6/26/09: Two weeks ago NTEU reported on the disappointing developments in the Senate when it dropped the federal employees/retirees’ provisions from the tobacco regulation bill. NTEU pledged to look for other avenues to advance these provisions. Since then, NTEU has fought to bring the measure up again and to help develop a strategy that gives it a better chance in the Senate.

This week the package was passed by the House again as part of H.R. 2990, a bill pertaining to veterans and military benefits. H.R. 2990 passed 404-0. Subsequently NTEU backed a key procedural effort to attach H.R. 2990, to the larger Department of Defense (DOD) authorization bill, H.R. 2647. The procedural vote passed 222-202 and when the underlying DOD authorization passes the House, the federal employees/retirees’ package will be a part of it. The House may finish the larger bill today, and it is expected to have a better chance in the Senate.

While this can be legislatively complex, the bottom line is that the previous NTEU-backed provisions for federal employees and retirees are still included. These include allowing unused FERS sick leave to be counted toward the retirement calculation as is done for CSRS employees; fixing the CSRS part-time anomaly so those who choose to go part-time at the end of their careers will have their pensions calculated correctly; allowing the FERS redeposit changes; and allowing those federal employees in Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories to participate in locality pay like other federal employees do.

"These improvements will positively impact federal employees and retirees across the spectrum, from new hires to those nearing the end of their careers," said NTEU National President Colleen Kelley. "This package will help ensure that federal workers are treated fairly and receive similar treatment regardless of their retirement system."

While there are many steps before this package is enacted, NTEU believes we are in a better position now. Congress usually finalizes the DOD authorization bill by the end of the year, and I am hopeful that it will do so again this year.