News on Federal Workplace Policies and Practices from Federal Daily


Senate panel approves domestic partnership benefits bill

The Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee on May 16 advanced legislation that would entitle federal employees in same-sex domestic partnerships to the same benefits now available to married federal employees.

Senate panel to consider same-sex benefits bill this week

A Senate bill that aims to provide health care and other benefits to domestic partners of federal employees is set for markup Wednesday.

MSPB to revise regulations

The Merit Systems Protection Board announced plans to conduct a comprehensive revision of its adjudicatory regulations.

Union asks OSC to investigate alleged retaliation against VA whistleblower

A union said it asked the Office of Special Counsel to investigate possible retaliation against one of its members who testified before the Senate in November 2011.

Lawmaker seeks Hatch Act reforms

The ranking member of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform is asking the committee to address a bipartisan bill to reform the Hatch Act.

Bill to extend benefits to same-sex domestic partners gains support

A Senate bill that would make same-sex domestic partners of federal employees eligible for a range of benefits is gaining traction, according to the legislation’s sponsors.

Office of Special Counsel releases report in Dover mortuary case

The Office of Special Counsel last week publicly released its report finding that three officials at the Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operation Center retaliated against employees who they believed disclosed wrongdoing at the facility.

Lawsuit claims incidents of fraud resulted from Tricare records theft

Plaintiffs in a lawsuit related to the theft last year of the healthcare records of 4.9 million Tricare beneficiaries claim they became victims of credit card and bank fraud shortly after their records were stolen.

Top feds’ ethics-related filings now accessible online

Accessing ethics-related documents filed by high-level federal officials became easier March 12 when the U.S. Office of Government Ethics began to offer access to those files through a searchable online database.

Lawmakers want survey of agencies’ policies for monitoring personal e-mail

Two key members of Congress have asked the administration to conduct a survey of federal agencies’ guidelines for monitoring employees’ personal e-mail accounts.