USPS proposed health plan proposal would "massively disrupt or destroy the FEHBP"

Article Title: USPS plan to set up own health plan faces lawmakers' skepticism

Snippet of Article: "...One health care expert said the USPS health plan proposal would "massively disrupt or destroy the FEHBP." ..."

Source: www.federalnewsradio.com FEHBP, Postal Service Health Plan, Destruction of the Federal Employee Health Plan,

Is there an app for that? Android and iPhone Apps

Article Title: Etch A Sketch Craziness? Yep, There's an App For That

Snippet of Article: "...Republican presidential candidate, former Pennsylvania Sen. Rick Santorum holds an Etch A Sketch during a rally in Mandeville, La., ..."

Source: Android and iPhone Apps Etch A Sketch App

Budget plan calls for extending pay freeze through 2015

Article Title: GOP budget plan extends federal pay freeze, changes retirement benefits

Snippet of Article: "...The Republican budget plan for fiscal 2013 calls for extending the federal pay freeze through 2015, increasing federal retirement contributions and cutting the federal workforce by 10 percent. ..."

Source: www.federalnewsradio.com Republican budget plan, Federal pay freeze, 2015 pay freeze,

Outfox Social Security

Article Title: How to Outsmart Social Security

Snippet of Article: "...A new working paper offers guidance on how to maximize this present value of benefits, depending on the circumstance. The authors, economists John Shoven at Stanford University and Sita Nataraj Slavov at Occidental College, received a grant from the Social Security Administration for their research..."

Source: Social Security News

Mail Processing Facility Closure "utter disaster" says...

Article Title: Closure of Frederick Mail Processing Facility 'utter disaster,' according to director of union organization

Snippet of Article: "...sent to Baltimore to be sorted, has been an “utter disaster,” overwhelming the Baltimore plant and leading to mail delays of, in some cases, more than a month, said Richard Shelley, who works at the Baltimore Processing and Distribution Facility ..."

Source: herald-mail.com

Justice Department employees may see furloughs

Article Title: Justice warns of 5-week furloughs for 100,000 employees

Snippet of Article: "...More than 100,000 Justice Department employees — about 86 percent of the agency's workforce — would be furloughed for five weeks on average if automatic budget cuts take effect in January, a department spokeswoman said Tuesday...."

Source: www.federaltimes.com Federal Employee furloughs, Justice Department employees, sequestration budget cuts,

Postal Service suspending mail processing network consolidations

Article Title: Postal Service suspending mail processing network consolidations during the election mailing season

Snippet of Article: "...efforts include suspending mail processing network consolidations during..."

Source: Postal Newsgroup mail processing network consolidations, moratorium,

Processing facility closures or consolidations not completed by the end of August will be put on hold

Article Title: Closure of some mail sites to be delayed for US vote

Snippet of Article: "...It announced on Wednesday that it would put any processing facility closures or consolidations not completed by the end of
August on hold until early 2013...."

Source: www.chicagotribune.com

Los Alamos National Laboratory buyouts on the way

Article Title: Los Alamos Residents Brace for Layoffs at Lab

Snippet of Article: "...need to lay off up to 11 percent of its 7,600 permanent employees, a target that officials hope can be reached through volunteers. On Thursday, the lab’s director, Charles F. McMillan, met with employees to explain the terms of buyouts..."

Source: www.nytimes.com Federal Employee Buyouts, Early Retirements,

If RIF, what will be offered

Article Title: CSRS and break in service

Snippet of Article: "...If RIF, what will be offered to me for my retirement plan? 2. CSRS versus FERS..."

Source: federaltimes.com RIF,

More early retirement and buyouts for Agriculture Department

Article Title: The 2013 budget request: agency by agency

Snippet of Article: "...started closing 260 offices this year, plans to further use early retirement and buyouts to eliminate 900 more positions in 2013. Budget cuts forced..."

