Contact Us
MEDIA ROOM


Federal Managers Association
1641 Prince Street
Alexandria, VA 22314-2818
Phone: (703) 683-8700
Fax: (703) 683-8707
E-mail: info@fedmanagers.org



Federal Managers Association

Washington Report

September 8, 2009

*************************************************************

Untitled Document

FMA WORKING FOR YOU!

PAY-FOR-PERFORMANCE A BIG CONCERN

If Congress and the Administration are set on instituting a singular government-wide performance-based personnel system, such a system must be transparent, fair for participants and clearly understood by all, Federal Managers Association (FMA) National President Darryl Perkinson asserted during a panel discussion at the 2009 Blacks in Government (BIG) Conference in Baltimore, Maryland. What the National Security Personnel System (NSPS), the Pentagon’s pay-for-performance personnel system, demonstrated is that many redeemable qualities of the program are overshadowed by the overwhelming failure to adequately address these three guiding principles, Perkinson continued.

Perkinson’s comments were part of a larger dialogue during one of the BIG Conference’s programs entitled, “The Pros & Cons of Pay for Performance: What the Obama Administration Needs to Do as it Revamps Government.” Joined by several union and association presidents along with others invested in the success of federal personnel systems, Perkinson discussed the difficulties managers have confronted with implementing NSPS while acknowledging the merits of establishing a system which, in principle, seeks to align individuals’ work with agency missions.

Robert Tobias, Director of the Institute for the Study of Public Policy Implementation at American University and a member of the Task Group assigned by the Administration to evaluate the successes and failures of NSPS, stated that one of the basic assumptions about pay-for-performance systems in the federal government is wrong. The programs are not designed simply to provide federal employees with a greater financial incentive to work harder. What performance-based pay systems seek to accomplish, rather, is the establishment of objective links between individual goals and agency goals. Characterizing current systems which lack objectivity in the review process as “works hard systems,” where supervisors decide whether their employees work hard or not, Tobias said the goal is to inject greater objectivity in the system while recognizing managers cannot necessarily measure simple output in many of today’s jobs.

To create a viable performance-based personnel system, panelists agreed that providing adequate funding to sustain such a program is critical. Julius Crouch, a member of BIG’s National Board of Directors, called the raises many federal employees received under pay-for-performance systems a “joke” as a result of forced ratings distribution. Tobias recommended establishment of a separately funded budget, stating Congress and the Administration must be prepared to direct more money into the system.

Perkinson explained how NSPS was initially structured on the assumption that twenty percent of federal employees were poor performers; however, results from the rating process demonstrated this was not the case. Since NSPS was formed on this assumption, officials failed to provide adequate funds to establish true pay-for-performance.

“No personnel system can fully succeed, regardless of how good it looks on paper or in principle, if those who create it fail to secure the resources necessary to run it in practice,” Perkinson explained. “The consensus reached today on this issue is testament to the belief NSPS never had a chance to achieve its full potential from the start.”

For more information on the BIG Conference, please visit: www.bignet.org.

*************************************************************

WHAT’S HAPPENING ON CAPITOL HILL?

PRESIDENT MAINTAINS STANCE ON PAY RAISE IN LETTER TO CONGRESS

President Barack Obama is sticking to his guns when it comes to the proposed 2010 pay raise for federal employees. In a letter delivered to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-Cali.) on August 31, President Obama wrote he would exercise his authority to establish a two percent pay increase for the civil service, effective the first pay-period in January of 2010.

Invoking Title 5 of the United States Code, which affords the President the ability to implement his own pay plan in the face of a “national emergency or serious economic conditions affecting the general welfare,” Obama detailed his belief a two percent pay increase was necessary to eliminate further stress on the federal budget. Determining the country is facing both a national emergency in the wake of September 11 and an economic crisis substantiated by skyrocketing unemployment figures, the President wrote his proposal falls in line with the power granted to him by law.

“A national emergency, within the meaning of chapter 53 of title 5, has existed since September 11, 2001,” stated President Obama. “Likewise, with unemployment at 9.5 percent in June to cite just one economic indicator, few would disagree that our country is facing serious economic conditions affecting the general welfare.”

