Trailer company raided by feds found ways around E-Verify

Article Title: Trailer company raided by feds found ways around E-Verify
Snippet of Article: "...A company insider at a North Texas trailer manufacturer under investigation for hiring dozens of undocumented immigrants told WFAA that company executives knew ways around federal immigration checks. In what is being called the largest operation of its kind in a decade, 300 U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents descended on Load Trail and detained 159 undocumented immigrants employed there, copied computer servers, employment records and financial documents..."

Source: www.wfaa.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, fighting illegal immigration, federal immigration checks, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, [/tag]

Text of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate

Article Title: Text of a Letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President of the Senate
Snippet of Article: "...Title 5, United States Code, authorizes me to implement alternative plans for pay adjustments for civilian Federal employees covered by the General Schedule and certain other pay systems if, because of “national emergency or serious economic conditions affecting the general welfare,” I view the increases that would otherwise take effect as inappropriate..."

Source: www.whitehouse.gov

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, 2019 federal employee pay increase, [/tag]

Trump cancels federal employee pay increases, citing financial concerns

Article Title: Trump cancels federal employee pay increases, citing financial concerns
Snippet of Article: "...The president said he's determined that for 2019 "both across-the-board pay increases and locality pay increases will be set at zero..."

Source: www.cbsnews.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, 2019 federal employee pay increase, [/tag]

Opportunity for Voluntary Early Retirement and Separation for Select NLRB Agency Positions

Article Title: NLRB Reviewing Applications for Opportunity for Voluntary Early Retirement and Separation for Select Agency Positions
Press Release from NLRB: August 22, 2018

WASHINGTON, DC — On August 7, 2018, the National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB” or “Agency”) announced that it was offering voluntary early retirement and voluntary separation to employees holding eligible positions in the Agency under the Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA) and Voluntary Separation Incentive Payments (VSIP) programs. The window period for the submission of applications for the VERA and VSIP programs ended on August 21, 2018. Applying for the VERA and VSIP opportunities was entirely voluntary. As of the close of the application period, 38 Agency employees holding positions within the Agency eligible for VERA and VSIP submitted applications to participate in the opportunity for voluntary early retirement and separation.

VERA changes the normal retirement eligibility to allow employees the opportunity to voluntarily retire earlier, with an immediate annuity, with 20 years of service at age 50, or at 25 years of service regardless of age. VSIP provides a financial incentive for employees to voluntarily separate by optional retirement, voluntary early retirement, or resignation. The NLRB offered VERA and VSIP opportunities only to employees in eligible job categories. The VERA and VSIP program offering was part of an initiative to address staffing imbalances and to reposition the Agency to better carry out its mission.

Established in 1935, the National Labor Relations Board is an independent federal agency that protects employers and employees from unfair labor practices, and protects the right of private sector employees to join together, with or without a union, to improve wages, benefits and working conditions. The NLRB conducts hundreds of workplace elections and investigates thousands of unfair labor practice charges each year. The Office of the General Counsel is independent from the Board and is responsible for the investigation and prosecution of unfair labor practice cases, for the conducting of secret ballot elections to determine whether employees desire union representation, for the overall supervision of field offices around the country, and for the general oversight of the Agency’s administrative, financial, personnel and human capital operations.

Source: www.nlrb.gov

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, [/tag]

This drug-busting agency has more power than the DEA, but we can't tell how they use it

Article Title: This drug-busting agency has more power than the DEA, but we can't tell how they use it
Snippet of Article: "...has a commitment to privacy, but a look at local drug investigations found that postal inspectors are spending a lot of time with canine companions, and..."

Source: www.cincinnati.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, [/tag]

Bill would protect veterans, federal workers who use medical cannabis

Article Title: Bill would protect veterans, federal workers who use medical cannabis
Snippet of Article: "...A new push has been announced to protect veterans and federal workers who use medical marijuana. Wednesday, Congressman Charlie Crist (D-FL) announced a bipartisan bill that would make it illegal to fire or..."

Source: www.fox13news.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, [/tag]

White House Opposes Senate Pay Raise Proposal

Article Title: White House Opposes Senate Pay Raise Proposal
Snippet of Article: "...The Office of Management and Budget announced Tuesday that it is “concerned” about a provision of the Senate’s latest minibus spending package that would provide a 1.9 percent pay raise for federal civilian employees next year..."

