South Carolina is joining a group of states grappling with how to handle shortfalls in their state retirement systems. The state currently faces a $17 billion gap between investments and long-term pension promises. In addition to the gap, a proposed new rule would require local municipalities to disclose this shortfall on their balance sheets whichRead… Read more »
http://www.inthesetimes.com/article/12322/ IAM Local 778 members picket outside the federally-owned Honeywell facility on October 10, 2011, in Kansas City, Mo. (Photo by IAM Local 778) Web Only// Features » November 20, 2011 Is the Federal Government Helping to Bust Unions? Defense contractor Honeywell pushed concessions onto striking workers—and unions say Washington supported the company behind theRead… Read more »
Tweet Debating HB 1950 in the State Legislature. Not a happy camper. Last week, two bills advanced through their respective chambers in the Legislature. Don’t let anyone tell you these bills, Senate Bill 1100 and House Bill 1950, were “the best we could do” on the issue of Marcellus Shale. When you consider all theRead… Read more »
BEHAVIORAL HEALTHCARE Issue Date: Online ExclusiveOnline Exclusive The essential health benefit: Will essential become minimal? “Nearsighted” IOM recommendations fail to consider long-term value of behavioral health benefits by Ron Manderscheid, PhD While every element of health reform in the United States is important to the future of mental health and substance use treatment, several ofRead… Read more »
Confession time: I owe North Dakota an apology. About six months ago, in light of the economic pressures on government employees, budget cuts and downsizings, further calls for their jobs or at least slashing their pensions, I wrote a satirical “Shrink Rap” ditty called “The Reorg Rag.” It started: It can’t happen here, I haveRead… Read more »
According to an article over at The Washington Post, a bill that seeks to extend benefits to the same-sex partners of Federal employees was reintroduced last week. The Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act was reintroduced by Sen. Joseph I. Lieberman (I-Conn.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine). If passed, the act would make same-sex partners ofRead… Read more »
American Federation of Government Employees National President John Gage issued the following statement in response to the “Best Places to Work” survey released today by the Partnership for Public Service: “Fewer federal employees are satisfied in their jobs than they were last year, and that should come as no surprise to anyone who’s paying attention.Read… Read more »
I’ve been meeting Business 2.0, Enterprise 2.0, Government 2.0, and in each case partisans explain that their particular function is driving the transformation. Business 2.0 is Finance! Enterprise 2.0 is Architecture! And Government 2.0 is Information Technology! came from a moneychanger, a sheetrocker, and some guy from a hobby shop. This 2.0 thing is aboutRead… Read more »
This week the California Department of Fish and Game (DFG) moved to join federal litigation challenging an Army Corps of Engineers (Corps) policy on the removal of vegetation on flood control levees. Streams and river banks are riparian areas. Riparian vegetation serves many functions including bank stabilization and water quality protection, food chain support, thermalRead… Read more »
Today the House is examining whether OPM is “properly equipped to handle an increasing number of federal job applications and the timely payment of retirement benefits.” This is the result of several issues surrounding the USAJOBS website; Rep. Dennis Ross (R-Fla.) points out that “taxpayers are now paying for a system that doesn’t work, costsRead… Read more »