FederalDaily - September 7, 2005
Toll-Free Number for Feds in Hurricane Region
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the Office of Personnel Management
(OPM) announced it has established a toll-free assistance hotline
number
(1-800-307-8298) for current and retired federal employees and
annuitants who have been impacted by the hurricane in the Gulf
Coast area. The toll-free number, which went live on Sept. 6,
will be open during the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 9:00 p.m., Monday
through Friday Central Time. Also, federal employees with access
to the Internet can receive updated information on benefits,
flexibilities and payroll at www.opm.gov/katrina/.
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Investigation of Federal Response to Hurricane
Sens. Susan Collins, R-Maine, and Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., chair and ranking
member of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs,
announced that they will conduct an oversight investigation of the preparation
for and response to Hurricane Katrina. The senators said the initial focus
of the investigation will be to ensure that the federal government is doing
all it can. Later, after the situation is under “adequate control,” they
said they would hold hearings on the problems with preparedness and response
to the hurricane. “It is…our responsibility to investigate the
lack of preparedness and inadequate response to this terrible storm. While
it is too early to reach conclusions on the response of government to this
catastrophe, it is increasingly clear that serious shortcomings in preparedness
and response have hampered relief efforts at a critical time,” the senators
said in a statement.
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Union Calls for Delay in DHS Pay Changes
The National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) on Sept. 2 called for a delay
in the implementation of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS)
new performance management and pay system. After attending DHS workshops on
the performance appraisal system last week, NTEU called on DHS to push back
the planned ‘Phase 1 conversion’ of employees to pay banding. The
new performance management system was slated to be in effect no later than
Oct. 1, 2006 . The pay system is planned to be implemented in phases, starting
in January 2006. NTEU President Colleen Kelley called on DHS to bargain with
NTEU on the entire DHS personnel system, including pay and performance management.
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2006 Per Diem Rates Announced
The General Services Administration (GSA) announced changes to the 2006 per diem
rates in the Sept. 1 issue of the Federal Register. GSA said its annual review
resulted in lodging and meal allowances changes for locations within the continental
United States (CONUS) to provide for the reimbursement of federal employees'
expenses covered by per diem. The standard CONUS lodging amount of $60 is unchanged.
GSA based the lodging per diem rates on the average daily rate that the lodging
industry reports. In addition to the annual lodging study, GSA conducted a meals
study which resulted in new meal allowances for 2006. The new rates apply for
travel performed on or after Oct. 1, 2005 , through Sept. 30, 2006 . For the
rates of specific locations, go to the GSA Web site at www.gsa.gov.
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TSP Monthly Returns for G, F, C, S and I Funds
Rates of Return were updated on September 1, 2005.
| |
G
Fund |
F
Fund |
C
Fund |
S
Fund |
I
Fund |
| August 2005 |
0.37% |
1.23% |
(0.90%) |
(1.01%) |
3.23% |
Last 12 months*
(9/01/2004 to 8/31/2005) |
4.37% |
4.18% |
12.57% |
25.86% |
23.77% |
Percentages in ( ) are negative.
* The returns for the G, F, C, S and I funs for the past 12 months,
assuming that, with the exception for the crediting of earnings,
unchanging balances (time-weighting) from month to month and assuming
that earnings are compounded on a monthly basis.
The monthly G, F, C, S, and I Fund returns represent the
actual total rates of return used in the monthly allocation of earnings to
participant accounts. The returns are shown after deduction of accrued TSP
administrative expenses. The F, C, S, and I Fund returns also reflect the deduction
of trading costs and accrued investment management fees. The most current G,
F, C, S, and I Fund rates of return are shown above. Returns are updated after
the monthly allocation of earnings, usually by the fourth business day of the
month.
For more information on TSP, click
here.
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