“Accordingly, I have determined that under the authority of section 5303(b) of title 5, United States Code, an across-the-board increase of 2.0 percent shall go into effect on the first day of the first applicable pay period beginning on or after January 1, 2010,” he concluded.

By law, the President is required to asses how an alternative pay raise proposal would affect the federal government’s ability to recruit and retain a highly-skilled workforce. According to Obama’s letter, his decision to proceed with a two percent pay increase would not disrupt the government’s efforts in this regard.

The President challenged those who believe the pay increase will have a negative affect, asserting, “To the contrary, since any pay raise above the amount proposed in this alternative plan would likely be unfunded, agencies would have to absorb the additional cost and could have to reduce hiring to pay the higher rates.”

In addition, federal agencies are able to provide compensation flexibilities including recruitment and retention incentive payments and special salary rates, the President stated.

To view a copy of the letter, please visit: www.whitehouse.gov.

FY10 DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION HIGH ON CONGRESSIONAL AGENDA

Members of Congress return to action today on Capitol Hill following their month-long summer recess, facing pressure to resolve several pieces of pending legislation prior to September 30, the end of the fiscal year. Among Congress’ priorities is advancing the Fiscal Year 2010 National Defense Authorization Act (H.R. 2647/S. 1390), which currently sits in conference committee. Provisions contained in the House and Senate-passed versions lie at the forefront of the Federal Managers Association’s (FMA) legislative agenda, and FMA continues to rally the Association’s membership to express their support for these measures to legislators on the conference committee.

H.R. 2647, the House-passed version of the Defense Authorization bill, includes a multitude of provisions which would extend critical benefits to members of the civil service while improving the federal government’s efficiency and productivity. Chief among the measures included is a provision which would afford employees under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) a credit for unused sick leave at the time of retirement, a benefit currently enjoyed by their counterparts in the Civil Service Retirement System. The Office of Personnel Management currently estimates sick leave abuse among FERS employees costs taxpayers $68 million a year, a price tag that will continue to pose challenges for managers striving to ensure an efficient federal workforce as nearly all federal employees will work under FERS by 2014.

In addition to the sick leave credit, the House bill includes language ending a long-standing inequity between federal employees in Alaska, Hawaii and the U.S. Territories and their counterparts in the contiguous United States. Federal employees who reside in these areas receive a tax-free non-foreign area cost of living adjustment (COLA) in their pay; however, the government fails to credit this COLA towards basic pay for retirement purposes, drastically affecting the retirement benefits rightly earned by these hardworking civil servants. The provision would phase-out the COLA and phase-in locality pay over a period of three years while protecting the pay of employees during the transition.

Senator Susan Collins (R-Me.) successfully attached a provision to the Senate-approved version of the Defense Authorization Act, S. 1390, which would allow federal agencies to reemploy retired civil servants on a limited basis without forcing these employees to take reductions in salary corresponding to their retirement annuities. Federal employees seeking a return to service following retirement are currently penalized in the form of a pay reduction to offset their federal retirement annuity. Reemployed annuitants would be able to contribute a total of 3,120 hours of service before any offset to their annuity occurs. While individuals would receive both salary and annuity payments, they would not be considered employees for the purposes of retirement and would receive no additional retirement benefits based on their service.

The differences between the House and Senate versions of the Defense Authorization bill, including the federal employee provisions detailed above, will be addressed during conference in anticipation of a consolidated bill reaching the President prior to the end of the fiscal year.

For more information on FMA’s efforts to advance these critical provisions along with the entire bill, please visit: http://fedmanagers.org/public/Defense%20Bill.cfm.

CONGRESS: BACK IN SESSION, BACK TO BUSINESS

A flurry of activity is expected on Capitol Hill in the coming weeks as Members of Congress tackle a series of spending bills leading up to the end of the fiscal year on September 30. Addressing the President’s aggressive calls for health care reform also sits atop Congress’ agenda and will certainly continue to capture the public’s attention.

