NCPASS

Senate appropriators pass 3.9 percent civilian pay hike

The Senate Appropriations Committee on Thursday approved a spending bill that would boost civilian federal employees' pay by 3.9 percent in 2009.

That adjustment would be 1 percentage point higher than the 2.9 percent raise proposed by President Bush in February, but it is identical to the civilian pay hike passed last month by House appropriators.

Federal employee groups praised the Senate panel for exceeding Bush's request. "Congressional support for a fair and reasonable pay raise is a clear message for the federal employees who perform the work of the American people every day that their efforts and commitment to excellence are recognized and appreciated," said National Treasury Employees Union President Colleen Kelley.

A portion of the 3.9 percent civilian pay hike would be allocated for locality pay; the rest would go toward an across-the-board increase.

House Panel backs 3.5% civilian pay raise for 08

Full Story here on GovExec.com

Mind you there are many hurdles between this and your paycheck, but it's promising....

Alaska, Hawaii....say goodbye to COLA?

As some of you may or may not know, I worked for the FAA in Juneau, Alaska for 2 years. I fell under the purview of COLA up there which I must say was a needed beast seeing as prices are outrageous. Just a little background....COLA is Cost-of-Living Allowance and is untaxed, but is NOT used in determining basic pay for retirement calculations.

I saw and heared of people that were planning on getting out of the state and returning to the lower 48 for the final few years before retirement. The plan was to get Locality Pay, and therefore be able to use it in their retirement computations. It happens, and in my opinion, it would be crazy not to consider. The increase in retirement pay can be quite substantial. (Imagine a place like Houston with 26% locality).

But aside from that, a proposal from OPM has been put forward that would gradually phase out the COLA program for non-foreign areas and begin to implement Locality Pay. The transistion would begin in 2008 and last 7 years until complete.

While the cards have yet to be turned, and the financial impact on our members has yet to be determined, I think we'll see a generally good attitude toward the move. I'll keep you updated.

Changes in the works at TSP

Much talk is on-going about new ideas with the TSP program. Some of the items include a Roth-IRA addition as well as setting the default to the Life-cycle programs.

The biggest thing being considered is automatic enrollment for new employees.

Things that you will begin to see in the near future are password changes that include the use of numbers and letters. Annual statements will be sent out beginning next year (They will include 2007 activity). And the transition from SSN for log in to actual account numbers.

What do you think about each of the changes/proposed changes? Sound off and lets see what the general temp is on each.

Ben

House Armed Sevices Committee makes strides

The House committee approved a 3.5% raise for the men and women in uniform. This move will help in getting federal employees the same. House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md, added that he would urge his congressional colleagues to back an equal pay raise for federal civilian employees.

Also of note is that this also contains provisions that would ensure collective bargaining rights as well as appeal rights for NSPS employees. It would also require bargaining with labor unions before implementing changes to the pay-for-performance system under NSPS.

The Senate still has to take this matter up.

Full Story

NSPS Spiral 1.1 set to get perforance payouts

A notice posted Wednesday says NSPS employees are set to get a pay raise before the end of the year. Not to surprising to me is that 97% of these employees will get something. Seems kind of outrageous when we all consider the 10% theory, but if you and the boss are fishing buddies, then why wouldn't he rate you in the pay raise area. I mean, you're the one with the boat, right?

You think there isn't some 'social engineering' involved with this or any direction coming from the top on the 'overall' outcome of the process then you're sadly mistaken. While direction and training on the issue are important, I think some of the direction could be considered rigging.

Take this, an anonymous NSPS employee under Spiral 1.1 said there appeared to be pressure from upper management to ensure that the
vast majority of employees received a rating of three, adding that a
rating of five was rare. "In our office, we have the [organization's]
engineer of the year, yet we didn't have any fives," the employee said.

You can't tell me that some cubical-farm bureaucrat in the Pentagon isn't going to have the power to decide that you're an average performer based on the numbers he wants to see rather than your actual performance.

This is why the system is broken, and exactly why Core Comp in the FAA is plagued. People who work in some windowless office decide how the entire agency is performing, regardless of truth, and managers have to conform as the peons they are.

-BEN

CSRS Retirees...FICA pension offset going away?

Well not yet at least, and there will be some stipulations if it makes it through Congress....

Full Story Here

--I apologize for the snippet stories and links....I'm a bit under the weather and can't seem to kick the bug--

Ben

Congress takes up pay...

...but only military pay right now. A House subcommittee approved a 3.5% raise for the men and women in uniform. Hopefully we'll see pay-increase parity which has been the case for a few years.

Full Story Here

Combat Tax Breaks for Federal Employees

Congress has introduced legislation in both the House an Senate to give Federal Employees the same tax breaks that the military receives. H.R. 1974 and S. 1166 are the respective bills. Currently contractors and military members are entitles to income tax exemptions on their base pay up to a limit. Federal employees only get a 'hardship pay' which can be up to 25% but is not a given.

Warner (R-VA) also introduced legislation last year that made it on to an emergency supplemental bill that extended to every agency the option of paying an amount equal to one years salary to the family of a federal employee who died while serving in Iraq or Afghanistan. Also it provided for $10,00 death gratuity.

H/T to Warner on the already passed legislation and lets hope that these new bill quickly make their way through the process.

New Comp Time rules for Travel

GovExec has the story.

Travel during a Holiday = NO Comp time because it is otherwise compensable (Little unclear as to the idea behind this but I'll see what I can find)

New regs go into effect 5-17-07

This is only for Title 5 covered employees (No wage grade, SES, FSO employees are covered).

Travel for Union business, job/location change not eligible.

You have 26 pay periods to use it (i.e One Year) but there is a stipulation if an emergency inhibits your ability to take it.