FEDweek Issue: Wednesday, September 8, 2004 FEDweek is the largest information resource in the federal government with now over one million weekly readers. To Subscribe, Go to http://www.fedweek.com/subscribepopup.htm *********************************************************** Valuable Information for the Federal Family
Federal Job Search http://www.fedweek.com/Jobs/default.asp Job Bulletin Board http://www.fedweek.com/Jobs/default.asp Brand New Federal Manager's Daily Report--FREE Daily Electronic Briefing http://www.fedweek.com/subscribepopup.htm ********************************************************** In This Week's Issue 1. Spending Bills Top Agenda 2. September 2004 -- Life Open Season Special Alert to our Readers http://fedweek.sparklist.com/t/294940983/821888/302/0/ 3. DoD Bill Also a Major Issue 4. Differences on Workforce Cuts Continue 5. Contracting Issues Focus on DoD 6. Some Government-Wide Provisions at Issue 7. MSPB's Take on Hiring Issues 8. Several Spending Bills Focus on Contracting 9. Telecommuting Also an Issue 10. FEDweek Readers Can Get DSL-Like Speed Over Your Phone Line at Home http://fedweek.sparklist.com/t/294940983/821888/148/0/ 11. Other Bills May Arise 12. Federal Legal Corner: MSPB Decides Transportation Security Agency Screeners 13. The Complete Guide to Writing a Federal Resume Just Published-- Available for Immediate Shipment Order Yours at http://www.fedweek.com/Publications/default.asp *********************************************************** 1. Spending Bills Top Agenda Congress returns to work this week for what could be a month or so of legislative activity before breaking for the campaign--whether that break will mean the end of work for the year or whether Congress will have to return for a lame-duck session will be decided in the weeks ahead. The main order of business will be to pass appropriations to keep agencies funded in the fiscal year that starts October 1. Many of the bills--potentially including the Transportation-Treasury spending bill that likely will be the vehicle for the January 2005 federal pay raise--could end up being bundled together in one measure. The House has passed 10 of the 13 appropriations measures separately but the Senate has cleared just two and procedural issues there are preventing the bills from coming up for individual votes. The Transportation-Treasury bill could be one of the first items on the House's voting agenda. 2. September 2004 -- Life Open Season Special Alert to our Readers The Federal Life Open Season, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the FEGLI program, begins September 1, 2004 and continues through September 30, 2004. This rare Open Season, the last one occurring in 1999, provides the perfect opportunity for federal employees to review and update their life insurance coverage. During the federal Open Season you can increase your federal coverage without evidence of insurability. The Life Open Season is also the perfect time to consider other sources for your family's life insurance needs. For example, WAEPA, http://fedweek.sparklist.com/t/294940983/821888/303/0/, is a non-profit association, governed by federal employees that has provided life insurance to the federal community since 1943 -- eleven years before FEGLI was formed. WAEPA offers several unique advantages: Premium Rates that are Lower than FEGLI For example, an average federal employee age 46 would pay $195.00 a year for $50,000 of FEGLI Basic Coverage. The same amount of coverage from WAEPA would only cost $80.00 per year - a savings of 59%. You can compare rates for all ages and coverage levels at http://fedweek.sparklist.com/t/294940983/821888/303/0/. Higher Amounts of Coverage WAEPA offers coverage to its members from $25,000 up to $500,000 (FEGLI is based on your annual salary). It is easy to join WAEPA -- just pay a one-time $2.00 membership fee. WAEPA also offers dependent spouse coverage from $10,000 up to $250,000 or 50% of the federal employee/WAEPA member's coverage. (The FEGLI maximum for your dependent spouse is $25,000). Coverage for your Non-Dependent Adult Children Unlike FEGLI, WAEPA provides coverage to your non-dependent adult children -- even though they are not federal employees! Coverage is available from $25,000 up to $500,000. This benefit is available to your non-dependent adult children, even if you don't have or need WAEPA insurance. You only need to become a member of WAEPA (one-time $2.00 membership fee --no insurance purchase is required on your part). While this is an extremely valuable benefit to all federal employees, this is a particularly attractive benefit to U.S. Postal Service employees, since their FEGLI Basic coverage is provided free of cost. Long History of Premium Refunds In August 2004 WAEPA announced a 25% refund of premium for the 2003-2004 fiscal year. This is the eighth refund since 1996, during which time WAEPA members have received over $19,000,000 in premium refunds. For example, if you had joined WAEPA during the last Federal Life Open Season in 1999 you would have since received five refunds totaling more than one year of your premium payments! Effective September 1, 2004 - Dependent Coverage for Domestic Partners Effective September 1, 2004, Domestic Partners of WAEPA members are now eligible for dependent coverage from $10,000 up to $250,000 or 50% of the federal employee/WAEPA member's coverage. (Domestic Partners are not eligible for dependent coverage under the FEGLI program). Am I Eligible? Civilian federal and U.S. Postal Service employees less than age 65 who possess U.S. citizenship are eligible to become members of WAEPA and apply for insurance coverage. Unfortunately, full-time members of the Armed Forces are not eligible for