Source: www.federaltimes.com Early Retirements, Federal Employee Buyouts,

Bill to cut Federal Employee and Postal Pensions approved by House Panel

Article Title: House Panel Approves Bill To Cut Postal, Federal Pensions

Snippet of Article: "...legislation (H.R. 3813) was shepherded through the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee by a pair of politicians who are well-known opponents of postal workers: Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) and Rep. Dennis Ross (R-FL)..."

Source: The Postal Newsgroup Darrell Issa (R-Calif.), Dennis A. Ross (R-Fla.), Federal Retirement Cuts, Federal Employee Retirement,

2011 Buyout Figures / Early Retirements

Article Title: GPO Reports Results of Buyouts / Early Outs

Snippet of Article: "...GPO offered buyouts and early outs to the agency's employees during the second half of calendar year 2011 as a result of overall Government cutbacks and projected reductions in appropriated funding. The buyout..."

Source: whattheythink.com

Blue Button technology arrives for Federal Employee Health Plans

Article Title: Federal health plans to offer Blue Button digital health-record access

Snippet of Article: "...the Blue Button technology, whose use was spearheaded by the Veterans Affairs Department, will make it easer to share digital records with family members and physicians...."

Source: www.federalnewsradio.com Blue Button technology

Federal Employee Pay Increase for 2013 is minuscule

Article Title: AFGE Statement on Proposed Federal Employee Pay Raise

Snippet of Article: "...American Federation of Government Employees National President John Gage today issued the following statement in response to the Obama administration's proposed 0.5% federal employee pay raise for 2013..."

Source: www.sacbee.com

Federal worker rule

Article Title: Wait is over for federal worker rule but worries persist

Snippet of Article: "...It took DHS' U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services almost two years to issue the final worker rule. The rule was welcomed with a mixture of relief and anxiety...."

Source: www.saipantribune.com

Federal employees' pay gains are slowest in 10 years

Article Title: Federal workers' pay gains are the slowest in 10 years

Snippet of Article: "...None of the wage gains kept pace with inflation. The federal pay numbers are the first full budget-year results since President Obama canceled automatic cost-of-living pay hikes..."

Source: www.usatoday.com
COLA, cost-of-living

Lawmakers stall Federal Employee unpaid furloughs for short period

Article Title: US Lawmakers Approve Government Funding

Snippet of Article: "...A shutdown would have forced government departments to halt non-essential operations and put tens of thousands of federal employees on unpaid furlough...."

Source: voanews.com Federal furlough, Federal employees,

Postal Service attempts to shutter vital mail processing facility in national defense mecca

Article Title: Huntsville mail processing center may relocate to Birmingham

Snippet of Article: "...Huntsville resident Ray Dunavant said if the measure passes, Huntsville will lose its historic postmark; something that Dunavant says is an emblem of a community...."

Source: Rocket City
destruction of postal service, essential services, Huntsville Alabama,

Huge cuts to federal employee pay and benefits

Article Title: Federal worker union opposes House GOP payroll tax plan

Snippet of Article: "...the measure would make “huge cuts to federal employee pay and benefits.”..."

Source: Federal pay cuts,

Another postal shooting (Montgomery, Alabama)

Article Title: Post office shooting suspect charged with Attempted Murder

Snippet of Article: "...postal worker carried two guns into the mail room at the post office and fired several shots. The suspect, 29-year-old Arthur Lee Darby Jr...."

Source: eastmontgomery.wsfa.com Postal Shooting

Weakening of the federal retirement safety net

Article Title: Baby Boom Retirement: Financial Security Fades

Snippet of Article: "...it's vital to fend off any weakening of the federal retirement safety net..."

Source: www.theledger.com
federal retirement safety net, Medicare, Social Security,,

Federal records management system gets attention

Article Title: Obama wants better digital archive of federal records

Snippet of Article: "...announcement could be a boon for the Archives, which is facing a multi-year reorganization and earned the lowest ratings of any large federal agency in a recent survey of federal employees...."

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

Guidance issued by OPM on workforce restructuring

Article Title: OPM issues guidance on workforce restructuring

Snippet of Article: "...A memo from OPM Director John Berry includes information for chief human capital officers on buyouts, early retirement packages, layoffs and reassignments...."

Source: www.govexec.com