Article Title: What you should know about RIFs
Snippet of Article: "...As sequestration tightens its hold and Congress carves away at agency budgets, losing your job is a distinct possibility. To be prepared, you need to have a clear understanding of the rules governing reductions-in-force (RIFs)...."
Article Title: Federal workers to be surveyed about benefits
Snippet of Article: "...a survey that in the past has shown that they most highly value their retirement and health insurance programs and in general think those programs meet their needs and provide good value...."
Article Title: USPS Plan to Pull Out of Fed Health Benefits Could Cost Postal Workers
Snippet of Article: "...While most non-postal FEHB enrollees would likely not be affected by USPS’ withdrawal from the program, about 29,000 federal employees would have to select a new health plan, according to GAO, as some plans that primarily offer services to USPS workers would drop out of FEHB. ..."
Article Title: Senate panel backs 1 percent raise for federal employees
Snippet of Article: "... the Committee fully funds the 1 percent pay raise for civilian employees as requested,” the report says...."
Article Title: No Civilian Pensions for Military Retirees?
Snippet of Article: "... Defense Department is mulling numerous reductions that will affect civilian employees, including doing away with civilian employee pensions for military retirees who..."
Article Title: Postal Service Confirms Photographing All U.S. Mail
Snippet of Article: "...The information is then sent to the law enforcement agency that asked for it. Tens of thousands of pieces of mail each year undergo this scrutiny, and a number of law enforcement agencies have used it, like the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services. Law enforcement officials called the mail covers an important investigative tool. ..."
Article Title: Travel Alert from U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
August 02, 2013
The Department of State alerts U.S. citizens to the continued potential for terrorist attacks, particularly in the Middle East and North Africa, and possibly occurring in or emanating from the Arabian Peninsula. Current information suggests that al-Qa’ida and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks both in the region and beyond, and that they may focus efforts to conduct attacks in the period between now and the end of August. This Travel Alert expires on August 31, 2013.
Terrorists may elect to use a variety of means and weapons and target both official and private interests. U.S. citizens are reminded of the potential for terrorists to attack public transportation systems and other tourist infrastructure. Terrorists have targeted and attacked subway and rail systems, as well as aviation and maritime services. U.S. citizens should take every precaution to be aware of their surroundings and to adopt appropriate safety measures to protect themselves when traveling.
We continue to work closely with other nations on the threat from international terrorism, including from al-Qa'ida. Information is routinely shared between the U.S. and our key partners in order to disrupt terrorist plotting, identify and take action against potential operatives, and strengthen our defenses against potential threats.
We recommend U.S. citizens register their travel plans with the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy through the State Department's travel registration website. We strongly recommend that U.S. citizens Traveling abroad enroll in the Department of State's Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP). STEP enrollment gives you the latest security updates, and makes it easier for the U.S. embassy or nearest U.S. consulate to contact you in an emergency. If you don't have Internet access, enroll directly with the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.
For the latest security information, U.S. citizens traveling abroad should regularly monitor the Department of State's Internet website attravel.state.gov where the Worldwide Caution, Country Specific Information, Travel Warnings, and Travel Alerts can be found. Follow us on Twitter and the Bureau of Consular Affairs page on Facebook as well. Download our free Smart Traveler app, available through iTunes or Google Play, to have travel information at your fingertips.
In addition to information on the internet, travelers may obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States and Canada or, from other countries, on a regular toll line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm Monday through Friday, Eastern Time (except U.S. federal holidays).
Article Title: Panel to vote on bills that target federal workers
Snippet of Article: "...“The real intent of this legislation is to vilify federal employees and make us appear untrustworthy,” said J. David Cox Sr., president of the American Federation of Government Employees...."
Article Title: Traffic clogging Redstone Arsenal during furloughs
Snippet of Article: "...HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (AP) - The military says traffic congestion is getting worse at Huntsville's Redstone Arsenal because of personnel reductions linked to federal budget cuts...."
Article Title: Redstone unions try new push to undo furloughs
Snippet of Article: "...As of this week, some 15,000 civilian employees at Redstone are being furloughed, required to take one unpaid day off a week for the next 11 weeks, essentially taking a 20% pay cut for the period...."
Article Title: Protestors occupy private airport mail facility; five arrested
Snippet of Article: "... “postal protectors”, were arrested July 3 in an occupation of a private air cargo facility slated to handle and process US mail. “Postal mail handlers and mail processing clerks are losing their jobs to profiteering, private corporations,” declared Jamie Partridge, a retired letter..."
Article Title: Why was the VA hacked?
Snippet of Article: "...In early June, a former Department of Veterans Affairs IT manager told members of the House Veterans Affairs Committee that the VA’s databases have been hacked by at least eight foreign organizations ..."