coverage. Need More Information? WAEPA is a non-profit association founded in 1943 and managed by federal employees dedicated exclusively to serving the insurance needs of civilian federal employees. Our vision has never waived. WAEPA continually strives to serve those who have served by providing superior insurance products along with exceptional customer service. To learn more about WAEPA and the services we offer visit our NEW and IMPROVED web-site - http://fedweek.sparklist.com/t/294940983/821888/303/0/. Besides information on WAEPA products there is valuable educational information including the "Seven Avoidable Life Insurance Mistakes" Go to http://fedweek.sparklist.com/t/294940983/821888/302/0/ The web-site includes detailed information on WAEPA's life insurance program, including online application forms as well as an online premium calculator that allows you to compare WAEPA premiums directly to those of the federal program. You can also e-mail your questions to [EMAIL PROTECTED], or call one of our customer service representatives at 1 (800) 368--3484. Once again, during the Federal Life Open Season, please take advantage of the opportunity to consider WAEPA for your life insurance needs - you and your family will be glad you did! WAEPA -- serving those who have served. *********************************************************** 3. DoD Bill Also a Major Issue Another major piece of legislation still needing work is the annual Defense Department authorization bill (HR-4200), which has been in a House-Senate conference since June. The bill addresses several major issues affecting civilian DoD employees, including whether or not to keep on track the process currently set to culminate with creation of a special commission that would recommend base closings and realignments next year. The House measure would delay that process by two years while the Senate would keep the process on schedule. Officials say that if there is to be a lame duck session, the DoD bill might remain stalled until then, since members of Congress are caught between White House pressure to keep the process moving and constituent concern about loss of jobs should the closings go ahead. 4. Differences on Workforce Cuts Continue The DoD measure also continues a long-running wrangle between the House and Senate over the DoD acquisition workforce. The House once again called for a reduction in that workforce--this time, a 5 percent cut by October 1, 2005--and wants a report on the workforce by March 1. The White House has issued a statement opposing those cuts. The Senate version, in contrast, would increase the acquisition workforce by 15 percent over three years and limit the practice of having contracts overseen by other contractors, requiring that such oversight be done by in-house employees. 5. Contracting Issues Focus on DoD Another major issue in the DoD bill on which Congress is feeling pressure involves contracting out; DoD has most of the government's commercial-type jobs and does by far the most contracting-out studies. Both the House and Senate versions of the bill would require DoD to perform formal studies on functions employing 10 or more workers. The House version also would start a two-year pilot program in which 10 percent of all functions that are considered new must undergo the cost-comparison process--in effect preventing the department from automatically giving the work to contractors. The Senate version would require that in-house employees be given "fair consideration" for new work, effectively barring the practice of automatically contracting for new commercial type work. Another House provision would require that "contracting-in" studies be performed on work already out on contract, equal to 10 percent of the number of in-house jobs studied for contracting-out. The White House has threatened to veto the bill if it contained a contracting-in requirement. 6. Some Government-Wide Provisions at Issue Both versions of the DoD bill also contain government-wide language that responds to a Government Accountability Office ruling earlier this year that under the revised contracting-out Circular A-76 issued last year, employees and their representatives lack rights to challenge aspects of a public-private competition, including the agency's decision on who should get the work. The House measure expresses the "sense of Congress" that DoD civilian employees should have appeal rights to the GAO or the United States Court of Federal Claims, while the Senate version would put in law the right to appeal to GAO. In other government-wide language, the House version would allow agencies to pay both the employee and employer share of Federal Employees Health Benefits program premiums for up to 24 months--rather than the current maximum of 18 months--for employees called to active duty for contingency operations, while the Senate version would boost locality pay for certain law enforcement officers, order a study of whether a separate pay, evaluation, and promotion system for law enforcement officers should be established, and authorize a demonstration project of such a system. 7. MSPB's Take on Hiring Issues In a recent publication, the Merit Systems Protection Board addressed several issues related to federal hiring practices, which have come under criticism for being too slow and burdensome. For excerpts involving the direct hire authority, probationary periods and the importance of reference checks, go to http://www.fedweek.com/HotFreeNews/default.asp in the hot free info section of our website. 