Federal Workforce News
Faster Promotions Coming for Some Federal Employees
Some federal employees may be getting faster promotions and more money beginning in March based on a new rule change from OPM.
2,665 Articles by Ralph R. Smith
Pay & Benefits
Pay, COLAs and Your 2009 Paycheck
COLA's and pay raises are of interest to virtually all of our readers. There is also confusion about who gets what increase. Here is a brief explanation of…
Federal Workforce News
October 2008: Worst Month in 21 Years
October was the worst month in 21 years for the index on which the TSP's C fund is based. The good news: The last week of October was…
Pay & Benefits
Pay Raise? What Pay Raise? Why Some Will See a Decrease in Income in 2009
The average federal pay raise under the GS schedule in 2009 will be 3.9%. Some federal employees will get a much smaller increase--or none at all.
Pay & Benefits
The Stock Market Goes Up and Down: Who Knew? Will We Follow the Swedish Model?
An argument that risk can and should be avoided with retirement funds by removing money from the private sector and investing in government bonds (similar to the G…
Pay & Benefits
Has Your TSP Hit Bottom Yet?
The ideal time to transfer money from the G fund and back into the TSP stock funds is when the market reaches a bottom and is about to…
Federal Workforce News
Whoops
A couple of readers pointed out that in the initial posting of a column last week, we made an incorrect statement about the content of an article in…
Federal Workforce News
Politics and Journalism in Washington: Celebrating the Departure of a Political Appointee
For those who make a career of living and working within the federal establishment, the view of people and their accomplishments can become one-dimensional with clear delineations between…
Retirement
Trading Restrictions, TSP Investments, and Lousy Stock Market Performance
Declines in the value of the stock market are leading to proposed changes in retirement plans and complaints from a few investors that the TSP is taking money…
Retirement
2009 COLA Jumping 5.8% for Some Federal Retirees
At 5.8%, the 2009 COLA will be the highest increase for federal retireesin about 25 years.