Former Temporary Workers Could Catch Up on Pension Contributions Under Proposed Bill
Representatives Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Tom Cole (R-OK) recently introduced a bipartisan piece of legislation titled the Federal Retirement Fairness Act. This legislation would allow employees enrolled in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) who initially entered government as temporary workers to make catch-up retirement contributions to cover for the years when they were temps.
Change Management in an Ever-Changing World
On the latest episode of the FEDtalk podcast, management guru John P. Kotter and Gaurav Gupta of Kotter Inc. discuss new insights from their book Change on how agencies can take advantage of the changes to improve employee skills and introduce a culture that values change and modern thinking.
The Cold War Crimes Of The CIA | Secrets Of War | Timeline
Learn about the many secret missions of the CIA during the Cold War. From election rigging to embassy spy missions- this video covers it all.
Talk with your kids about money
“Four in Five parents wish they had learned more about money and personal finances in their childhood.”
Parents tend to be tight-lipped with their children about family finances. But talking about money can provide a valuable education and keep kids from thinking money is a scary or taboo topic. One way to shape healthy attitudes and behaviors toward money is to engage in frequent conversations about how money works, how it’s earned, how it’s spent and how decisions about it are made.
Comprehensive Paid Leave for Feds
The past year has featured a significant expansion of paid leave for federal employees. Among these new benefits is an additional 15 weeks of emergency paid sick leave for feds who require time off due to either showing symptoms of Covid-19, or in order to take care of a family member who is suffering from Covid-19. Another expansion of paid leave from the past year is the extension of 12 weeks of paid parental leave to all feds with a newborn, newly adopted, or newly fostered child. Now, Representative Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) is making efforts to expand on this paid leave program.
Being a Manager at the IRS: A Little Bit of Everything
Our members at the Professional Managers Association (PMA) managers spend their days ensuring frontline employees understand and comply with all tax laws at the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Managers at the IRS are vital to ensuring tax laws are administered fairly and with integrity.
Travel Restrictions Lifted for Fully Vaccinated Federal Employees
The Safer Federal Workforce Task Force, led by the White House COVID-19 Response Team, the General Services Administration (GSA), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), recently announced updates to travel guidelines for federal employees. In accordance with CDC guidelines, the government has lifted all limits on official travel for fully vaccinated federal employees- meaning those who have received their final dose of COVID-19 vaccine at least two weeks previously.
President Biden Signs EO Promoting Diversity and Inclusion in Federal Agencies
Last week, President Joe Biden signed an Executive Order on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility in the Federal Workforce. The new order directs agencies on how to improve diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility among their employees.
House Appropriators Release Draft Funding Bill, Endorse 2.7 Percent Pay Raise
The House Committee on Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government advanced a draft bill that makes no mention of a federal pay raise for General Schedule employees. Thus, the legislation effectively endorses President Biden’s proposed 2.7 percent average federal civilian pay raise.
Secretary of Defense & Joint Chiefs Chair Respond to Rep. Matt Gaetz on Critical Race Theory
Listen in on Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin responding to Representative Matt Gaetz (R-FL) on Critical Race Theory. Both parties give their input on the place for CRT in the military.
Mental Health Matters: A Conversation with Law Enforcement
The FEDtalk podcast recently hosted a roundtable discussion on the importance of mental fitness for law enforcement. Panelists discussed the importance of both preventative and reactive mental health for law enforcement professionals.
OPM Announces a Special FSA Enrollment Period
The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) recently announced that federal employees can enroll in flexible spending accounts from now through June 30, implementing provisions of the FY 2021 spending package and the COVID-19 relief bill passed in March 2021.
Congress Declares Juneteenth a National Holiday
Last week, FEDagent reported that Congress passed legislation making June 19 a federal holiday in observance of Juneteenth. The date celebrates the arrival of Union troops in Galveston, Texas following the end of the Civil War in 1865. While two years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, the date is viewed as the effective end of slavery in the United States.
Top Republican on Senate Banking Committee Seeks Probe Into Potential Civil Service Violations by Biden Administration
Senator Pat Toomey (R-PA), Ranking Member on the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs, is seeking a probe into potential civil service violations being committed by the Biden administration, specifically at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
An Introduction to Enterprise Digital Learning Modernization (EDLM)
A brief overview of the Enterprise Digital Learning Modernization reform featuring the Honorable Lisa Hershman and Dr. Sae Schatz.
Santos v. NASA: DOJ Declines to Petition the Court for Rehearing
We previously reported on the Federal Circuit’s panel decision in Santos v. NASA, issued on March 11, 2021. That decision held that pursuant to 5 U.S.C. § 4302(c)(6), when employees challenge their PIP-based performance terminations at MSPB, federal agencies must prove that employees deserved to be put on a PIP in the first place. The case turned on the meaning of the words “continue to,” used in Section 4302(c)(6), and whether that statutory language imposed a requirement on the agency to prove pre-PIP unacceptable performance. The panel opinion said yes.
White House Releases Memo Detailing Workplace Reentry for Federal Employees
The Biden administration released a memo on June 10, 2021 to facilitate the safe, effective, and efficient return of federal employees to the physical workplace given the declining threat of COVID-19. The administration lifted the 25 percent occupancy rule for federal buildings, but continues to require detailed plans from agencies regarding return-to-work initiatives prior to increasing occupancy.
OPM Releases New Rule: Former Feds Can Be Re-hired at a Higher Pay Scale
A final rule released by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on June 8, 2021 would make it easier for federal agencies to bring back former employees at a higher pay scale. Prior to the release of this rule, agencies could bring back ex-employees, but at the same pay grade they were receiving before they left federal service.