FederalDaily - September 21, 2007
NTEU Applauds Bills to Enhance Benefits of Federal Workers,
Retirees
The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) this week applauded several bills adopted
by a key House subcommittee, including a measure that would allow federal civilian
and military retirees to use pre-tax income to pay health insurance premiums. By
a voice vote, the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee on the Federal
Workforce on Sept. 18 approved H.R. 1110, a bill to amend the Internal Revenue Code
to allow federal civilian and military retirees to pay health insurance premiums
on a pre-tax basis. At present, only current federal workers can use pre-tax income
for such payments, said NTEU President Colleen Kelley. “This is a very important
first step on a meaningful issue,” she said. The subcommittee also adopted
a bill that would clarify—but only prospectively—the method for computing
certain annuities based on part-time federal service. Kelley expressed disappointment
that the bill would make proposed changes in computing annuities under the Civil
Service Retirement System for part-time work prospective only. “I’m glad
to see there is some movement on this issue,” Kelley said, “but not making
the change retroactive is unfair to a large number of people who would be treated
in a significantly different manner through no fault of their own.” To see
more, go to: www.nteu.org.
:: Back to Top ::
TSA Order Violates EEOC Rules, Union Says
A new Transportation Security Administration (TSA) directive limiting the amount
of time a TSA employee serving as a designated employee representative can assist
in preparing workplace grievances violates Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
(EEOC) rules, said the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). AFGE President
John Gage said the TSA directive limits such representation to eight hours, with
anything more than that charged to the employee as annual leave, compensatory time
off or leave without pay. Gage said the policy conflicts with EEOC regulations, which
do not limit the amount of official time an employee representative may be granted,
except to say that official time must be reasonable. Gage said that in FY 2003, the
average processing time from the date a complaint was filed to closure was 939 days—and
half of the 1,500 equal employment opportunity complaints were filed by TSA workers.
In light of those figures, eight hours is not sufficient, Gage said on Sept. 19. “With
TSA’s absurd restriction of time to eight hours, it unilaterally established
a policy that restricts the rights of, and sets up roadblocks for, employees who
wish to pursue their civil rights under law,” Gage said. To see more, go to: www.afge.org.
:: Back to Top ::
Army Offers New Program to Support Servicemembers’ Families
In response to the increasing stress caused by continuing overseas deployments,
the Army on Sept. 17 announced the creation of a new integrated family and servicemembers
support network. The new support group, the Army Integrated Family Support Network
(AIFSN), aims to link servicemembers, their families and employers to the Army services
and programs they need. Such services include pre-deployment support, training for
Family Readiness Groups, TRICARE referral, and child and youth resource referral.
Previously, most active-duty and reserve components operated their family service
programs independently of one another. The new network will integrate those efforts,
the Army said. “Our Army must continue to examine the ever-changing needs of
our families and never cease in our effort to provide our families a quality of life
commensurate with the quality of their selfless service,” Army Secretary Pete
Geren said. To see more, go to: www.army.mil/-newsreleases/2007/09/17/4893-army-reaches-out-to-support-all-families
:: Back to Top ::
|
