Employees and retirees live in the same environments and are subject to the same increases in the cost of living, but the general, annual raise they get is different. The author outlines sample annual raises for three hypothetical employees.
The COLA percentage amount for both FERS and CSRS was announced on October 19. OPM has issued official guidelines on how to calculate your COLA increase.
Beginning Oct. 31, federal employees will be allowed to take up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave to address “qualifying exigencies” stemming from an immediate family member’s call or order to active military duty.
Senator Patty Murray (D-WA) has put forth legislation that passed the Senate that would give veterans a 3.6% COLA to match that of Social Security recipients.
Lost in the interest over the 3.6% COLA announced by Social Security (and reported in FedSmith) on Wednesday, October 19th, are several other Social Security changes for 2012.
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) allows eligible employees to take up to 12 weeks of protected leave each year to care for a family member who has a serious health condition. The Department of Labor changed the law in June 2010 clarifying the definition of a son or daughter. The author offers explanation of the changes.
After two years without any increase in the cost of living adjustment (COLA), there will be an increase of 3.6% for those who receive the full amount of the annual adjustment.
Presidential Candidate Ron Paul recently released his “Plan to Restore America” as part of his campaign. It contains a myriad of spending cuts, some of which are directly related to federal employees.
The author offers some suggestions for methods that can be used to enact positive change within the civil service system.
In preparing, and filing a Federal Disability Retirement application under FERS or CSRS, a Federal or Postal worker who is contemplating filing for Federal Disability Retirement benefits must make the connection between “the forms,” “the evidence”, and “the law.”
