Oct 25, 2011

Supercommittee -vs- Federal Employees


Preparing for what the supercommittee has in store for federal agencies


'...The Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, often called the Supercommittee, is examining a wide-range of options that could dramatically affect federal employees, such as huge...'


Reference: www.washingtonpost.com
Tags: Supercommittee

Oct 19, 2011

Federal Retirement COLA for 2012 will be 3.6 percent


Federal retirees to get COLA increase


'...Federal retirees will receive in January the first inflation adjustment to their annuity benefits since 2009, an increase of 3.6 percent...'


Reference: www.washingtonpost.com
Tags: 2012 Federal Retiree COLA, 2012 COLA, Federal Retirement COLA,

Oct 18, 2011

Shifting the deficit to Federal Workers


Don’t shift deficit to federal workers


'...One of the most influential aspects of the super committee’s decision will involve the federal workforce. Among the options for cutting the deficit, federal workers could be forced to contribute even more to their retirement....'


Reference: www.lasvegassun.com
Tags:

Oct 15, 2011

Democrats fight against Federal Worker pay freeze and other benefit cuts


Democrats want supercommittee to reject more federal worker cuts


'...Democrats on the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform urged the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction to “avoid further cuts for federal employees given the significant cuts already imposed on them.”...'


Reference: www.washingtonpost.com
Tags: Federal Pay freeze

Oct 12, 2011

BlackBerry only federally approved smartphone for some government agencies


BlackBerry outage sends D.C. into withdrawal


'...The outage caught much of D.C. off guard Wednesday and underscored the region’s reliance on the BlackBerry — which is still the only federally approved smartphone for employees in some government agencies....'


Reference: www.politico.com
Tags: Blackberry

Oct 3, 2011

Federal Prison Guard Misconduct Investigations Doubled


Federal prison guard arrests increase dramatically, report finds


'..."In federal prisons, it used to just be drug kingpins, tax-fraud prisoners, assassins," Perkinson said. "But now it's become full of more low-level offenders, which ironically makes for more violent prisoners....'


Reference: latimes.com
Tags: Federal prison guard, Federal prison employment, Misconduct Investigations,

Exploding toilets injure Federal workers


Exploding toilet injures two workers at federal building


'...bathrooms at the GSA Regional building were declared off-limits after two Department of Homeland Security employees were injured Monday by the toilet blast...'


Reference: msnbc.msn.com
Tags: exploding toilets,

Sep 17, 2011

Federal employees less expensive than contractors


U.S. spends billions outsourcing work


'...The Project on Government Oversight, a nonpartisan independent organization based in Washington, D.C., said it found that federal employees were less expensive than contractors...'


Reference: www.daytondailynews.com
Tags: Project on Government Oversight

Aug 23, 2011

V.A. Hiring in Leavenworth


VA hiring 400 people in Leavenworth


'...“Applicants need basic computer and communication skills. They’ll be trained for the rest,” said Kevin Johnson, a spokesman for the VA human resource department. “With an economy that stinks, these are great jobs with a career opportunity to get your foot in the door. And the benefits are great.”...'


Reference: www.kansascity.com
Tags: Federal Employment, V.A. Employment, Government Hiring, Federal Employees,

Aug 15, 2011

GAO 2011 early retirements and buyouts coming


GAO to offer early retirement (VERA), buyouts (VSIP)


'...On August 8, 2011, GAO (via memo) announced a Voluntary Early Retirement (VERA or Early Out) opportunity and the upcoming possibility of a Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP or Buyout) for specified positions....'


Reference: Federal Employee News
Tags: 2011 GAO early retirement and buyouts,

Aug 11, 2011

Postal Service wants to layoff 120, 000; break union contracts


Postal Service asks Congress to allow 120,000 layoffs, overhaul benefits


'...The USPS is also asking Congress to change legislation that requires postal workers to get federal health care and retirement benefits. Instead...'


Reference: cnn.com
Tags:

Aug 9, 2011

Federal employee union protest U.S. Rep. James Lankford (OK)


Union, Constituents to Protest Anti-Worker Lawmaker


'...Constituents from U.S. Rep. James Lankford's congressional district will join with leaders from the nation's largest federal employee union to protest the first-term congressman's anti-worker legislative agenda on Tuesday....'


Reference: www.sacbee.com
Tags:

Aug 8, 2011

Federal district court employee killed


U.S. federal court employee kidnapped, killed in Mexico


'...His kidnapping and death are not believed to be related to his status as a federal employee, and court officials had been told he crossed the border to have some work done on his car....'


Reference: www.mysanantonio.com
Tags: Federal Employee,

Aug 4, 2011

Congress reaches deal to temporarily end FAA shutdown


Congress reaches deal to end FAA shutdown


'...Most, like Delta Air Lines (DAL.N), American Airlines (AMR.N), US Airways (LCC.N) and Southwest Airlines (LUV.N), raised fares by that amount instead and stood to collect more than $1 billion in extra revenue had the shutdown lasted for another month....'


