Saturday, October 30, 2010

Ex-federal employee sentenced in Fort Peck embezzlement case

Article Title: Ex-federal employee sentenced in Fort Peck embezzlement case

Snippet of Article: "...A former federal employee was sentenced Tuesday for his involvement in an embezzlement scheme that stole around $1 million from the Fort Peck Tribal Credit Program...."

Source: www.greatfallstribune.com

Friday, October 29, 2010

Extending Health Care Coverage for Young Adults During Open Season

Article Title: Extending Health Care Coverage for Young Adults During Open Season

Remember, under the Affordable Care Act, young adults will be allowed to stay on their parents' plan until they turn 26 years old unless they are offered insurance at work.

Source: The Federal Newsgroup health care and age,

Panel to consider federal pay raises

Article Title: Panel to consider federal pay raises

Snippet of Article: "...where the pay of federal workers stands in relation to private-sector salaries. Given that last year's numbers put federal pay an average of 22 percent behind the private sector..."

Source: washingtonpost.com Federal employee pay,

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

2011 Open Season for Health Benefits, Dental and Vision Insurance

Federal Employee Open Season

Article Title: 2011 Open Season for Health Benefits, Dental and Vision Insurance

Snippet of Article: "..."The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program has important features, including a wide choice of health plans and competitive benefit packages as well as no pre-existing condition limitations or waiting periods. Now, for 2011, we have eliminated enrollee cost sharing for preventive care services, added incentives for tobacco cessation, and, in accordance with the Affordable Care Act, added coverage for dependents up to age 26. Even with these new benefits, premiums will rise less this year than they did last year." John Berry Director, U. S. Office of Personnel Management * The U. S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has announced that this year's open season for health benefits, dental and vision insurance, and Flexible Spending Accounts will run from November 8 through December 13, 2010. This open season will give federal employees and retirees the opportunity to change their health-care coverage and employees who are not enrolled, but are eligible to participate, the opportunity to elect coverage. OPM also announced the use of a new claims database that will make it easier to reduce the growth in health care costs. * Each year, OPM enters into annual negotiations with each FEHB carrier, historically enabling the program to hold premium increases below industry averages and secure good benefits value for enrollees and their families. * Premiums for the 2011 FEHB Program will rise by an average 7.2 percent for the enrollee share of premiums. This increase is below last year's premium increase of 8.8 percent and lower than rate hikes predicted for large, employer-sponsored health programs by benefit consultants such as Aon, Milliman, and Price Waterhouse Coopers, which are estimating 2011 premium increases between 8.9 percent and 10.5 percent. * In January 2011, there will be 207 health plan options in the FEHB Program. * OPM will soon launch a new Health Claims Data Warehouse which will become a useful tool for analyzing health services data from the FEHB plans. The warehouse will allow OPM to better understand the health of federal employees, as well as the cost and quality of care they receive. The warehouse will give OPM the ability to manage the program so that employees and tax-payers get the best value. ..."

Source: Federal Employee News Federal Employee Open Season 2011, Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, FEHB

Third shooting at a military facility in two weeks

Article Title: FBI looks into third shooting at a military facility in two weeks

Snippet of Article: "...Last week, a gunman fired several shots at the Pentagon, just two days after shots were fired at the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Virginia. Ballistics tests revealed..."

Source: cnn.com

Tuesday, October 26, 2010

Federal Employees at Social Security Admin get an extra Holiday

Article Title: Employees at SSA get extra day to be thankful

Snippet of Article: "...they will enjoy Nov. 26 as an additional holiday "to give you an extra day of rest and reflection with family and friends," Social Security Commissioner Michael J. Astrue wrote in a memo to workers this month. ..."

Source: www.washingtonpost.com federal holidays,

Postmaster General Announces Retirement

Article Title: Postmaster General to Retire

Snippet of Article: "...Pat Donahoe, Deputy Postmaster General and Chief Operating Officer, will become our new Postmaster General when PMG Potter retires on December 3...."

Source: The Postal Newsgroup Postmaster General retirement

Postal Union Grows Impatient With Pace of Contract Talks

Article Title: Postal Union Grows Impatient With Pace of Contract Talks

Snippet of Article: "...As expected, USPS proposals have included efforts to maximize supervisory control of the workplace and reduce costs by removing previously negotiated contractual protections.