As of press time, not one of the twelve appropriations bills has made its way to the President, and it is unlikely Congress will be able to avoid a continuing resolution (CR), which would fund a portion of government agencies and operations at fiscal year 2009 levels for the start of FY10. Appropriations bills for Agriculture (H.R. 2997/S.1406), Energy and Water (H.R. 3183/S. 1436), Homeland Security (H.R. 2892/S. 1298) and the Legislative Branch (H.R. 2918/S. 1294) have all passed the House and Senate and await consideration by conference committee. The other eight spending bills require Senate consideration before moving further.

The debate over health care, which only intensified during town hall meetings hosted by Members of Congress during the summer recess, heads back to the halls of Congress as the Administration continues to lobby support for dramatic reforms to the manner in which many Americans receive medical care. Talks will once again center on H.R. 3200, America's Affordable Health Choices Act of 2009, the sole proposal to gain significant traction in Congress to date. Introduced on July 14, H.R. 3200 narrowly garnered approval from three of the five House committees of jurisdiction currently considering the measure.

In a letter inviting President Obama to speak on health care reform before a Joint Session of Congress on September 9, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Cali.) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) wrote, “Our nation is closer than ever to achieving health insurance reform that will lower costs, retain choice, improve quality and expand coverage. We are committed to reaching this goal.”

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio), an adamant opponent of the Administration’s health care proposal, issued his own statement calling for the President to look to the public when determining whether to proceed with reforms.

"Washington Democrats must listen to the American people and abandon their plans to impose a job-killing government takeover of health care and a new job-killing national energy tax,” Boehner said in a September 4 statement. “Both will inflict further harm on small businesses and wipe out millions of additional American jobs, compounding the costly mistake of the flawed 'stimulus.’ It’s time for the President to hit the reset button and work with Republicans for better solutions, before more debt is piled on our children and more American jobs are destroyed."

For more information on any of the appropriations bills or the House health care proposal, please visit: http://thomas.loc.gov.

************************************************************

WHAT’S NEW IN THE EXECUTIVE BRANCH?

NSPS TOO VALUABLE TO DISCARD JUST YET, TASK GROUP REPORTS

The three-member Task Group charged by the Pentagon’s Defense Business Board and the Office of Personnel Management with reviewing the National Security Personnel System (NSPS) issued its final report on August 25, recommending substantial changes to the pay-for-performance personnel system while maintaining that a reformed version of NSPS should remain in place. The Task Group, which initiated its study in May this year, further provided steps to modify the General Schedule system to build upon lessons learned during the review.

The Task Group’s twenty-page analysis calls for a true reconstruction of the department of Defense's NSPS as opposed to a quick fix in order to adequately modify the program in the face of a multitude of systemic problems encountered. The basis for the Group’s commitment to maintaining the program as opposed to scrapping NSPS and starting anew was the success of the performance management portion in aligning employee and organizational goals, a critical component of any successful personnel system, the Group noted. The report suggested, however, that Congress should pursue a moratorium on NSPS unless DOD is able to construct a viable plan to implement many of the changes proposed by the Task Group.

On June 25, Federal Managers Association (FMA) National President Darryl Perkinson testified before the Task Group, providing the Association’s position on NSPS and performance-based pay systems in general. Chief among FMA’s concerns was the lack of transparency generated by the power afforded the pay pool panels and the lack of trust the system created between managers and their employees. The Group agreed with FMA’s assessment, noting the current system undermines supervisor and employee engagement.

The report determined that simplifying the evaluation process while removing many of the barriers prohibiting the open transfer of information on employees’ ratings would vastly improve transparency. The Task Group recommended that any change to a manager’s assessment of an employee by the pay pool should be made public. The Group additionally proposed enhancing consistency in pay pool size, business rules and funding levels to boost confidence in the system.

To bolster trust between supervisors, who make up roughly 33 percent of those under NSPS, and their employees further requires enhanced managerial training, the report determined. With managers often supervising employees under multiple pay systems, the lack of sufficient training presented a barrier to creation of efficient and transparent review processes. FMA has long urged Congress and DOD to establish enhanced mandatory managerial training to avoid such roadblocks and to streamline implementation of NSPS or other future personnel systems.

“The Task Group’s recommendations provide several sound strategies to move forward with performance-based management systems in the future, but it is up to DOD officials to implement these proposals to improve NSPS now, whether or not the system remains a year down the road or not,” Perkinson stated. “Pursuing greater transparency and accountability in the system will always produce positive results, and I applaud the Task Group for expressing its concerns in these areas.”

