Social Security Changes for 2012
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.
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.”
At the end of last week, House Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa (R-CA) sent a letter to the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction (the “super committee”) recommending that it adopt some specific cuts to the federal workforce.
Senator John Thune (R-SD) has introduced legislation that would create an option for individuals who believe they are under-taxed to voluntarily send extra money to the U.S. Treasury.
Another pay freeze for federal employees has been recommended as a way to cut costs.
The Social Security Amendments of 1983 included a hefty payroll tax hike that was designed to generate large Social Security surpluses for about 30 years. These surpluses were supposed to be saved and invested in marketable U.S. Treasury bonds, which could later be resold to finance benefits for the baby boomers. The author says this has not happened and points to some examples.