Reference: www.reuters.com
Tags: FAA shutdown

FAA standoff shows jobs not a priority ...are you next?


More to FAA shutdown than air service subsidies


'...immediate price is high. Already, 4,000 FAA employees have been furloughed, more than 200 construction projects have been halted and an estimated 70,000 other private-sector workers affected. ...'


Reference: www.seattlepi.com
Tags: FAA

Aug 3, 2011

Congress goes home leaving thousands of FAA Federal workers on furlough


Partial FAA shutdown continues as Congress goes home

'...Caught up in the partisan acrimony are nearly 4,000 FAA employees who have been furloughed. The FAA also has issued stop work orders ...'


Reference: www.presstelegram.com
Tags: 2011 federal employee furlough, FAA Furlough,

Aug 1, 2011

FAA stand-off over funding is about unionization


Obama team tries to break FAA impasse


'...The dispute involves the labor law that governs unionization efforts at airlines. Those efforts have been covered by the Railway Labor Act, under which eligible voters who don't participate in a union election are counted as voting against unionization....'


Reference: usatoday.com
Tags:

Jul 30, 2011

FAA furloughed 4,000 employees


FAA furloughs unprecedented, officials say


'...FAA furloughed 4,000 employees, including almost 1,000 in Washington, after lawmakers failed to reach a last-minute agreement on July 22 on a stopgap funding measure for the agency....'


Reference: www.govexec.com
Tags:

Jul 25, 2011

1000's of FAA workers furloughed


FAA furloughs thousands amid congressional funding stalemate


'...(Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration, the arm of the U.S. Department of Transportation responsible for air passenger safety, furloughed about 4,000 of its workers on Saturday...'


Reference: www.reuters.com
Tags:

Jul 17, 2011

Federal directive requires agencies to incorporate plain language in development of communications materials


Plain Language at OPM


'...Plain language is not unprofessional writing or a method of "dumbing down" or "talking down" to the reader....'


Reference: www.opm.gov
Tags: plain language directive

Jul 12, 2011

Ford Bragg Federal Employment


How to Search for Federal Jobs at Fort Bragg


'...Employment vacancies for Fort Bragg and the surrounding community can be found online. ...'


Reference: fortbragg.patch.com
Tags: Federal Jobs,

Jul 7, 2011

Federal Contracting cuts coming


Cut contracting costs by 15 percent, agencies are told


'...methods being pursued include lowering labor rates...'


Reference: www.govexec.com
Tags: Federal Contract Workers,

Jun 27, 2011

Hatch Act and Federal Employees


Hatch Act: Small violation brings big penalty


'...the Act allows a federal employee to run for elected office if it’s a non-partisan position. But if that same job were a partisan position in another state, a federal employee would not be allowed to seek that office....'


Reference: www.washingtonpost.com
Tags: Hatch Act

TSA elects AFGE as union reps


AFGE Elected as the Union at TSA!


'...elected the American Federation of Government Employees as their exclusive union representative with an 8903-8447 vote over the National Treasury Employees Union....'


Reference: www.sacbee.com
Tags: National Treasury Employees Union

Jun 22, 2011

The U.S. Postal Service Just Stopped Putting Money Into Its Pension Fund


The U.S. Post Office Just Stopped Putting Money Into Its Pension Fund


'...the USPS is holding off on the payment while it waits for government approval to delay a $5.5 billion payment for worker health benefits....'


Reference: www.businessinsider.com
Tags:

Jun 20, 2011

FERS Annuity Supplement EarningsTest


The Earnings Test for Your FERS Annuity Supplement


'...The only thing 100% clear about the FERS annuity supplement is that it ends at age 62, which is when the retiree first becomes eligible for Social Security....'


Reference: www.fedsmith.com
Tags: FERS annuity supplement

May 24, 2011

Tim Pawlenty (R) 'federal employees' salaries should be frozen'


Republican candidate calls for federal salary freeze, workforce cuts


'...Republican presidential candidate Tim Pawlenty said Monday that federal employees' salaries should be frozen and the federal workforce should be reduced through attrition....'


Reference: www.federaltimes.com
Tags:

May 17, 2011

Republican Senators want to eliminate pensions for government employees


Federal Workers Facing More Cuts


'...In March, Senate Republicans Richard Burr and Tom Coburn introduced legislation that would entirely eliminate pensions for government employees. They would still collect Social Security and hold 401k-style accounts....'


Reference: www.kctv5.com
Tags:

May 5, 2011

USAJobsRecruit online recruitment tool


OPM launches online recruitment tool for hiring managers


'...Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry announced the launch of USAJobsRecruit, an online community for agencies to showcase best practices, share marketing and outreach strategies, and post hiring events. ...'