Source: www.govexec.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, [/tag]

Government Jobs vs. Government Contractor Positions-Which is Best?

Article Title: Government Jobs vs. Government Contractor Positions-Which is Best?
Snippet of Article: "...The retirement benefits are usually cited as one of the more robust offerings. The Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) functions as a pension or annuity, providing a defined benefit upon retirement. The calculation is generally simple. For the FERS Basic Annuity Formula for those who retire at age 62 with at least 20 years of service is 1.1 percent of your average salary over your three-year highest paid period per year of service. That means if you work 30 years, and your highest three-year average is $60,000 per year, your annuity is $19,800 annually or $1,650 per month..."

Source: www.savingadvice.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, [/tag]

Repeal of Windfall Elimination Provision? Joint resolution passes California state Assembly, aims to increase Social Security benefits for public sector employees

Article Title: Joint resolution passes California state Assembly, aims to increase Social Security benefits for public sector employees
Snippet of Article: "...The California State Assembly passed Assembly Joint Resolution No. 41, or AJR 41, on June 25, requesting that Congress and the president repeal the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision from the Social Security Act..."

Source: www.dailycal.org

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, Windfall Elimination Provision, Government Pension Offset, Social Security, [/tag]

Declaration of Independence

Article Title: Declaration of Independence
Snippet of Article: "...The Declaration of Independence states the principles on which our government, and our identity as Americans, are based...Abraham Lincoln called it “a rebuke and a stumbling-block to tyranny and oppression.” It continues to inspire people around the world to fight for freedom...Read a transcript of the document here..."

Source: www.archives.gov
[tag] Declaration of Independence, 4th of July, Independence Day, [/tag]

Important changes to TSP withdrawal options

Article Title: Important changes to TSP withdrawal options
Snippet of Article: "...you’ll also have the option to take your withdrawal only from your Roth balance or only from your traditional balance. These options will be available for all types of withdrawals. Read the TSP Q&A relating to the changes at..."

Source: NPMHU 317

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, TSP Withdrawal Options, TSP, ROTH, retirement, [/tag]

Federal employees sue over union restrictions

Article Title: Federal employees sue over union restrictions
Snippet of Article: "...seems to think he is above the law, and we are not going to stand by while he tries to shred workers’ rights,” said the American Federation of Government Employees national president J. David Cox Sr., in a statement that announced the lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court for the District..."

Source: www.eastbaytimes.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, [/tag]

Trump attacks on federal worker benefits is an attack on military veterans. 1 in 4 feds are veterans. That's 2.1 million votes!

Article Title: How many veterans work for the federal government?
Snippet of Article: "...how many military veterans does the federal goverment employ? Roughly one in four of 2.1 million federal employees is a veteran, according to statistics compiled by the Office of Personnel Management..."

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, How many veterans work for the federal government?,[/tag]

Trump’s orders show unwavering attack on federal unions, employees

Article Title: Trump’s orders show unwavering attack on federal unions, employees
Snippet of Article: "...The orders are in keeping with other actions to belittle federal unions and the pocketbooks of all federal employees. Trump wants to freeze federal pay next year and cut federal retirement benefits by $143.5 billion over 10 years. In March, his Education Department unilaterally imposed a contract on union members who had rejected it..."

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, [/tag]

Supreme Court Destroys Workers Rights, Corporations Win Again

Article Title: Supreme Court Decision Delivers Blow To Workers' Rights
Snippet of Article: "...The inevitable result, she warned, is that there will be huge underenforcement of federal and state statutes designed to advance the well-being of workers. "[T]he edict that employees with wage and hours claims may seek relief only one-by-one does not come from Congress," Ginsburg writes. "It is the result of take-it-or-leave-it labor contracts harking back to the type called 'yellow dog,' and of the readiness of this Court to enforce those unbargained-for agreements. The FAA demands no such suppression of the right of workers to take concerted action for their 'mutual aid or protection.'" She urged Congress to correct the court's elevation of the arbitration act over workers' rights..."

