Federal Daily - February 24, 2009

Stimulus Bill Provides One-Time Cash Payments for Filipino WWII Vets

The newly enacted American Recovery and Reinvestment Act provides one-time cash payments to Filipino veterans who aided American troops during World War II, the Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) announced on Feb. 20. Claims are being accepted at VA from Filipino veterans, who are eligible for payments of $9,000 for non-U.S. citizens, and $15,000 for Filipino veterans with U.S. citizenship, the agency said. VA said it is working to begin making payments as soon as possible. VA and the U.S. Embassy in Manila have announced locations in the Philippines where vets can apply immediately. The list has been posted at http://manila.usembassy.gov. Extensive outreach is planned to alert World War II veterans throughout the Philippines. Claims must be submitted by Feb. 16, 2010, a year after the bill’s signing. To receive information, U.S. residents may call 1-800-827-1000. The VA Regional Office in Manila will process all claims for the benefit. U.S. residents should mail their applications to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Regional Office, PSC 501, FPO AP 96515-100. The payments do not affect other benefits veterans may be receiving. The VA regional office in Manila currently provides approximately $15 million monthly in monetary benefits to vets residing in the Philippines. To see more, go to:
http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1654

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NTEU Applauds New FLRA Acting Head

The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) applauded the selection of Carol Waller Pope as acting chair of the Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA), the body charged with overseeing federal-sector labor-management relations. President Obama named Pope to the acting chair position on Feb. 19. She has been an FLRA member since 2000. In its recommendations to the incoming administration, NTEU had called for Pope to be named FLRA head. “She is extremely qualified for the position and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as a member of the FLRA,” said Colleen Kelley, NTEU president. “This vital body plays a key role in the effective delivery of government programs and services to the public, and I am pleased to see someone such as Pope, who has so much to offer to that process, as its head.” To see more, go to: www.flra.gov/news/pr09-02.html or www.nteu.org.

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OPM Announces Series of Hiring Workshops

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on Feb. 21 announced a series of five hiring workshops for government recruiters and human resources professionals as part of its 2009 Call to Serve Initiative. The initiative is jointly sponsored by OPM and the Partnership for Public Service. The workshops—designed to help GS 13-GS 15 level recruiters and HR practitioners attract a new generation to federal public service—complement OPM’s and the Chief Human Capital Officers Council’s End-to-End Hiring Initiative. “The government’s ability to recruit and hire the best applicants from a rich and diverse talent pool is paramount in addressing critical challenges facing our country,” said Kevin E. Mahoney, associate director of the OPM Human Capital Leadership and Merit System Accountability Division. The 2009 workshops include: Capitalizing on Student Intern Programs (April 23); Branding Your Agency: Understanding Student Expectations and How Your Agency Can Meet Them (May 18); Recruiting for Talent in Mission Critical Occupations (July 16); Using New Technologies for Federal Recruiting (Sept. 17); and End-to-End Hiring Initiative—1st Year Progress and 2nd Year Expectations (Nov. 3). To see more, go to: www.chcoc.gov/Transmittals/TransmittalDetails.aspx?
TransmittalId=2030.

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