Pay and Benefits

Federal health plan could be spending $1B a year on ineligible dependents, GAO says

A new report found that OPM lacks a process for identifying and removing ineligible members from the Federal Employees Health Benefits program, possibly costing the government $1 billion in improper payments a year.

  • By Carten Cordell

TSP officials say they’re nearing ‘normalcy’ after a troublesome recordkeeper transition

Wait times on the customer service number for the federal government’s 401(k)-style retirement savings plan are down from over two hours to 15 minutes on average.

  • By Erich Wagner

DHS gets nearly 2,000 applications for new cyber cadre

The goal is for DHS to onboard the first 150 feds into the system next year.

  • By Natalie Alms

NDAA requires new job data, software job series

The House-passed compromise NDAA also has other workforce provisions, including a change to the probationary period for civilian feds at DOD and paid parental bereavement leave for federal employees.

  • By Natalie Alms

Ahuja tees up 2022 plans for OPM

The Office of Personnel Management has a long list of priorities as it rebuilds itself and rolls out policies to implement the Biden-Harris agenda.

  • By Natalie Alms

New OPM ‘playbook’ supports government hiring surge

Agencies need to staff up to implement the bipartisan infrastructure law, OPM says.

  • By Natalie Alms

White House rolls out DEIA strategy

On Tuesday, the Biden administration issued agencies a roadmap to guide their efforts to develop strategic plans for diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility (DEIA), as required under a as required under a June executive order.

  • By Natalie Alms

New rule puts $15 minimum wage for federal contractors in place next year

Employees working on federal contracts will have a $15 minimum wage starting on Jan. 30, 2022, per a new rule issued by the Labor Department on Monday.

  • By Natalie Alms

Recruitment is top of mind for OPM's Kiran Ahuja

"If we want the best talent meeting America's needs, then we need to be smart about creating opportunities for them," Office of Personnel Management Director Kiran Ahuja said at an event hosted by FCW.

  • By Natalie Alms

Thrift Savings Plan to launch mobile app next year

The move is part of a $3.3 billion contract to consolidate multiple service contracts at the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board.

  • By Natalie Alms

White House looks to boost federal employee union participation

The Office of Personnel Management is directed agencies to more regularly give new and longtime feds more information about their union eligibility and guidance about how to join.

  • By Natalie Alms

CISA chief looks to new system to attract cyber talent

Despite increasing competition among the public and private sectors in hiring top cyber talent, CISA Director Jen Easterly said she has high hopes for a new personnel management system which reduces friction in hiring and offers new career paths.

  • By Chris Riotta

Feds could see relief as Public Service Loan Forgiveness gets a reboot

The program, meant to wipe the student debt of eligible public servants, has rejected the vast majority of applications it's received.

  • By Natalie Alms

OPM director talks federal recruitment with students

Kiran Ahuja talked about streamlining hiring, implementing President Biden's executive order on diversity and more at a George Mason University event.

  • By Natalie Alms
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TSA head says more union rights coming to airport screeners

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle want the agency to resolve longstanding compensation issues for the frontline Transportation Security Administration workforce.

  • By Natalie Alms

How feds can access TSP loans during shutdowns

During the 35-day shutdown in 2018, the government's retirement savings system saw a spike in withdrawals from federal employees looking to make ends meet without regular paychecks.

  • By Natalie Alms

OPM looks to modernize IT, set up revolving fund

In a report to Congress, the Office of Personnel Management said it largely agreed with a set of recommendations from the National Academy of Public Administration about the future of the HR agency.

  • By Natalie Alms

Biden orders 2.7% pay raise for civilian feds

The pay hike was included in the administration's 2022 budget and takes effect early next year.

  • By Adam Mazmanian

Reorganizing for the Biden agenda at OPM

OPM is beefing up its diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility office as part of an agency reorganization in support of a wide-ranging executive order covering the federal workforce.

  • By Natalie Alms

White House COVID group extends leave for feds to get vaccinated

Feds now get up to four hours of administrative leave to get COVID-19 vaccinations and up to two days of leave to cope with adverse vaccine reactions.

  • By Natalie Alms

DHS stands up new excepted service for cyber talent

The new human resources system, which is launching seven years after legislation authorizing special pay for cybersecurity specialists, is a complete move away from traditional federal HR practices, the agency said.

  • By Natalie Alms