Source: www.npr.org

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, [/tag]

House GOP Group Envisions Massive Changes to Civil Service in Budget Proposal

Article Title: House GOP Group Envisions Massive Changes to Civil Service in Budget Proposal
Snippet of Article: "...White House plans to reduce retirement benefits for feds, including increasing employee contributions to the Federal Employees Retirement System pension by 1 percentage point per year over five years, eliminating cost of living adjustments for FERS employees, and reducing COLAs for employees in the Civil Service Retirement System. It also included plans to base pension benefits on the highest five years of an employee’s salary, instead of the current high three, and it would eliminate the FERS supplement for federal employees who retire before Social Security kicks in at age 62..."

Source: www.govexec.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, Destruction of Civil Service Retirement (FERS), destruction of the working class, special retirement supplement (SRS), FERS supplement, [/tag]

Postal Service offers digital Informed Delivery service that emails you notification of what you will get in the mail each day

Article Title: USPS offers digital Informed Delivery service
Snippet of Article: "...Subscribers receive daily email notifications informing them of the mail or packages expected throughout the day after opting in at USPS.com or at their local post office. "I get my email around 7:30 a.m.," St John said. Customers "love it," she said...Mailers are using this technology to be informed of when items have reached their customers," St. John said..."

Source: www.semissourian.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, Informed Delivery service,[/tag]

White House Issues Executive Order to Review Postal Finances, Pricing, Policies and Workforce Costs

Article Title: White House Issues Executive Order to Review Postal Finances, Pricing, Policies and Workforce Costs
Snippet of Article: "...the Task Force will be comprised of multiple agency heads including the: Secretary of the Treasury as Chair; Director of the Office of Management and Budget; Director of the Office of Personnel Management; and other agency heads. The Executive Order goes on to highlight consultation with the Postmaster General and the Chairman of the Postal Regulatory Commission and the Secretary of Labor. Postal Unions were not named in the EO as task force participants..."

Source: National Postal Mail Handlers Union

[tag] Postal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, Executive Order, [/tag]

Corporates elites are determined to continue wage-crushing U.S. workers

Article Title: Zuckerberg, Tim Cook, Koch Brothers, Bezos: Corporate Elites Determined to Flood U.S. with Foreigners
Snippet of Article: "...Wealthy Americans, specifically corporates elites — like Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Apple CEO Tim Cook, the GOP billionaire megadonors the Koch brothers, and Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos — are determined to continue the wage-crushing mass..."

Source: www.breitbart.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, destruction of the working class, corporate greed, [/tag]

What’s the Impact of the [PROPOSED] FERS Benefit Cuts? (FY 2019 Budget Proposals)

Article Title: What’s the Impact of the [PROPOSED] FERS Benefit Cuts?
Snippet of Article: "...FERS employees are feeling very uneasy with the proposed cuts to the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). Pay Freeze. High 3 To High 5 Average. Paying More For FERS Pension. Eliminating FERS COLA. Eliminating FERS Supplement (Impact on Retirement: Severe for employees who retire under age 62). Reducing the G Fund Interest Rate in TSP. Changes To Sick Leave/Annual Leave. What’s an employee to do?..."

Source: www.fedsmith.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS), special retirement supplement (SRS), Destruction of Civil Service Retirement (FERS), Attack on Military Veteran Federal Retirees, Raping of Federal Retirement, [/tag]

Horrible: White House Attacks Federal Employees Just When Baby Boomers and Veterans Become eligible to Retire

Article Title: White House Proposals For Civil Service Reform: What They Missed
Snippet of Article: "...The White House proposal increases the employee contribution to the annuity portion of the retirement plan, shifts from a “High 3” to a “High 5” annuity calculation, and eliminates the FERS Special Retirement Supplement for employees who retire before becoming eligible for Social Security..."

Source: www.fedsmith.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, [/tag]

Bold type added

Federal employees can't make political posts at work, per new social-media rules

Article Title: Federal employees can't make political posts at work, per new social-media rules
Snippet of Article: "...The Office of Special Counsel detailed what is and isn't acceptable in a Hatch Act Social Media Quick Guide. When off the clock and outside of their place of work, employees can share on social media that they are attending fundraising events, as well as post in support or opposition of a political party. When on the clock or in a government building, employees should not post or share messages directed at the success or failure of a political party, candidate in a partisan race or partisan political group..."

