Do You Know a Federal Employee Facing a Tragedy?
FEEA: The Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund, has been assisting federal families in need for more than 30 years. Through college scholarships, disaster relief, emergency hardship loans, and #FedLifeHacks, FEEA has touched the lives of tens of thousands of federal families, including more than 3,000 lower-income feds who needed help during the longest government shutdown in US history in early 2019.
Open Season Brings New Opportunities to Take Stock of Your Health and Healthcare.
Every Open Season brings new opportunities for the millions of dedicated men and women who work for our country to take stock of their health and well-being. Our role at the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Federal Employee Program (FEP®) is to help all of our current and future members make informed decisions about their healthcare needs.
OPM Issues Memo on Impact of State, Local Minimum Wage Hikes for Federal Employees
Given decisions by state and local governments to increase the minimum wage above the federal minimum wage, the Office of Personal Management (OPM) has issued a memo to human resource (HR) departments clarifying how to handle competing wage minimums. The memo reminds HR departments that the federal minimum wage standards supersede state and local hikes.
Small Talk - How to Start a Conversation - Tips and Tricks (animated)
Making small talk with colleagues can be hard, but here are some tips for meaningful interactions.
How Are 2020 GS Pay Scales with Locality Calculated?
For Civilian Federal Employees, the end of the calendar year marks a possibility for changes to General Schedule (GS) Pay Scales. Understanding how the system works can help you make better financial decisions for you and your family. This knowledge also allows you to make an informed career decision when comparing positions or considering a transfer. To help you make sense of it all, WAEPA has compiled a guide to GS Pay Scales.
Bipartisan Bill Focuses on Drone Manufacturers
Legislation introduced last week by Congressman Mike Gallagher (R-WI) in the House and Rick Scott (R-FL) in the Senate would prohibit the federal government from purchasing drones manufactured in countries identified as national security threats. Lawmakers fear these drones would be a risk to national security.
DHS Inspector General Issues Report on Efforts to Address Internal Opioid Use
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Inspector General (IG) has issued a report analyzing how Customs and Border Protection (CBP), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and the Secret Service have dealt with opioid use in the midst of a national opioid epidemic. The report issued in November assesses how the components have addressed both legal and illegal opioid use.
A Billion Wasted Here, a Billion Wasted There
FMA was encouraged by the two-year bipartisan budget deal Congress and the Administration agreed to and passed in August 2019, preventing sequestration and raising the debt ceiling. The document even called for “orderly and timely consideration” of FY2020 spending bills, but mere weeks remain on the second CR of the fiscal year. Members of Congress frequently say they want to run the government like a business. But a business that constantly ran with budget uncertainty and delayed funding would never thrive or stay in business long. FMA implores Congress and the Administration to come together and fully fund FY 2020.
Partnerships to Improve Public Service
Tune in to FEDtalk this week for a discussion on improving public service- from the institutional level to the individual level. Guests from across the federal community will discuss how they work together to build a better public service system.
OPM Releases Final Job Family Position Classification and Qualification Standards for Implementation
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has released for implementation the final Job Family Position Classification and Qualification Standards for professional and administrative occupations in the Accounting, Auditing, and Budget Group, 0500.
Federal Circuit: Hasty Probationary Period Removal Motivated by Preference-Eligible Status
The Social Security Administration removed a preference-eligible veteran from his position as an attorney advisor near the end of his one-year probationary period due to allegedly poor performance. The employee filed for corrective action with the Merit Systems Protection Board, alleging that the agency violated the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) when it removed him because of his preference-eligible status. An MSPB administrative judge denied the request for corrective action, and the employee appealed to the Federal Circuit. On November 7, 2019, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit reversed the MSPB decision, and remanded the case to the MSPB for a determination of the appropriate corrective action.
White House Issues Update to National Strategic Computing Initiative
The White House National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) has released an updated National Strategic Computing Imitative on Pioneering the Future of Computing. The plan builds upon the 2016 plan in an effort to further engage partners in government, academia, and industry. The plan acknowledges the success of the current strategic computing plan and works to build upon this success.
Appropriations Update: House Passes Continuing Resolution to Fund Government Until Dec. 20
Lawmakers in the House of Representatives passed a temporary funding measure, or continuing resolution (CR), to fund the government until December 20. House members voted Tuesday with the hopes of moving the legislation to the Senate for a vote later in the week and onto the president’s desk for signature before the current CR expires at midnight on Thursday.
USDA Disaster Nutrition Assistance Programs
For National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, this video highlights how the USDA uses nutritional assistance programs following natural disasters to ensure victims have access to food resources.
How To Help Homeless Veterans
The National Park Service is a staple agency for many Americans. The History Channel dives into the NPS’ roots.
Federal Manager Allegations Are Unsettling
For federal managers, ignorance is expensive. Know your exposures and the protections available to you.
Understanding Open Season Options
Host Tony Vergnetti will sit down with Joan Melanson from Long Term Care Partners and Kathleen Proctor, David Yoder, and William Breskin from Blue Cross Blue Shield Association to discuss what this Open Season has to offer.
Bipartisan Budget Reform Bill Passes out of Senate Committee
The Senate Budget Committee advanced legislation last week to reform the congressional budget process, the first bipartisan budget reform bill to pass the Committee since 1990.