However, to date, management has not presented its proposals on the central contractual issues of wages, benefits, protection against layoffs, seniority, and workforce structure. When these proposals are presented, we expect them to be consistent with the propaganda we have heard so frequently in recent months..."

Source: www.apwu.org Postal Unions

Sunday, October 24, 2010

FEHB Open Season 2011

Article Title: fehb open season 2011

Snippet of Article: "...The U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has announced that this year’s open season for health benefits, dental and vision insurance, and Flexible Spending Accounts will run from November 8 through December 13, 2010...."

Source: Federal Employee News fehb open season 2011, Federal Employee News

Federal employees at Tobyhanna Army Depot

Article Title: Federal employees at Tobyhanna Army Depot

Snippet of Article: "...For years, blue-collar federal employees received different wages than white-collar federal employees although they work the same hours at the same facilities, Mr. Kanjorski said. ..."

Source: thetimes-tribune.com

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Pentagon to Fight Domestic Cyberattacks

Article Title: Pentagon Will Help Homeland Security Department Fight Domestic Cyberattacks

Snippet of Article: "...Under the new rules, the president would approve the use of the military’s expertise in computer-network warfare, and the Department of Homeland Security would direct the work. ..."

Source: www.nytimes.com Pentagon, computer-network warfare,

Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA)

Article Title: Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA)

Snippet of Article: "...The Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA), 5 USC Chapter 81, provides compensation benefits to Federal employees for work-related injuries or illnesses, and to their surviving dependents if a work-related injury or illness results in the employee’s death...."

Source: www.doi.gov Federal Employees’ Compensation Act (FECA)

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

How Did Two Bullets Graze the Most Secure Building in America?

Article Title: CSI Pentagon: How Did Two Bullets Graze the Most Secure Building in America?

Snippet of Article: "...At least two of the bullets contacted Pentagon windows, director of the Pentagon Force Protection Agency, Steven Calvery said at a Tuesday news conference...."

Source: newsfeed.time.com Pentagon Shooting, Shots hit Pentagon, Pentagon Force Protection Agency

Shots hit Pentagon; temporary lockdown

Article Title: Shots hit Pentagon; temporary lockdown

Snippet of Article: "...Someone fired shots at the Pentagon early Tuesday, hitting..."

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

Saturday, October 16, 2010

CPI-W 2010

CPI-W September 2010

Article Title: CPI-W 2010

Snippet of Article: "...The Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers. (CPI-W) increased 1.4 percent over the last 12 months to an index level of 214.306 (1982-84=100). For the month, the index was unchanged prior to seasonal adjustment. ..."

Source: www.bls.gov

Friday, October 15, 2010

Locality Pay

Article Title: General Schedule Locality Pay Areas

Snippet of Article: "...On behalf of the President's Pay Agent, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management is issuing interim regulations on the locality pay program for General Schedule employees. The interim regulations establish separate locality pay areas for the States of Alaska and Hawaii and extend coverage of the Rest of U.S. locality pay area to include American Samoa, the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Territory of Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and all other U.S. possessions listed in 5 CFR 591.205, applicable on the first day of the first pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2011...."

Source: www.federalregister.gov Locality Pay, Federal Pay,

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

AFGE National President John Gage Statement on FEHBP Premium Increases

Article Title: AFGE National President John Gage Statement on FEHBP Premium Increases

Snippet of Article: "...FEHBP's largest plan, the Blue Cross Blue Shield Standard Option, will charge enrollees 6.9% more for self coverage and 7.6% more for family coverage. "While we are pleased to see that these increases are smaller than those in 2010, they are still too high...."

Source: www.afge.org

Sunday, October 10, 2010

There's a law that bars federal employees from running for office?

Article Title: There's a law that bars federal employees from running for office?

Snippet of Article: "...The Hatch Act prohibits almost all federal employees in the executive branch from being political candidates. Here's how the law..."

Source: www.csmonitor.com

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Supreme Court weighs need for background checks for NASA scientists

Article Title: Supreme Court weighs need for background checks for NASA scientists

Snippet of Article: "...Federal civil service employees have faced background checks since 1953. The checks were expanded to federal contractors in 2005...."

Source: www.csmonitor.com