Source: www.azcentral.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, [/tag]

Physical scuffle with Chinese security officials over the U.S. nuclear "football"

Article Title: Axios: Kelly, Secret Service agent scuffled with Chinese officials over nuclear 'football'
Snippet of Article: "...Kelly then came over and told the officials to continue walking in, after which a Chinese security official grabbed at Kelly, and the chief of staff pushed him off, according to Axios. A Secret Service agent then tackled the Chinese security official, the publication reported...."

Source: thehill.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, [/tag]

CDC: Flu vaccine just 36% effective this season

Article Title: Flu vaccine just 36% effective this season, CDC reports
Snippet of Article: "...More than two-thirds of flu sickness this season -- 69% -- has been caused by the H3N2 strain, an influenza A virus. H3N2 viruses "are often linked to more severe illness," acting CDC Director Dr. Anne Schuchat said Thursday..."

Source: www.cnn.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, [/tag]

Lawmakers lash out at Consumer Financial Protection Bureau amid reports the agency is dropping Equifax investigation

Article Title: Democrats lash out at consumer watchdog amid reports the agency is dropping Equifax investigation
Snippet of Article: "...lawmakers, who have feared that President Trump’s pick to temporarily lead the agency, Mick Mulvaney, is weakening the consumer watchdog. Failing to investigate the data breach would put “145 million Americans at risk [and] is malpractice,” said Sen. Sherrod Brown (Ohio), ranking Democrat of the Senate Banking Committee. Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) said, “The Trump administration has chosen to protect Equifax while denying Americans justice and accountability..."

Source: www.washingtonpost.com

[tag] Mick Mulvaney, Equifax Breach, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), [/tag]

FBI ‘Failed To Preserve’ Five Months Of Text Messages Between Anti-Trump FBI Agents

Article Title: FBI ‘Failed To Preserve’ Five Months Of Text Messages Between Anti-Trump FBI Agents
Snippet of Article: "...Strzok was removed after the Justice Department’s inspector general discovered text messages he exchanged with Page, with whom he was having an affair, in which both expressed strong criticism of Trump. In one text, Strzok called Trump and “idiot.” In another, he said “F Trump..."

Source: dailycaller.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, [/tag]

Postal Service to offer 'Early Out Retirement (VERA)' but says 'No' to buyout incentive

Article Title: USPS Offering Round of Early Retirements
Snippet of Article: "...The Postal Service is offering a round of early retirements–although not accompanied by buyout offers–to some 26,000 employees, with those who accept having to leave by the end of either January, February or March..."

Source: www.fedweek.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, USPS Early Retirement Offer 2018, [/tag]

EPA may offer more buyouts, early retirement, depending on funding from Congress

Article Title: EPA may offer more buyouts, early retirement, depending on funding from Congress
Snippet of Article: "...the EPA could offer buyouts to an additional 2,200 to 2,500 employees. The maximum buyout a civilian federal employee can receive under current law is $25,000. “I think we will see another round of buyouts with that kind of money in play,” O’Grady said in an interview with Federal News Radio..."

Source: federalnewsradio.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, VERA, VSIP, EPA, buyouts, [/tag]

FBI chief calls unbreakable encryption 'urgent public safety issue'

Article Title: FBI chief calls unbreakable encryption 'urgent public safety issue'
Snippet of Article: "...U.S. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in October chastised technology companies for building strongly encrypted products, suggesting Silicon Valley is more willing to comply with foreign government demands for data than those made by their home country..."

Source: www.reuters.com

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, encryption, FBI, [/tag]

Plan for cutting federal compensation, potentially even paid holidays

Article Title: Trump labor adviser’s plan for cutting federal compensation, potentially even paid holidays
Snippet of Article: "...leading Democrat on the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, revealed an administration proposal to freeze federal salaries in fiscal 2019. That is the third piece in a pattern that includes Trump’s 2018 budget proposal to cut the employer contribution to retirement benefits and the House Republican plan to have retirees pay more out of pocket for their health insurance...."

Source: ukprogressive.co.uk

[tag] Federal Employee News, Federal Civil Service, [/tag]