To view a copy of the full report, please visit: http://www.defenselink.mil/dbb.

WHERE ARE THE JOBS? LOOK TO UNCLE SAM

As the U.S. unemployment rate passes the 9.5 percent mark, the federal government remains in hot pursuit of roughly 273,000 individuals to fill mission-critical jobs, according to the Partnership for Public Service’s report, Where the Jobs Are 2009: Mission-Critical Opportunities for America released on September 3. The jobs, which must be filled within the next three years, constitute a 41 percent increase over the Partnership’s same 2007 study.

The report, which acquired data through a survey of thirty-five federal agencies covering close to 99 percent of the federal workforce, cites the fields of medicine and public health as the primary source of federal vacancies, with over 54,000 positions in these collective areas requiring new hires. Close behind are positions in security and protection, spanning from police officers to transportation security officers, according to the report. Legal professionals, intelligence analysts and human resource professionals are also in high demand, the Partnership’s findings detail.

Why the dramatic increase in job openings across the federal government as companies in the private sector continue to thin their employment ranks? The impending wave of retiring federal employees coupled with the demand for national security experts and veteran support staff drive the numbers up, the Partnership asserts. According to Partnership President Max Stier, the recent influx of openings in the federal service does not mean we are witnessing a dramatic expansion of the federal workforce but rather a shift in the type of positions sought.

“It’s important to note that while there has been considerable growth in mission-critical jobs, the government is not growing significantly larger in historical terms,” Stier commented. “By the end of 2012, with all new hires, our nation’s workforce will still be smaller than it was in 1967.”

The Partnership also determined that nearly 600,000 new hires, representing roughly one-third of the workforce, will enter the federal workforce over the course of President Obama’s current four-year term in office. This is great news for highly-skilled individuals seeking to contribute their talents to the public sector.

“For job-seekers motivated by a desire to make a difference and improve the lives of Americans, there are no better possibilities than those provided by our federal government,” said Stier. “This report confirms that the job opportunities are there. People need to seize them.”

To view a copy of the full report, please visit: www.ourpublicservice.org.

STUDENT LOAN REPAYMENT PROGRAM REACHES NEW HEIGHTS

Thirty-five federal agencies awarded nearly 6,900 employees with over $51 million in student loan repayment benefits in calendar year 2008, according to the latest Office of Personnel Management (OPM) report to Congress detailing use of the Federal Student Loan Repayment Program. The report, released on August 12, notes that overall agency financial participation in the program rose 22 percent over 2007 figures. The number of employees receiving the benefit rose 4 percent in the same time span.

OPM Director John Berry praised the program’s success, touting its ability to assist agencies in recruiting and retaining top talent.

“I am pleased with the reported increases,” said Berry. “The Program is part of a directed effort for agencies to compete with the higher salaries offered in the private sector and maintain a highly skilled workforce. President Barack Obama has highlighted the importance of recruitment and retention tools and asked each agency to do its part to ensure ‘this Government is as efficient as possible and that every taxpayer dollar that is spent is being spent wisely.’”

Federal agencies allocated over sixteen times as much funds for the program in 2008 than in 2002, according to the report. Only sixteen agencies participated during 2002, providing 690 employees with $3.2 million. On average, agencies provided each recipient with just over $4,500 during this period. Not only are more agencies providing more employees with this benefit now, OPM noted, but each recipient is receiving a larger benefit, averaging over $7,500 this past year.

Still, data showed only 39 of the 80 agencies reporting participated in the program in 2008 or established a program for future participation. Berry said he hopes to continue with the program’s expansion, building on its recent success and plugging its value as a means to provide further incentives to qualified individuals considering careers in the civil service.

“We have many critical skills gaps in the Federal government and we need to use every tool in our tool box to bring the best service to the American public,” Berry asserted. “During my tenure, I intend to carry out the President's call of efficiency and good stewardship and encourage agencies to use student loan repayments in targeted and strategic ways."

