Pay and Benefits | Federal Times

Union takes Department of Housing and Urban Development to arbitration over remote work

Union leaders said exclusion from remote work fails to consider how reentry imposes commuting costs amid soaring gas prices and hardships on employees who are caregivers.

3 hours ago

Why do federal pay raises lag the private sector?

The federal budget proposal unveiled by the White House in March included an average pay increase of 4.6% for civilian federal workers, matching a planned military pay raise. Historically, with pay lagging in the federal sector, other factors including steady opportunities, competitive benefits and hybrid work to retain talent.

6 days ago

Pay & Benefits

Army staffers are testing digital PCS, permanent work-from-home plan

Human Resources Command is piloting PCS moves without the boxes and hassle of actually moving.

GOP measure would stop federal contractor minimum wage from becoming permanent

The move is included in the House debate over the annual defense authorization bill.

5 weeks ago

Federal contract workers deserve better pay, Congress can help

Today, the federal contract workers who are arguably struggling the most are those employed by companies operating under the Service Contract Act. These “blended federal workforce” employees typically consist of individuals from low-income communities – often women of color – performing work such as housekeeping.

5 weeks ago

Office of Personnel Management keeps medical travel policy in wake of abortion ruling

The ruling, which was declared after a draft decision was leaked in May, overturns decades of precedent and permits state-by-state decisions on limiting or banning abortions.

6 weeks ago

Federal call center employees protest over wages at Maximus headquarters

Workers at a federal call center run by Maximus Inc. planned to deliver a letter signed by 12,000 community supporters to the company’s management, asking for higher wages and better health benefits.

8 weeks ago

For federal retirees, COLA is not a retirement panacea for inflation

For January 2022, COLA jumped to 5.9%, the largest since 1982. Some may be wondering how much it will be adjusted for 2023 as prices have been rising since April.

8 weeks ago

Federal worker wages could cap military pay raise

Both troops and civilian employees are in line for at least a 4.6% pay raise in 2023.

8 weeks ago

Is Juneteenth a federal holiday?

Juneteenth has been celebrated annually around the country since 1865 when a Union General arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed the enslaved African Americans that the Confederacy had lost the war and that they were free as per the Emancipation Proclamation, which was inked in 1863.

8 weeks ago

Is Easter a federal holiday?

Traditionally, the president observes the date with an annual Easter egg roll for children on the White House lawn.

4 months ago

Is Good Friday a federal holiday?

Every year, federal workers ask if Good Friday — which in 2022 falls on Friday, April 15 — will be a holiday. Here's the answer.

4 months ago

Is St. Patrick’s Day a federal holiday?

Every year, federal workers ask if St. Patrick's Day — which in 2022 falls on Thursday, March 17 — will be a holiday. Here's the answer.

5 months ago

Is Presidents Day a federal holiday?

Every year, federal workers ask if Presidents Day—which in 2022 falls on Monday, February 21—will be a holiday. Here's the answer.

6 months ago

Office of Personnel Management directs $15 minimum wage for federal workers

Of the 67,000 affected employees, 56,000 work within the Department of Defense.

7 months ago

Most feds get New Year’s Eve off in 2021

Federal holidays that fall on weekends generally create an 'in lieu of' holiday the day before or after they occur.

8 months ago

Biden signs order for 2022 federal pay raise

President Joe Biden signed an executive order Wednesday detailing the federal employee pay adjustments effective in 2022.

8 months ago

Non-essential feds have one day to schedule excess leave

Excess annual leave must be scheduled three pay periods in advance of and taken sometime before the end of the 2021 leave year.

9 months ago

Personnel office fixes loophole impacting same-sex survivors of feds

The notice allows same-sex spouses of deceased feds to receive survivor benefits if they were denied due to prior marriage restrictions.

9 months ago

House members propose reducing public service retirement limitation

The legislation would mandate a new calculation for employees under the Civil Service Retirement System that are impacted by the Windfall Elimination Provision.

9 months ago

OPM proposes expanding access to dental and vision insurance

Federal employees who work on a temporary basis and transitioning military retirees would have expanded options for accessing coverage.

