Get the latest federal employee pay news, including updates on federal pay raises, GS pay scale changes, locality pay, and federal compensation policy. Stay informed on TSP news, TSP fund performance, contribution limits, and investment updates. This category also covers FEHB premiums, FEGLI rates, FEDVIP dental and vision benefits, and major OPM policy changes, federal workforce legislation, and other developments that impact federal employee pay, benefits, and take‑home compensation.
It has been a confusing year for health insurance benefits during this year’s open season. As a result of concerns in Congress and in the media about the changes, OPM has taken several unusual steps with regard to this year’s program. Here is what some of these changes may mean for you.
If email from our readers is a reliable guide, a burning question on the minds of many is “will President Bush give us an extra holiday on December 26th?” But what about the separation of church and state? Should federal employees get the day off to celebrate a religious holiday?
Federal employees are fleeing to the G Fund amidst the ongoing historic bear market.
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 the 2009 COLA and the 2009 federal employee pay raise–and why you do not get both a pay raise and a COLA.
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.
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 fund) may gain popularity in the next Congress.
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 start heading back up. Have we reached that point with the current stock market?
You may know that the “average” rate increase for the Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan is going up 8%. That may not be relevant to your plan. Here is more information on how much of a change there may be in your health benefits costs next year.
Your TSP funds have probably taken a dramatic hit. Put the situation in perspective before hitting the panic button and making decisions you may regret later.
A temporary government spending bill will fund the federal government into March of next year. It also contains an average pay raise for federal employees of 3.9% that will be effective in January.