According to OPM, agencies may provide an employee with up to $10,000 each year and no more than $60,000 in total for loan repayments. In order to receive the student loan repayment benefit, employees must be employed in the civil service for a minimum of three years while meeting other strict criteria. In 2008, the Justice Department, Department of Defense, State Department, and Government Accountability Office were among the agencies who participated in the program to the greatest extent.

For more information on the Student Loan Repayment Program, please visit: www.opm.gov/oca/PAY/StudentLoan.

OPM SEEKS GREATER LEAVE OPTIONS TO CARE FOR SICK, WOUNDED

Regulations proposed by the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) would enable federal employees to receive up to 30 days of advance sick leave if they are exposed to a serious communicable disease and up to 13 days to care for a family member who is exposed to such an illness, subject to the approval of relevant health authorities or a health care provider. With many health officials anticipating a reemergence of the H1N1 virus this fall and winter, OPM’s proposal would grant agencies greater leeway to encourage employees to temporarily remove themselves from the workforce if they may potentially jeopardize the health of other workers.

According to the proposal, published in the Federal Register on August 26, current regulations allow federal employees to receive advance leave to take care of family members who have contracted a dangerous communicable disease, not those who have only been exposed to a disease. In the case of the H1N1 virus which caused widespread school closures during the initial outbreak, for example, the proposed regulation changes would enable federal employees to receive advance leave to care for a child sent home to prevent the continued spread of the illness. Federal employees receiving advanced sick leave would have future sick leave reduced until the advanced sick leave is recouped.

"In order to use sick leave in this situation, the relevant health authorities or a health care provider must first make a determination that the family member's presence in the community would jeopardize the health of others because of the family member's exposure to a communicable disease,” OPM stated in its proposal. “Secondly, the employee must actively be providing care for the family member.”

Federal employees would also be eligible to receive advance leave under other circumstances, including but not limited to employees receiving or attending a family member’s reception of medical, dental or optical treatment and employees who make arrangements following a family member’s death or attend the funeral of a family member. In each of these cases, an agency could advance up to 13 days of sick leave.

OPM’s proposal would further extend eligible federal employees 26 weeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month span to provide care for a family member in the Armed Forces injured or stricken with an illness while serving in the line of duty. Qualifying federal employees could also substitute any amount of sick leave or annual leave for part or all of the 26 weeks of unpaid leave.

"The covered service member must be a current member of the Armed Forces, including a member of the National Guard or Reserves, who has a serious injury or illness incurred in the line of duty on active duty for which he or she is undergoing medical treatment, recuperation, or therapy, is otherwise in outpatient status, or is otherwise on the temporary disability retired list,” OPM stated in the Federal Register.

The Fiscal Year 2008 National Defense Authorization Act (P.L. 110-417) contained provisions providing civil servants with military family members these benefits, but OPM’s proposal clarifies how and under what circumstances the benefits are applicable.

For more information on the proposed regulation changes, please visit: www.gpo.gov.

FEDERAL PER DIEM RATES TO RISE, SLIGHTLY, IN FY10

Federal employees traveling on official government business in fiscal year 2010 will receive larger allowances on average for various expenses incurred while on the road compared with FY09, according to the latest per diem rates released by the General Services Administration (GSA). Covering a set amount of employees’ lodging, meals and incidentals, the new per diem rates, published on GSA’s Web site, provide “appropriate reimbursement” for official travel expenses and vary by location across the U.S.

GSA, which reevaluates per diem (maximum daily reimbursement) rates prior to the beginning of each fiscal year while periodically adjusting certain rates between the full review, separates travel destinations into two primary categories: standard continental United States areas and non-standard areas. All federal employees traveling to standard areas receive the same per diem, while official travel to non-standard locations warrants larger allowances depending on the specific area. In all, just over 400 areas qualify as non-standard.

In FY09, per diem rates for meals ranged from $36-$61 depending on the travel location, while the incidental allowance held constant at $3. Beginning October 1, the allowance for meals will range from $41-$66, while the per diem rate for incidentals will climb to $5 across the board. Lodging allowances, however, will only increase by 0.6 percent over FY09, a stark contrast to the previous three years during which lodging costs increased by 6.8 percent on average each year.