Article Title: Homeland Security awards new immigration ID contract even before passage of bill
Snippet of Article: "...As the Senate completes the first portion of their proposed immigration reform legislation, the outcome in Congress may be a foregone conclusion with Homeland Security already awarding new contracts to a technology corporation to facilitate the documenting and surveillance of potential new immigrants under a national ID system...."
Article Title: Police release sketch of suspect who assaulted, robbed postal worker
Snippet of Article: "...asking for the public’s assistance in finding two men that assaulted and robbed a postal carrier in midtown while delivering the mail...."
Article Title: Federal employee dental and vision insurance program to expand
Snippet of Article: "...More insurance companies will participate in the dental and vision insurance program for federal employees and retirees in 2014, the first expansion since the program was created in 2006, the Office of Personnel Management announced Friday...."
Article Title: Obama program requires federal workers to inform on colleagues
Snippet of Article: "...pressing a government-wide crackdown on security threats that requires federal employees to keep closer tabs on their co-workers and exhorts managers to punish those who fail to report their suspicions...."
Article Title: Federal employee union president slams contractors' motives
Snippet of Article: "...The GTI's ultimate goal, he said, is to remake government operations so they follow the model of private companies, which would mean "at will employment to replace the civil service, pay systems that differentiate by individual and reallocate salary dollars to the top at the expense of those in lower grades, and an ethos of fast and cheap and buyer beware."..."
Article Title: Gilmanton man convicted of threatening federal employee sentenced
Snippet of Article: "...pleaded guilty in March to impeding or retaliating against a federal employee after prosecutors at U.S. District Court in Concord said he left a threatening voicemail in January 2012. ..."
Article Title: Issa’s Missing Testimony
Snippet of Article: "...So here is the situation. We have a chairman on a fishing expedition who has nothing on Obama or any White House person. He also says things that aren’t true and never walks them back. He leaves out some things that are true but aren’t helpful to his “cause.” But he knows that he needs to milk this nonsense through 2014 or that frothing GOP base is going to bring some of that froth his way...."
Article Title: $332 Million In Federal Worker Bonuses And Searchable Individual 2012 Payroll Records
Snippet of Article: "...The searchable database shows individual payroll records for fiscal year 2012, including some bonuses, for about three out of four government workers...."
Article Title: GSA Considers Mobile Options for Issuing Federal Employee IDs
Snippet of Article: "... Agencies could soon use a mobile device to register the identities of federal personnel who sign up for workforce credentials, according to contracting documents. The General Services Administration, which sells workforce ID cards to agencies..."
Article Title: ICF International Awarded $34 Million Contract with the United States Postal Service
Snippet of Article: "...contract by the United States Postal Service (USPS) to provide program management and information technology management support for the Mailing Information Systems (MIS) and Domestic Products divisions. The contract has a value of up to $34 million and a term of 10 years...."
Article Title: 188 VA Workers Do Union Work Full-Time, Senators Say
Snippet of Article: "...Senators Tom Coburn, (R-Okla), and Rob Portman, (R-Ohio), sent a letter Wednesday to Secretary of Veteran Affairs Eric Shinseki demanding answers as to why, based on government documents, 188 VA employees were paid taxpayer-funded salaries and benefits to do union work..."
Article Title: Federal workers could enjoy a ‘phased retirement’
Snippet of Article: "...On Wednesday, the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) will publish proposed regulations allowing feds to take “phased retirement.”..."
Article Title: House panel: Report finds $50M for IRS conferences
Snippet of Article: "...A government watchdog has found that the Internal Revenue Service spent about $50 million to hold at least 220 conferences for employees between 2010 and 2012, a House committee said Sunday...."
Article Title: Va. Postal Official Sentenced for Taking Bribes
Snippet of Article: "...Forty-eight-year-old Gene Quarles of Spotsylvania pleaded guilty earlier this year in federal court in Alexandria to bribery of a public official. Prosecutors had sought a two-year sentence...."
Article Title: Nasa buys into 'quantum' computer
Snippet of Article: "...Google wants to use the facility at Nasa's Ames Research Center in California to find out how quantum computing might advance techniques of machine learning and artificial intelligence, including voice recognition. ..."
Article Title: Furloughs Only The Latest Blow To Federal Worker Morale
Snippet of Article: "..."You know what's sad?" the colleague said, according to Gibson. "That this place doesn't care about employee morale." Gibson, who is local president of the National Treasury Employees Union, says the attitude starts with politicians in Washington and trickles down...."
Article Title: Sign the Petition to Save the Postal Service
Snippet of Article: "...The APWU is asking union members and supporters to sign an online petition urging the White House to Save the Postal Service and Save American Jobs by supporting the Postal Service Protection Act (H.R. 630 in the House / S. 316 in the Senate)...."