8. Several Spending Bills Focus on Contracting Several of the House-passed appropriations bills for fiscal 2005 contain language affecting contracting policy at the agencies funded under those bills. These include: HR-4751, the Commerce-Justice-State bill that would bar the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission from setting up a privatized national customer service center and consolidating field offices until complying with certain reporting requirements; HR-4567 for the Department of Homeland Security, which bars a study of contracting-out certain immigration officer, contract representative and investigative assistant jobs on grounds that those jobs are inherently governmental; and HR-4568 for the Interior Department and related agencies that would require full cost studies before contracting-out functions employing more than 10 federal employees and allow jobs to be converted only if the projected savings were at least 10 percent or $10 million; and the Transportation-Treasury measure, which would impose similar requirements government-wide. President Bush already has signed the fiscal 2005 spending bill for the Defense Department that carries a similar provision affecting DoD. 9. Telecommuting Also an Issue Language in the Commerce-Justice-State spending bill that could be extended to other agencies through other appropriations bills as the budget process progresses seeks to put more teeth into prior laws designed to encourage more telecommuting by federal employees. One earlier law required agencies to assess over four years which of their positions could be done by teleworking; while the number of positions deemed eligible has increased as a result, the actual rate of teleworking has remained flat. The Commerce-Justice-State bill would require agencies covered by the bill--in addition to those three departments, primarily the Securities and Exchange Commission and the Small Business Administration--to "certify that telecommuting opportunities have been made available to 100 percent of the eligible workforce." The measure effectively would withhold $5 million from each agency until they make such a certification. 10. FEDweek Readers Can Get DSL-Like Speed Over Your Phone Line at Home http://fedweek.sparklist.com/t/294940983/821888/148/0/ Please continue reading for more details or go to http://fedweek.sparklist.com/t/294940983/821888/148/0/ A Few Facts: Over 50% of our readers who have called the toll Free information number 1-800 452-9201, signed up for this internet service, it's that good. You will get the fastest and most comprehensive internet accelerator on the market and unparalleled 24/7 customer service for only $13.40 per month--You'd pay more than twice that at AOL, Earthlink or any of the others. CNW has over 14,000 nationwide local access numbers to choose from compared to 7,000 Earthlink's and 4,000 AOL numbers. Use your telephone while on your dial up connection with CNW, you can't with the others. Plus you'll get Spam controls to help keep your inbox free of junk email IF you're in pursuit of a fast, reliable Internet connection, Computer Networks Inc. has partnered with RFPR to provide Internet Services to our readers at a special low rate as low as $9.45 per month with no long term contracts to sign (like most other internet service providers require). Best Choice: Turbo Accelerator Internet Service is the new CNW Turbo Internet access version 3.1 is the fastest and most comprehensive Internet accelerator available today. CNW offers DSL like speed over 56k dial-up connection and fast downloads of e-mail and Web pages--all for only $13.40 per month! For more information or to sign up today, go to http://fedweek.sparklist.com/t/294940983/821888/148/0/ or call CNW toll-free at 1-800-452-9201. This is a special offer to all RFPR readers, just another value added benefit for being a RFPR reader. 11. Other Bills May Arise Other bills that may be considered before the legislative work for the year is finished include: bills (S-2468 and HR-4341) that have cleared the committee level to reform many U.S. Postal Service business practices, to encourage certain long-time injury compensation benefit recipients to switch to disability retirement and shift from USPS to the Treasury the responsibility for paying the portion of annuities for postal retirees associated with their military service; a House-passed bill (HR-3751) to require a study of how vision, dental and hearing benefits provided through the Federal Employees Health Benefits program can be improved or a Senate committee-passed bill (S-2657) to bypass the study and create a new stand-alone dental and vision benefits program; a bill (S-129) that has passed a House committee and the full Senate to expand agency use of certain monetary incentives for employees while also allowing employees to receive compensatory time off for travel during off-duty hours and revising a provision of CSRS retirement law that has the effect of discouraging employees from switching to part-time work later in their careers; a Senate-passed bill (S-2479) and a House committee-passed counterpart (HR-4324) to end the twice-yearly open seasons in the Thrift Savings Plan, effective allowing individuals at any time to join the program or change their levels of investment, actions that now can take place only during the open seasons; and Senate committee-passed bills to extend health insurance coverage for employees activated to military duty (S-2409) and to pay them the difference between their federal salary and their military pay, if lower (S-593). 