10 months ago

Federal retirees to see record high cost-of-living increase for Social Security

The cost of living increase will fully benefit retirees under the Civil Service Retirement System, but have a lesser impact on Federal Employee Retirement System recipients.

10 months ago

Feds get consistent vision and dental options for 2022

The Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program will offer the same number of plans for a less than one percent average cost increase.

11 months ago

Federal health insurance costs get a slight increase for 2022

Health insurance costs are likely to take up a slightly larger portion of feds' paychecks in 2022.

11 months ago

Second largest federal insurer launches vaccination reward program

Federal employees insured under a GEHA plan could receive $75 for proof of their vaccination status.

11 months ago

Defense bill approves $15 minimum hourly wage for DoD contractors

A provision to raise the minimum wage for Defense Department contractors to $15 was adopted into the annual defense policy bill advanced by the House Armed Services Committee on Thursday.

11 months ago

Biden uses emergency authority to cement feds’ 2022 pay raise

President Joe Biden informed Congress that he intends to implement the pay increase laid out for feds in his 2022 budget proposal.

12 months ago

Feds get broader leave approval for COVID-19 vaccination

Agencies must now offer feds a certain amount of discretionary leave in order to get or recover from the COVID-19 vaccine.

12 months ago

Pay & Benefits

Keep up with the latest changes to federal pay and benefits coming from Congress and the administration.

Union leaders said exclusion from remote work fails to consider how reentry imposes commuting costs amid soaring gas prices and hardships on employees who are caregivers.

Human Resources Command is piloting PCS moves without the boxes and hassle of actually moving.

The move is included in the House debate over the annual defense authorization bill.

The ruling, which was declared after a draft decision was leaked in May, overturns decades of precedent and permits state-by-state decisions on limiting or banning abortions.

Workers at a federal call center run by Maximus Inc. planned to deliver a letter signed by 12,000 community supporters to the company’s management, asking for higher wages and better health benefits.

For January 2022, COLA jumped to 5.9%, the largest since 1982. Some may be wondering how much it will be adjusted for 2023 as prices have been rising since April.

Both troops and civilian employees are in line for at least a 4.6% pay raise in 2023.

Juneteenth has been celebrated annually around the country since 1865 when a Union General arrived in Galveston, Texas, and informed the enslaved African Americans that the Confederacy had lost the war and that they were free as per the Emancipation Proclamation, which was inked in 1863.

Traditionally, the president observes the date with an annual Easter egg roll for children on the White House lawn.

Every year, federal workers ask if Good Friday — which in 2022 falls on Friday, April 15 — will be a holiday. Here's the answer.

Every year, federal workers ask if St. Patrick's Day — which in 2022 falls on Thursday, March 17 — will be a holiday. Here's the answer.

Every year, federal workers ask if Presidents Day—which in 2022 falls on Monday, February 21—will be a holiday. Here's the answer.

Of the 67,000 affected employees, 56,000 work within the Department of Defense.

Federal holidays that fall on weekends generally create an 'in lieu of' holiday the day before or after they occur.

President Joe Biden signed an executive order Wednesday detailing the federal employee pay adjustments effective in 2022.

Excess annual leave must be scheduled three pay periods in advance of and taken sometime before the end of the 2021 leave year.

The notice allows same-sex spouses of deceased feds to receive survivor benefits if they were denied due to prior marriage restrictions.

The legislation would mandate a new calculation for employees under the Civil Service Retirement System that are impacted by the Windfall Elimination Provision.

Federal employees who work on a temporary basis and transitioning military retirees would have expanded options for accessing coverage.

The cost of living increase will fully benefit retirees under the Civil Service Retirement System, but have a lesser impact on Federal Employee Retirement System recipients.

The Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program will offer the same number of plans for a less than one percent average cost increase.

Health insurance costs are likely to take up a slightly larger portion of feds' paychecks in 2022.

Federal employees insured under a GEHA plan could receive $75 for proof of their vaccination status.

A provision to raise the minimum wage for Defense Department contractors to $15 was adopted into the annual defense policy bill advanced by the House Armed Services Committee on Thursday.

President Joe Biden informed Congress that he intends to implement the pay increase laid out for feds in his 2022 budget proposal.

Agencies must now offer feds a certain amount of discretionary leave in order to get or recover from the COVID-19 vaccine.