Groundhog Day was Fun – Washington’s Sequels Are Terrible and Need to End
As the clock once again ticks ever closer to another fiscal year cliff – the expiration of the latest continuing resolution (CR) on December 11, and the potential government shutdown it would bring – we are reminded of the movie Groundhog Day.
How Managers Can Learn About FEDS
Calling all federal managers! Are you prepared to defend yourself against allegations from your agency, disgruntled employees, or the public? Your everyday managerial duties leave you at risk of civil suits, administrative actions, and criminal investigations—FEDS Protection can help.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield's Federal Employee Program
With Open Season for federal employees running November 9 through December 14, 2020, now’s the perfect time to think about what you want from your health plan. At the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Federal Employee Program, we offer the coverage and benefits to help you live healthy every day. That includes our Basic Option, that gives you great in-network coverage with no deductible.
How PLI Can Help Protect Against Schedule F
On October 21, President Trump issued Executive Order 13957, which will reclassify workers "in positions of a confidential, policy-determining, policy-making, or policy-advocating character" into a new category, Schedule F. Schedule F employees will be exempt from the typical federal employment processes, making the positions easier to hire and fire. While the number of federal employees impacted by the Executive Order is unknown due to the elastic definition of what could be classified as Schedule F, the American Federation of Government Employees estimates that it could impact “perhaps hundreds of thousands” of federal employees.
2020 WAEPA Federal Summit and Annual Member Meeting: Key Takeaways
Like many events, WAEPA’s annual conference moved to a fully virtual format in 2020. Hosted by our CEO Shane M. Canfield, the 2020 WAEPA Federal Summit and Annual Member Meeting delivered an excellent lineup of speakers for the Civilian Federal Employees. Here are some key takeaways from the event.
Politicizing the Civil Service is a Disturbingly Bad Idea: FMA Responds to Executive Order
As most feds are now aware, President Trump recently signed an executive order to create a Schedule F in the Excepted Service, a new class of career “confidential, policy-determining, or policy-advocating” positions. Concerning to FMA, this move strips civil service protections from a huge, as yet-untold number of federal workers.
Trick or Treat: Do You Know What to Expect With PLI?
No federal manager goes to work expecting to get sued or anticipates spending tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal fees to defend their career. However, today’s current political climate (with increased workforce challengers, Congressional investigations, and political pressures) means federal managers are increasingly vulnerable to civil lawsuits and administrative actions. If an allegation is made against you, are you aware of your rights as a federal manager? Are you prepared to vigorously defend yourself even if the allegation is baseless? Do you have professional liability insurance in place to help you in these trying matters? In the spirit of the fall season, FEDS Protection has put together a list of Trick or Treat facts that will help you learn more about your liability exposures and how best to protect yourself with FEDS PLI.
Long Term Care Planning Made Easy: Find a Plan That’s Right for You
You may already be aware of what long term care is, whether it's through personal experience caregiving for a loved one who needs daily assistance, or knowing a family member or friend who requires more support as they age. As you learn more about long term care, consider the possibility that you may need this type of care in the future and start planning for it today.
2020 FEHB Open Season: Tips for Preparing
Each year, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) offers the Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) Open Season to allow you to evaluate your circumstances and options, and make changes to benefits.
Regular Disorder
A phrase that gets thrown around a lot in Congress is “regular order.” Typically, this phrase is used in a context like “regrettably, it has been impossible to pass appropriations through regular order for many years.”
Looking Back & Looking Forward
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic constitutes one of the greatest challenges this country has faced since the attacks of September 11th. This week marks the 19th anniversary of 9/11, and FEDS Protection continues to salute those federal employees who have continued to serve our country through crises past and present.
What Feds Need to Know: Fall 2020
As part of our commitment to providing Civilian Federal Employees and their families with access to products and services that promote their health, welfare, and financial well-being, WAEPA has compiled some of the top federal resources you need to be “in the know” for Open Season.
Advocating for Feds to Keep Their Earned Leave
Much of what we do here at the Federal Managers Association comes down to trying to get a square deal for feds. We recognize that federal managers do critical work on behalf of the country, and that without them and the work they do, the country would not function as well as it does. From disaster response to building transportation infrastructure to protecting our national security, feds do the hard work of keeping our country safe, prosperous, and strong.
FLTCIP 3.0: Comprehensive Coverage with Added Premium Stability
In today’s world, planning is essential. People are living longer and need a long-range care plan that can sustain them throughout their lifetime.
Why Federal Managers Need Professional Liability Insurance Now More Than Ever
The last few months have brought with them new challenges to federal managers and supervisors. In FEDS Protection’s latest webinar, FEDS President Tony Vergnetti discusses the civil, administrative, and criminal exposures of federal managers, with a focus on additional challenges presented by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. From quickly and effectively transitioning to teleworking, handling employee health and safety challenges, dealing with employee privacy concerns, and more, federal managers are at an increased risk of employee administrative complaints and agency investigations. Listen to this short webinar to learn how federal managers can protect themselves with FEDS Protection professional liability insurance.
Offering Life Insurance Protection in these Uncertain Times
Life insurance protects your family from the uncertainty of what the future holds. Your policy with WAEPA is a safeguard you put in place to provide you and your loved ones with peace of mind. This protection is both a precaution, and a crucial component of your overall financial security.
A Fair Pay Raise for Feds in 2021
One of FMA’s primary objectives each year is to provide a fair pay raise for federal employees that reflects their selfless contributions to their fellow Americans.
Increased Challenges, Increased Exposures
As the United States enters its fourth month of COVID-19-related shutdown in some form, the long-term behavioral impacts of the ‘new normal’ are beginning to appear. Recent polls and official guidance indicate that Americans are experiencing elevated levels of unhappiness and anxiety due to the ongoing pandemic.