Some non-standard areas will see a decrease in their per diem rates, and GSA encourages federal employees to check the agency’s latest figures prior to any official travel. GSA’s Web site also asks that traveling feds seek out the best lodging rates available during this economic climate instead of settling on any hotel that falls at the maximum rate.

For more information on the new per diem rates and for information on the allowance you should receive during your next official business trip, please visit: www.gsa.gov/perdiem.

************************************************************

GET INVOLVED AT THESE EVENTS!

FMA ZONE CONFERENCES SCHEDULED ACROSS THE COUNTRY!

Several Federal Managers Association (FMA) Zones will host conferences in the fall to update members on FMA business. Do not miss this opportunity to join your fellow members for these exciting events!

FMA Zone 3 will be holding its annual conference in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on September 18 and 19. The event will take place at the Crown Reef Resort and Conference Center. Reservations can be made by calling 1-877-435-9125 (give group code 4742) . The special FMA room rate starts at $89.00 per night. The registration cost of the conference is $75. Questions? Contact Zone 3 President George Smith at nothome@comcast.net.

FMA Zones 6/7/8 will hold their joint conference on September 19 at the Clearwater Resort and Casino in Suquamish, Washington on the Olympic Peninsula. For Reservations, please call 1-888-609-8700. The FMA nightly rate begins at $122.00. Questions? Contact Zone 6 President Stephanie Schmittler at 360-275-6314 or s.schmittler@hotmail.com.

FMA Zone 2 will hold its conference on September 26 at the Holiday Inn in College Park, Maryland. Reservations can be made by calling 1-877-270-6397. Room rates start at $99.00 per night. The registration cost of the conference is $25. Questions? Contact Zone 2 President Jackie Bell at jebell1949@comcast.net.

A full agenda for the three conferences can be found on FMA’s Web site. Please keep checking back with us online at www.fedmanagers.org for up-to-date information.

FMA SPONSORS GOVERNMENT TALENT MANAGEMENT SUMMIT
Conducted by the Human Capital Institute

Attend the Federal Managers Association (FMA) sponsored Government Talent Management Summit, September 21-23, 2009, in Reston, Virginia, just outside of Washington, D.C.

As a human capital leader or officer in federal government, you know that strategic talent management impacts your organization at every level. The Human Capital Institute's Government Summit brings the world's leaders in strategic talent management to you for three days of knowledge sharing and networking. Together with other progressive human capital leaders and officers, you will delve deeply into today's transformation from traditional HR to new talent management practices – and propel your organization or agency into the future.

FMA members receive a $100 registration discount . For more information, call 1-866-538-1909 or visit: www.humancapitalinstitute.org.

TELEWORK EXCHANGE TO HOST FALL TOWN HALL MEETING

The Telework Exchange continues its efforts with the Fall 2009 Telework Exchange Town Hall Meeting, September 24, 2009, at the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington, D.C. FMA is a sponsor of the event.

The Fall 2009 Town Hall Meeting will discuss best practices in telework, how to utilize existing resources to build a telework program, as well as how agencies are establishing and expanding telework programs within the federal government. Consisting of two tracks, the event program will explore telework policies, performance, management, and technology for executive management, HR, and IT departments. For the Fall Town Hall Meeting, Telework Exchange is offering free registration to government attendees and we expect even stronger attendance numbers. FMA members are encouraged to attend.

Click on this link for more information: www.teleworkexchange.com/townhallmeeting.

HCMF CONFERENCE SET FOR NOVEMBER

The Human Capital Management: Federal (HCMF) Conference has become an important annual meeting that FMA is again pleased to sponsor. HCMF takes place November 16-18, 2009, at the Marriott Key Bridge in Arlington, Virginia.

HCMF delivers exceptional value for learning about key human capital strategies and initiatives across federal agencies and for meeting peers looking for solutions to day-to-day challenges in managing and developing the workforce. It is an exciting time to be a human capital officer, with all the many opportunities to assess, change, and improve existing human resource policies and processes. Join government leaders and peers at this three-day interactive training conference and uncover innovative ways to engage current employees, find the right people to join your agency, and develop high performing individuals and teams.

For more information, please visit: www.HCMFederal.com.

