|
|
The
views expressed
on this page are soley those of the author and do not
necessarily
represent the views of County News Online
|
 |
Federal News Radio
Being a fed:
When no news really is good news
By Mike Causey
July 19, 2016
According to the American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms, the proverbial
phrase may have first been uttered by King James I of England, who, in
1616, is believed to have said, “No news is better than evil news.” It
figures that he was in government
For 21st century American civil servants, the no-new-is-good-news
outlook on life is for real. Feds often tend to do better, or at least
things don’t get any worse, when politicians, from the President down
to the humblest (???) member of Congress forget about them. Like this
year. So far.
Congress is on break until well after Labor Day. The Republicans, then
the Democrats, will do their thing in Cleveland and Philadelphia . The
fact that Congress did nothing about the January 2017 federal pay raise
is a plus. It is now likely that white-collar workers at State,
Justice, Interior, IRS, Defense and most other agencies will get a
basic 1.6 percent pay raise in January.
Members of the American Postal Workers Union will also be getting a
series of pay raises and cost-of-living adjustments based on an
arbitrator’s decision. Unlike their white-collar counterparts in other
federal agencies, the vast majority of postal craft workers belong to,
and pay dues to, unions representing clerks, letter carriers, mail
handlers and other craft employees.
Federal and postal retirees may or may not get a cost-of-living
adjustment in January 2017. Any increase will depend on the rise in
inflation from the third-quarter of this year (July, August and
September) over the third-quarter of 2014. After a period of flat price
increases or actual deflation, living costs in May and June jumped (or
at least limped slightly up) by 0.46 percent.
The bad news for active and retired feds is that Congress left town
without taking action to “reform” the so-called Windfall Elimination
Provision (or WEP) that reduces the Social Security benefits of many
federal retirees. It is possible, but highly unlikely, Congress will
make any change, good or bad, this year. Here’s an explanation of WEP
from the National Active and Retired Federal Employees. about the
impact, and importance, of WEP.
When Congress returns, it will likely approve a stopgap CR (continuing
resolution) to fund federal operations in the new fiscal year (Oct. 1).
Also depending on how messy the political campaigns get, there could be
an effort by some politicians to shut down the government (again). Or
not.
So given the circumstances, options and wild political-social times, no
news often really is good news.
Read this and other articles at Federal News Radio
|
|
|
|
