8 Things Federal Employees Must Know About FERS Disability

Snippet of Article: "...You Must Apply for FERS Disability Within One Year of Leaving Your Job In addition to the requirements above, federal employees have a time limit on when they can file for FERS disability. Ideally, you should apply for FERS disability before leaving your job. If that isn’t possible, however, you have one year after you leave to do so. As long as the OPM or your agency receives your application within this time period, you will meet this requirement. 3. You Still Need to Apply for FERS Disability Even if You Already Receive Social Security Disability Benefits..."

Source: www.legalreader.com

U.S. Postal Worker And Four Others Arrested For Shipping Heroin And Fentanyl Through The Mail

Snippet of Article: "...Audrey Strauss, the United States Attorney for the Southern District of New York, Peter C. Fitzhugh, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations (“HSI”) in New York, Matthew Modafferi, Special Agent in Charge of the Northeast Area Field Office of the U.S. Postal Service, Officer of Inspector General (“USPS-OIG”), and Philip R. Bartlett, Inspector-in-Charge of the New York Office of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service (“USPIS”), announced the unsealing of an indictment today charging LUIS GAMEZ, HUGO RICHARD VILLANUEVA TORRES, DANIEL ORTIZ, JOSE LUIS MARTINEZ ROSARIO and JAYSON COLON with participating in a conspiracy to distribute heroin and fentanyl in connection with a scheme to transport those narcotics through the U.S. mail. GAMEZ was arrested on Sunday evening in California and was presented yesterday before a federal magistrate judge in the Central District of California. VILLANUEVA, ORTIZ, MARTINEZ, and COLON were arrested yesterday in New Jersey and were presented before U.S. Magistrate Judge Barbara C. Moses that same day. The case is assigned to United States District Judge Paul A. Engelmayer..."

Source: www.justice.gov

Federal employees face retirement delays due to lags at National Finance Center (NFC)

Snippet of Article: "...Federal employees who have or are planning to retire soon could wait months longer than usual before receiving final annuity payments due to processing delays at one of the major payroll providers. At least three agencies have warned employees in recent months of delays at the National Finance Center..."

Source: federalnewsnetwork.com

Retirement processing delays, Financial Hardships, National Finance Center (NFC),

Federal employee protections included in new COVID relief bill

Snippet of Article: "...The legislation would mandate an automatic presumption of workplace illness for federal employees that currently work on the front lines and fall sick with COVID-19. Such automatic presumptions make it easier for employees or their survivors to ..."

Source: www.armytimes.com

COVID-19, automatic presumptions,

The CDC wants you to prepare for a zombie apocalypse. (Yes, you read that right.)

Snippet of Article: "...In the midst of providing guidelines on an unprecedented pandemic, the Center for Disease Control updated its tips to prepare for another extreme occurrence: A zombie apocalypse..."

Source: www.msn.com

Preparedness 101: Zombie Apocalypse

USPS offers early retirements to non-union employees in agency reorganization

Snippet of Article: "...USPS will email voluntary early retirement offers to eligible employees on March 4, and will mail an additional hard-copy notification to employees’ home addresses. Employees who decide to accept the offer must submit the required documents by April 16. The retirements will take effect April 30. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said these changes would strengthen USPS by “improving efficiency and streamlining decision making throughout the organization,” and dig the agency out of billions of dollars in net losses sustained since 2007..."

Source: federalnewsnetwork.com

Still No Stimulus as Jobless Claims Continue to Surge

Weekly Jobless Claims on the Rise Again, at 745,000

Snippet of Article: "...a continued sluggish recovery...This new figure also represents an increase from last week’s revised level. The previous week was revised to 736,000 from 730,000 new claims..."