12. Federal Legal Corner: MSPB Decides Transportation Security Agency Screeners Do Not Have Whistleblower Appeal Rights The Merit Systems Protection Board ("MSPB") decided on August 12, 2004, that individuals employed as "screeners" with the Transportation Security Agency ("TSA") do not have the right to whistleblower appeals (also known as "individual right of action" or "IRA" appeals) with the MSPB. In Schott, et al. v. Dept. of Homeland Security, MSPB Docket Nos. DC-1221-03-0807-W-1, NY-0752-03-0378-I-1, NY-1221-04-0046-W-11 (August 12, 2004), the appellants had been removed from their employment as screeners during their probationary periods. Each of the appellants filed appeals with the MSPB claiming, among other things, that their firings were retaliation for whistleblowing. In deciding that the MSPB did not have authority to consider the whistleblower appeals filed by the screeners, the MSPB in Schott held that a section within the Aviation and Transportation Security Act ("ATSA") contains specific language that only applies to screeners that allows the TSA to hire, discipline, and terminate screeners without regard to any other law. Further, in deciding that the TSA screeners did not have whistleblower appeal rights, the MSPB relied on its decision in Brooks v. Dept. of Homeland Security, 95 M.S.P.R. 464 (2004). In Brooks, the MSPB held that it did not have jurisdiction over an appeal filed by a TSA screener regarding the screener's reduction-in-grade. It should be noted that both the Brooks and Schott decisions appear to be limited to TSA screeners and not other TSA employees. * This information is provided by the attorneys at Passman & Kaplan, P.C., a law firm dedicated to the representation of federal employees worldwide. For more information on Passman & Kaplan, P.C., go to http://www.passmanandkaplan.com. * 13. The Complete Guide to Writing a Federal Resume Just Published-- Available for Immediate Shipment Order Yours at http://www.fedweek.com/Publications/default.asp >From the Publishers of FEDweek, the federal government's largest information resource... We are proud to announce the launch of The Complete Guide to Writing a Federal Resume. This book was written specifically for you and is designed to help you meet the requirements for written materials in seeking a new federal job or advancement within the federal government. There is no longer a single, required method of applying for federal employment. In fact, most federal agencies are moving toward the resume (either paper or electronic) as the preferred method of applying for jobs. That's why we've just published The Complete Guide to Writing a Federal Resume and all current federal employees, retirees, military members and private sector professionals who are looking for a federal job need this all-inclusive guide. Note to Military Members: Many of the federal job openings at this time require security clearances. As a military member, a large percentage of you have the security clearance and the qualifications needed to fill these positions. This all-new guide will show you how to compose your resume to accentuate your strengths and experiences. Here's a partial list of the table of contents: Finding a Federal Job Should I Apply Using a Resume or an Application Form? The Federal Resume Preparing to Draft Your Resume What to Cover (and not cover) in a Resume The Designing of Your Federal Resume Your Accomplishments (including a worksheet) What if You Use an OF-612? Knowledges, Skills and Abilities (KSAs) Cover Letters and Thank You Letters Interactive Worksheets The Do's and Don't's for Federal Resume Cover Letters Contains Many Sample Federal Resumes and Cover Letters And Much More! This book is a "must have" for: All federal employees Military personnel interested in civil service careers Federal managers and supervisors Human resources professionals and federal libraries Military retirees beginning their second career with the federal government All private sector workers that wish to apply for federal government positions. Simply put, designing and writing your resume is not an easy task. You must highlight your accomplishments, qualifications, experience, etc. all while keeping it brief and easy to follow. The Complete Guide to Writing a Federal Resume will show you how to do this. It also gives a complete list of "result and action" words to use in your cover letter and resume as well as a list a frequently misspelled or misused words or phrases. "In today's competitive job market, especially the federal job market, this new interactive resume book is a must have and is guaranteed to help you, whether you are writing a new resume from scratch, making minor changes depending on the position you are applying for or just fine tuning and error checking it." Don Mace, Publisher FEDweek *********************************************************** Order it Today and Have it Shipped to You Tomorrow! Go to http://www.fedweek.com/Publications/default.asp to order online or see below for other ways to order. The Cost of The Complete Guide to Writing a Federal Resume is only $9.95 (plus s&h) and here are the ways to order it: Place Your Secure Order Online With Credit Card http://www.fedweek.com/Publications/default.asp Call or toll-free order line (888) 333-9335. We have representatives ready to take your order 24 hours per day. By Mail Send $13.95 ($9.95 plus $4) to FEDweek, PO Box 5519, Glen Allen, VA 23058 *********************************************************** FEDweek 11551 Nuckols Rd. Suite L Glen Allen, VA 23059 (804) 288-5321 Website: http://www.fedweek.com [EMAIL PROTECTED] --- You are subscribed to fedweek as [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe, send a blank email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Make a clean sweep of pop-up ads. Yahoo! Companion Toolbar. Now with Pop-Up Blocker. Get it for free! http://us.click.yahoo.com/L5YrjA/eSIIAA/yQLSAA/BCfwlB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/kumpulan/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
