. The Federal-Postal Coalition also wants lawmakers to preserve Saturday mail delivery, despite USPS' wishes.

Tags: Federal-Postal Coalition , unions , NTEU , Colleen Kelley , Barack Obama , workforce , pay and benefits , supercommittee , USPS ,

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Congress to extend deadline for Postal Service debt

The Postal Service would get seven more weeks to pay a $5.5 billion debt to the Treasury under the continuing resolution passed Monday by the Senate. A House version includes the same provision. The bill is due on Friday.

Tags: continuing resolution , USPS , Congress , Tom Carper , House Oversight and Government Reform Committee , senate homeland security and governmental affairs , budget , senate homeland security and governmental affairs , senate homeland security and governmental affairs , senate homeland security and governmental affairs , Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs

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Feds' health premiums to increase 3.8 percent

Federal employees will see an average of 3.8 percent increase in healthcare premiums in 2012, the lowest rate hike since 2008 and about half of last year's increase. On average, enrollees with self-only coverage will pay $2.32 more per bi-weekly pay period, and enrollees with family coverage will pay $6.18 more, the Office of Personnel Management said.

Tags: pay and benefits , FEHB , health benefits , OPM , health insurance , John Berry , Open Season , John Foley ,

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DHS holds fast to St. Elizabeths HQ plan

The Homeland Security Department remains committed to consolidating its headquarters on the campus of a former mental hospital in Washington despite receiving less construction money than anticipated. Officials from DHS, the Coast Guard and the General Services Administration reaffirmed their plans to a House subcommittee. The Coast Guard plans to move first, in 2013.

Tags: Coast Guard , house subcommittee on the coast guard and maritime , DHS , GSA , budget , don bathurst , frank lobiondo , Robert Peck , john currier , house subcommittee on the coast guard and maritime , St. Elizabeth , House Subcommittee on the Coast Guard and Maritime

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OPM commits to stopping payments to dead people

The Office of Personnel Management has created a task force to lead efforts to stop payments to retirees who have died. An inspector general report released Thursday revealed that OPM had paid $601 million in benefits to dead people since 2006.

Tags: John Berry , pay and benefits , OPM , retirement , wasteful spending , OMB , IG , pay , benefits , Patrick McFarland

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