Source: yahoo.com

Jobless Claims, Biden, Fail,

Biden nominates 3 to USPS board as Postmaster General DeJoy vows to stay

Snippet of Article: "...President Biden on Wednesday nominated three people for the U.S. Postal Service board of directors, moving to fill vacant seats on the board and assert indirect control over the ailing agency and its controversial postmaster general, Louis DeJoy. If confirmed by the Senate, the three new members — Ron Stronman, Amber McReynolds, and Anton Hajjar — would tilt the board toward Democratic control, potentially with enough votes to oust DeJoy. At a House Oversight Committee hearing earlier Wednesday, DeJoy said he plans to stay ..."

Source: theweek.com

People Born In 1960 Face Huge Permanent Social Security Benefit Reductions

Snippet of Article: "...feature in the Social Security benefit formula that makes the critical calculation of an individual's initial Social Security retirement benefit (which is linked to the year that workers turn age 60) is sensitive to economic recessions. Known as the average wage index (AWI)..."

Source: Rocket City News

Social Security, Social Security COVID Correction and Equity Act,

Free Stock: Get in on the Robinhood trading frenzy with FREE stock for signing up

Snippet of Article: "...Hi there! Your free stock at Robinhood is waiting for you. You could get one of these great stocks and it is FREE. 100% chance of getting a free stock when you sign up and securely link your bank account, a surprise stock appears in your account. Learn More Here. No money needed. You don't need any money in your account to get your free stock. You could get up to $194.00. You have a 1 in 150 chance of getting Visa ($194.00), Johnson & Johnson ($165.00), or Apple ($131.79). Start building your portfolio. Keep in mind 98% of awarded stocks will have a value of $10 or less. Let us help you get started with your financial future. Member of SIPC. Securities in your account protected up to $500,000."

Source: robinhood.com

Free Stock from Robinhood, Robinhood free stock,

All investments involve risk, including the possible loss of principal. Neither receipt of a share of stock through this program nor identification of a particular security in communications related to this program constitutes a solicitation of the security or a recommendation to buy, sell, or hold the security. Robinhood Financial or The Federal Newsgroup does not provide investment advice and does not hereby recommend any security or transaction. Securities trading offered through Robinhood Financial LLC, member SIPC and FINRA.

Ex-Con Admits Cutting Female Postal Carrier During Carjacking That Led To Newark Chase, Crash

Snippet of Article: "...The U.S. Postal Service carrier was taking a break behind the wheel of Dodge Durango on June 6 when Wallace Johnson, 32, of Newark, walked up and held the knife to her throat, cutting..."

Source: dailyvoice.com

Crime,cutting,Most dangerous jobs,Postal Mail Carrier,Postal Employee Dangers,

Trump gives most federal employees day off on Christmas Eve

Snippet of Article: "...Federal agencies will be closed on Thursday, Dec. 24, 2020, President Donald Trump announced, giving federal employees an extra day off the day before Christmas. The president made the announcement via an executive order, which he released Friday afternoon..."

Source: federalnewsnetwork.com

Trump Legacy, Christmas Eve 2020, executive order,

Your 2021 federal pay raise is still up in the air

Snippet of Article: "...President Donald Trump proposed a 1% across-the-board federal pay raise back February. The proposal didn’t include a locality pay adjustment. But since the president submitted his federal pay raise proposal to Congress, a lot has changed..."

Source: federalnewsnetwork.com

2021Federal Pay Raise,

Born in 1960? Your Social Security Retirement or Disability Benefits Could Take a Hit

Snippet of Article: "...Roughly 4 million people born in 1960 could see a big drop in their Social Security retirement or disability benefits if Congress doesn't act to fix this year's glitch in how benefits are calculated. Like seemingly everything else in 2020, the pandemic is largely to blame..."

Source: www.aarp.org

will Biden help those born in 1960?,Social Security,Biden Legacy,Coronavirus,COVID-19,Pandemic,

Assessing when you can afford to retire under the Federal Employees Retirement System

Snippet of Article: "... Suppose John will have 30 years of service this year, including six years of military service (for which he has paid a deposit) and 24 years under FERS. He's 59, so he's past the FERS minimum retirement age. If he retires with 30 years of service, his FERS basic retirement will provide 30 percent of his high-three average salary. He's been at the GS 13-10 level for the past three years. His current salary is $113,007. His retirement will be computed as: 30% x $108,027 (high-three average) = $3...Wait to retire at 62. Then his FERS benefit will be computed at 1.1 percent for every year of service, instead of 1 percent, a 10 percent increase..."

