Federal Daily - April 9, 2008

Survey Again Ranks USPS as 'Most Trusted'

The U.S. Postal Service (USPS) was ranked as the agency most likely to protect individual privacy by those surveyed in a new poll that looked at 74 federal agencies. It is the fourth consecutive year USPS has won the top spot in the annual Privacy Trust Study of the United States Government, conducted by the Ponemon Institute. About 86 percent of the 9,000 Americans surveyed said USPS was the best able to keep their information safe and secure, USPS said in an April 4 press release. Rounding out the top five most trusted, in order, were the Federal Trade Commission, the Bureau of Consumer Protection, the Census Bureau and the National Institutes of Health. Survey questions probed factors that create trust in an agency, including information provided on Web sites and stated limits on the amount of information collected. “The government requires citizens to provide detailed personal information in order to deliver many services. But this does not absolve public agencies of the responsibility to protect that information,” said Larry Ponemon, chairman of the institute. To see more, go to: www.ponemon.org.

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AFGE Certified as National Rep for Coast Guard

The Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) has certified the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) as the exclusive national representative for approximately 2,500 U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) employees. FLRA issued the certification last month after professional employees at the USCG voted for inclusion in a nationwide consolidated unit with non-professionals, AFGE said in an April 2 statement. With the certification, AFGE said it will move to increase the number of employees in the consolidated unit, which includes about 250 professional positions and 2,250 non-professional positions. “Coast Guard civilian employees will get a strengthened voice at an agency that has leaned too far toward contracting out important work done by civilians, including oversight of contractors,” AFGE National President John Gage said. Gage also noted that beginning on Oct. 1, unrepresented Coast Guard employees will be evaluated by the Department of Homeland Security e-performance system, while those in the AFGE national unit will not. To see more, go to: www.afge.org/Index.cfm?Page=PressReleases&PressReleaseID=836.  

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VA Announces SGLI and VGLI Premium Cuts

Veterans and servicemembers with life insurance policies managed by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) will get a small break beginning this summer on their premium payments, VA announced on April 7. The premium cuts will impact active military personnel covered by Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance (SGLI) and veterans covered by the Veterans’ Group Life Insurance (VGLI), VA said. The reductions are the result of improved investment earnings, as well as fewer non-combat claims. Beginning July 1, the premiums for basic SGLI will go down 7 percent, to 6.5 cents per month per $1,000 of coverage, down from 7 cents. Servicemembers’ maximum coverage is $400,000. Also on July 1, VGLI premium rates will go down anywhere from 4 percent to 12 percent for veterans aged 30 to 64. More than 2.4 million people currently participate in the VA-managed SGLI program, with another 433,000 in VGLI. To see more, go to: http://www1.va.gov/opa/pressrel/pressrelease.cfm?id=1486.   

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