Business

Phoenix VA Whistleblowers Win an Undisclosed Settlement

As another 50 whistleblower disclosures await formal investigation, three VA employees who were demoted for speaking out win settlements to clear their name. By Charles S. Clark

Business

The Unintended Consequence of Hiring Veterans

An increase in veteran representation in federal jobs coincided with declines for women from 2000 to 2012, an upcoming review shows. By Kellie Lunney

Business

Cost of Living Adjustment Will Be Announced on Oct. 22

Next year’s cost of living adjustment for military retirees and veterans receiving benefits is expected to be somewhere between 1.6 percent and 1.8 percent. By Kellie Lunney

Business

Would Pay Scales Close the Cybersecurity Workforce Gap?

A better understanding of what cybersecurity professionals do, along with implementing a graduated pay scale, could be two big steps in the right direction. By Aliya Sternstein

Business

Is the Pentagon's Personnel Reform Turning a Corner at Long Last?

From one union's perspective, the Defense Department's negotiations with labor groups are progressing at a surprisingly positive pace. By Eric Katz

Business

Civilians in Iraq to Get Higher Premium Pay

U.S. civilians working on stabilization efforts in Iraq can now earn more for overtime, nights and weekend work through the end of the year. By Kellie Lunney

Business

Phased Retirement for Federal Workers Is Finally Here

The law allowing federal employees to partially retire while continuing to work part-time for the government is finally being implemented. By Kellie Lunney

Business

Pentagon's Civilian Workforce Could Face New Performance Evaluations

The Pentagon plans a do-over for its poorly-received civilian pay and performance evaluation system from 2006. Will this attempt be any better than the last? By Eric Katz

Business

The Air Force Is Offering Separation Incentives to Thousands of Civilians

But the reductions will still only save the Air Force a small fraction of the $50 billion required by the 2011 Budget Control Act. By Eric Katz

Ideas

How to Fix the Government's Security Clearance Mess

We need to continuously monitor who has top secret clearance. Here’s how. By Steve Nguyen

Business

Now It's Official: Furloughs Frustrate Defense Department Personnel

Differences implementing the cost saving measure across the services led to grumbling about morale and problems with retention inside the department. And don't expect it to end soon. By Amelia Gruber

Business

New Bill Would Give Civilians in Combat Zones a Tax Break

Civilian federal employees serving in combat zones would get the same tax credit available to military personnel. By Kellie Lunney

Ideas

Why the Pentagon Should Reduce Its Civilian Workforce by 15 Percent

Failing to cut the civilian workforce will just end up hurting the military in the end. By Rep. Ken Calvert

Business

Gates’ Love-Hate Relationship with Bureaucracy

“Up close, Congress is truly ugly,” former Defense Secretary Bob Gates writes in his new memoir. By Tom Shoop

Business

New Feds, Military Retirees to Contribute More to Pensions With Budget Deal

Savings gained by tweaking the retirement benefits of both groups would amount to $12 billion. By Kellie Lunney

Business

Hagel to Cut Hundreds of Staff and Contractors for $1 Billion Savings

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel says cutting 200 positions from his office -- and a lot of contractors -- will save about $1 billion by 2019. By Stephanie Gaskell

Policy

GOP Lawmakers: Cut Fed Benefits, Not Defense Spending

A new proposal wants to roll back the budget caps on defense spending, and replace them with scaled back pensions and benefits for federal employees. By Eric Katz

Business

Poll: Shutdown Skyrockets Public Opinion of Federal Workers

Confidence in federal workers hits five year high in a wave of shutdown sympathy, according to a new GWU poll. By William C. Adams and Donna Lind Infeld

Business

The Percentage of Veterans Working for the Government Reaches a 20-Year High

Federal agencies have been making a big push to hire more veterans since November 2009, when President Obama ordered them to make it a priority. By Amelia Gruber

Business

Senate Shutdown Deal Includes Back-Pay Measure For Furloughed Feds

Even if the legislation passes, it may be a while before furloughed civilians receive their paychecks. By Kellie Lunney