************************************************************

Long Term Care Partners, LLC , FMA Corporate Partner. Long Term Care Partners is the administrator of the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program. Sponsored by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the Program is available to Federal and U.S. Postal Service employees and annuitants, active and retired members of the uniformed services, and their qualified relatives. With more than 210,000 enrollees, it is the largest employer-sponsored long term care insurance program in the country. FLTCIP policies are simple to understand and offer enrollees some distinct advantages, including comprehensive coverage, competitive and stable rates, international coverage, and administrative service standards that are the highest in the long-term care insurance industry. Policies are sold direct through a highly-trained, non-commissioned staff with no high pressure sales tactics – simply sound advice. Visit www.LTCFEDS.com or http://www.opm.gov/insure/ltc/index.asp for more information.

FSAFEDS, the Federal Flexible Spending Account Program, FMA Corporate Partner. FSAFEDS provides consumers and corporations a single source of health management decision guidance through its integrated suite of consumer-driven healthcare solutions. Its innovative consumer experience offers comprehensive care, planning, spending, productivity and strategic management services that help guide participants to be healthier and more productive. Visit www.fsafeds.com for more information.

Blue Cross Blue Shield Association Federal Employee Program, FMA Corporate Partner. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association represents the independent, locally operated Blue Cross and Blue Shield plans. The 40 local member companies of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association have provided millions of families with top-quality, affordable health insurance for more than 70 years. For the one in four Americans who carry Blue Cross and Blue Shield cards, the Blue Plans symbolize health security. Visit www.fepblue.org and join the best, most-recognized group of health insurance providers in the world.

GEICO, FMA Corporate Partner. GEICO was created over 60 years ago to insure Federal employees. Over the years GEICO has continuously strengthened its affiliation with the Federal workforce. GEICO’s Federal program supports the GEICO Public Service Awards, which have honored federal workers (active and retired) who have contributed to the public good since 1980. Find out how much you could save with GEICO auto insurance as an FMA member by getting a quick, line-by-line rate quote at http://www.geico.com/landingpage/go51.htm?logo=00781. When you request a quote, GEICO will make a contribution to support the work of FMA.

Shaw, Bransford, Veilleux and Roth, P.C. SBVR concentrates its law practice on the representation of Federal employees, with a special emphasis on the representation of executives and managers. SBVR serves as General Counsel to the Federal Managers Association and is uniquely situated to recognize the interests and viewpoints of Federal managers. For up to two free half-hour legal consultations and reduced legal fees as an FMA member, please visit: www.shawbransford.com.

FEDS (Federal Employee Defense Services) provides premier professional liability insurance benefits to the federal employee community. The FEDS liability insurance policy costs only $270 a year, and if you are a manager, supervisor, or law enforcement officer, your agency will reimburse you up to ½ of the cost. Your net cost would be $135 per year. FEDS provides federal employees with the protection they need to do their jobs. You simply can’t afford not to have it! SPECIAL OFFER: Three months free when you make the switch from another federal employee professional liability program. To learn more, visit: http://www.fedsprotection.com. Be sure to note your FMA membership when you join FEDS.

The Federal Managers Association and Management Concepts have teamed up to present the Federal Managers Practicum — a targeted certificate program for Federal managers. As the official development program for FMA, the Federal Managers Practicum helps FMA members develop critical skills to meet new workplace demands and deepen their managerial capabilities. Also, FMA members receive 20% off any book purchase and each book is guaranteed to win you a promotion! For more Practicum information, click here. For a catalog of discounted publications, go to Management Concepts. To order, call Vanessa Gillette at 703-270-4107.

***********************************************************

The Washington Report is published biweekly by the Federal Managers Association.
Jessica Klement, Editor; FMA Staff Writers.

The Federal Managers Association, established in 1913, is the oldest, largest, most influential association representing the interests of the nearly 200,000 managers, supervisors and executives serving in today’s Federal government.

1641 Prince Street ~ Alexandria VA 22314-2818 ~ (703) 683-8700 ~ FAX (703) 683-8707 ~ E-Mail Info@fedmanagers.org


Washington Report Archives


 
   
© 2006 Federal Managers Association, All Rights Reserved