Reference: www.govexec.com
Tags:

Apr 27, 2011

Connecting Veterans With Federal Jobs


Web Portal To Connect Veterans With Federal Jobs


'...“It is our duty to serve those who have so bravely served their country, and the innovative Mil2FedJobs site is one more way to ensure that Maryland’s veterans have the support they deserve,” said Lt. Governor Brown. “Our one-of-a-kind website will help servicemen and women find federal job opportunities that best match their skills....'


Reference: www.thebaynet.com
Tags: Federal Jobs

Apr 25, 2011

TSA employee faces child porn charges


TSA airport screener charged with distributing child pornography


'...Transport Safety Administration (TSA) officer Thomas Gordon Jnr. allegedly used Facebook to share the sick pictures of young girls and...'


Reference: www.dailymail.co.uk
Tags: TSA Screener

Apr 20, 2011

Federal workers have become the punching bag


Inspiring a badly battered federal workforce


'...It has not been an easy time for federal employees, with the pay freeze, attacks on the public sector, budget cutbacks and then the threat of a government shutdown....'


Reference: www.washingtonpost.com
Tags:

Apr 19, 2011

Government Salary and Employee name databases


While searching the internet for interesting articles and sources of information to feed our information hungry readership, we ran across a site called PIbuzz.com. PIbuzz.com has an informative page that is full of links for Government Salary and Employee name databases. Click on over an search the databases.
Tags: Government Salary and Employee name databases

Apr 17, 2011

McNamara Federal Building Bomb Suspect Gary John Mikulich


Federal building bomb suspect has long history of mental illness; psychiatrist: "danger to others"


'...The FBI says 42-year-old Gary John Mikulich left a tool bag filled with an explosive device outside the McNamara Federal Building in Detroit. ...'


Reference: www.wxyz.com
Tags: McNamara Federal Building Bomb

Apr 16, 2011

Drastic shift in House Republicans’ view of federal workers


Drastic shift in House Republicans’ view of federal workers


'...“I think, frankly, the committee has engaged in a broad assault on federal employees in every aspect,” Rep. Gerald E. Connolly (D-Va.) said after the hearing. Why else, he asked, would the panel “spend hours and hours on a bill of such little import?”...'


Reference: www.washingtonpost.com
Tags:

Apr 15, 2011

Federal workers who are seriously delinquent on taxes face trouble under new...


House Panel Passes Bill Cracking Down on Tax Delinquent Federal Workers


'...would terminate the employment of federal workers who are seriously delinquent on their taxes and another that prevents seriously delinquent taxpayers from getting a job with the federal workforce....'


Reference: www.foxnews.com
Tags:

House Passes Republican Budget Plan ...more privatization


House Passes Republican Plan in Partisan Vote


'...the GOP plan would transform the nation's Medicare program, changing it from a government-run system that pays seniors' health bills into a system where seniors buy insurance plans...'


Reference: abcnews.go.com
Tags: Medicare

Apr 13, 2011

2012 Federal Holidays


2012 Federal Holidays


Monday, January 2* New Year's Day
Monday, January 16 Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Monday, February 20** Washington's Birthday
Monday, May 28 Memorial Day
Wednesday, July 4 Independence Day
Monday, September 3 Labor Day
Monday, October 8 Columbus Day
Monday, November 12*** Veterans Day
Thursday, November 22 Thanksgiving Day
Tuesday, December 25 Christmas Day

* January 1, 2012 (the legal public holiday for New Year's Day), falls on a Sunday. For most Federal employees, Monday, January 2, will be treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes. (See section 3(a) of Executive order 11582, February 11, 1971.)

** This holiday is designated as "Washington's Birthday" in section 6103(a) of title 5 of the United States Code, which is the law that specifies holidays for Federal employees. Though other institutions such as state and local governments and private businesses may use other names, it is our policy to always refer to holidays by the names designated in the law.

*** November 11, 2012 (the legal public holiday for Veterans Day), falls on a Sunday. For most Federal employees, Monday, November 12, will be treated as a holiday for pay and leave purposes. (See section 3(a) of Executive order 11582, February 11, 1971.)

Reference: www.opm.gov
Tags: 2012 Federal Holidays

Apr 12, 2011

DC Mayor Vincent Gray arrested while protesting budget


DC mayor arrested protesting budget restrictions


'...Mayor Vincent Gray and six Council members including the chairman were among 41 people arrested Monday outside the Capitol while protesting the changes that might be inevitable. ...'


Reference: www.msnbc.msn.com
Tags:

Apr 10, 2011

Rep. George Miller (CA) Statement on Budget Agreement


Miller Statement on Budget Agreement


'..."The American people have been told the agreement contains both 'historic' and 'painful' cuts. The question will be painful for whom.

"Poor and middle class families have already received more than their fair share of pain in this economy while the wealthy and special interests have paid no price. ...'


Reference: georgemiller.house.gov
Tags: Press release, Rep. George Miller (CA),Supporter of the working class,