Source: www.govexec.com

2021 federal open season begins

Snippet of Article: "...Federal employees have just over a month to make any planned changes to their health, dental and vision insurance options, as open season for feds began Nov. 9..."

Source: www.federaltimes.com

2021 open season,When is 2021 open season?,

Whistleblower Resources for Federal Employees

Snippet of Article: "...Deciding to blow the whistle on wrongdoing can be the single most important professional decision you ever have to make. Whistleblowing is risky and difficult. History also shows it...Whistleblowing is not a crime—in many cases, it is a legally-protected right"

Source: www.pogo.org

Whistleblower Protections,

The Battle Over Federal Employees’ Payroll Taxes

Snippet of Article: "...Federal employees who make less than $104,000 annually will see bigger paychecks starting this month and lasting through the end of the year. The 6.2% payroll tax will be deferred from eligible federal employees’ paychecks until the end of the year..."

Source: www.fedsmith.com

Social Security Payroll Tax, Payroll Taxes, Taxes,

CDC to start surveying nation's wastewater

Snippet of Article: "... The federal government plans to start surveying America's wastewater to better understand the spread of COVID-19 in communities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced that they are creating a national database on wastewater data..."

Source: abcnews.go.com

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Wastewater Analytics, wastewater data, National Database,

More dental and vision insurance plans to be offered for 2021 open season (Nov. 9 to Dec. 14)

More dental and vision insurance plans to be offered for 2021 open season

Snippet of Article: "...Those eligible for the FEDVIP program will be able to enroll, cancel or change their coverage during the 2021 open enrollment season, which lasts from Nov. 9 to Dec. 14 this year..."

Source: www.federaltimes.com

FEDVIP, 2021 open season, 2021 open enrollment season, dental and vision insurance plans, When is 2021 open season?,

DOJ charges former CIA, FBI official with selling classified US secrets to China

Snippet of Article: "...Federal prosecutors said Alexander Yuk Ching Ma, a 67-year-old naturalized U.S. citizen living in Honolulu, worked as a CIA officer from 1982 to 1989 -- and starting as early as 2001, an FBI investigation found he had "become a compromised asset" of China's Ministry of State Security. Ma was allegedly captured on both video..."

Source: www.yahoo.com

DoJ, CIA, FBI, selling classified US secrets,

Employee bloated Postal Service loses $2.2B in 3 months as virus woes persist

Snippet of Article: "...DeJoy offered a gloomy picture of the 630,000-employee agency Friday in his first public remarks since taking the top job in June. “Our financial position is dire, stemming from substantial declines in mail volume, a broken business model and a management strategy that has not adequately addressed these issues,” DeJoy told the postal board of governors at a meeting Friday. “Without dramatic change, there is no end in sight,” DeJoy said..."

Source: www.wtnh.com

Louis DeJoy, Postmaster General DeJoy, Overtime Abuse, Postal buyout incentives, Too Many Senior Employees,

‘Drone Swarm’ Invaded Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant Last September — Twice

Snippet of Article: "...Documents gained under the Freedom of Information Act show how a number of small drones flew around a restricted area at Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant on two successive nights last September. Security forces watched, but were apparently helpless to act..."

Source: www.forbes.com

Palo Verde Nuclear Power Plant, Freedom of Information Act, Drones, Security Breach, National Security Issues,

TikTok app to be banned on US federal employees' devices over data concerns

Snippet of Article: "...The "No TikTok on Government Devices Act" from Senator Josh Hawley was passed unanimously by the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs..."

Source: www.businesstoday.in

TikTok app