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Help Protect Federal Employee Pensions NTEU members can play an active role in advancing one of the union’s 2007 legislative priorities— correcting unreasonable retiree pension offsets. NTEU-supported legislation introduced in the House and Senate would address the negative impact of the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) on federal employee pensions. The GPO unfairly penalizes recipients of pensions who are also eligible for Social Security based on a spouse’s work record. It reduces the spousal Social Security benefit by two-thirds of the amount of the government pension. Under the WEP, employees eligible for both Social Security and a pension from work not covered by Social Security—such as under the Civil Service Retirement System—are subject to a lower benefit formula when their Social Security benefits are calculated. In fact, WEP reduces benefits by as much as 50 percent. For more information, click here or visit <http://capwiz .com/nteu/issues/alert/? alertid=7320096&type=CO>.

NTEU Gets Fines Against SSA Employees Dropped
Four Social Security Administration (SSA) employees faced with fines ranging from $100,000 to $3.5 million are breathing a sigh of relief as a result of NTEU efforts.

In a sudden reversal of course, the SSA Office of Inspector General (OIG) agreed to forgo legal action against the employees, exonerating them of all charges and from the proposed fines. NTEU also secured maximum protections for these employees from future OIG interviews.

NTEU directly represented two affected bargaining unit employees and a supervisor, and served as amicus curiae for private counsel hired by a fourth employee. In its arguments, NTEU maintained that the employees targeted did nothing wrong and were simply carrying out their job duties as directed by their supervisor.

NTEU's other efforts on behalf of the employees included letters to both the OIG and then-Commissioner Jo Anne B. Barnhart, as well as work with the media and lawmakers to publicize the case.

For the complete story, click here or visit <www.nteu
.org/PressKits/PressRelease/PressRelease.aspx?ID=1017>.

House Bill Introduced Stopping Tax Debt Privatization
One week after legislation was introduced in the Senate blocking the Internal Revenue Service's (IRS) controversial tax debt privatization program, House lawmakers followed up with their own version of the bill.

Reps. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Steve Rothman (D-N.J.) on Wednesday introduced a measure that would revoke the congressional authority given to the IRS to hire private sector debt collectors.

The Senate bill, introduced Jan. 18 by Sens. Byron Dorgan (D-N.D.) and Patty Murray (D-Wash.), instructs the IRS to immediately suspend use of private debt collectors and prohibits any future funding for the program.

NTEU has been a staunch opponent of the program, arguing that in-house IRS employees can do the work for less money while safeguarding taxpayer privacy.

For more on NTEU's battle against private tax debt collection, visit www.nteuIRSwatch.org.

NTEU Files Suit Against Federal Intern Program
NTEU is challenging a federal program that undermines competitive hiring procedures and reduces the chances for promotions for current government employees.

The Federal Career Intern Program (FCIP), used widely throughout the government, allows agencies to hire interns for almost any entry-level position without posting job vacancies internally or on the Office of Personnel Management's (OPM) public web site.

In a lawsuit filed Wednesday, NTEU argues that the FCIP is illegal and should be dropped because it violates federal law which requires fair and open competition for government jobs.

FCIP started out as a temporary recruiting tool in 2000, but four years later OPM authorized agencies to use the hiring method on a permanent basis. In fiscal 2001, agencies hired about 400 employees through the FCIP. By fiscal 2005, that number grew to more than 11,000. During that same period, the number of employees hired through competitive processes declined. Many of these positions were at NTEU-represented agencies including the IRS, CBP and FDIC.

For the complete story, click here or visit <www.nteu.org/PressKits/PressRelease/ PressRelease.aspx?ID=1018>.

NTEU Offers Safety Tips For TSP Participants
NTEU is offering tips for participants of the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) after hackers recently stole $35,000 from the accounts of about two dozen federal employees.

According to TSP, the thefts occurred in December when the computers of the participants were infected with keylogging software, which allows criminals to record the key strokes of computer users without their knowledge. TSP maintains that its system has not been breached and that all cases identified involve users accessing their accounts online.

While anyone can become a victim of keylogging, there are precautions computer users can take to ensure their personal information is not stolen:

• Protect your computer with updated security software that includes firewalls, anti-virus and spyware detection.

• Install keylogger protection.

• Promptly close your browser after each visit to your online TSP account.

Participants who cannot beef up the security of their home computers should consider accessing their accounts by mail or phone.

For more on securing your TSP account information, click here or visit <www.tsp.gov/faq/faq3a.html>.

Kelley Questions OPM Failure to Use Medicare Drug Subsidy
NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley expressed concern over the government's decision not to apply for a Medicare drug subsidy in the federal employee health plan that would have lowered 2006 premiums by an average 2.6 percent. The savings projections, published in a study by the Government Accountability Office, also indicated that the high number of retirees in the plan would have seen a slowdown in their premium growth of about 3.5 or 4 percent.

As the largest employer-sponsored health insurance program in the country, and one that offers prescription drug coverage, the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP) would have been entitled to the new subsidy.

"The Office of Personnel Management should take advantage of every opportunity to keep health costs down for employees and retirees," said Kelley in a letter to OPM Director Linda M. Springer. However, Kelley continued, "OPM simply turned its back on this option and FEHBP enrollees are paying the price."

NTEU is working with lawmakers to ensure that the matter is looked into and that FEHBP costs are kept down.

Recognize the Nation's Unsung Heroes with a 'Sammie'
President Kelley is urging NTEU members to nominate their exceptional colleagues for a Service to America Medal.

Each year, federal employees from diverse backgrounds and agencies are honored by the Partnership for Public Service. Nominations for the 2007 Service to America Medals, known as the Sammies, are being accepted through March 1. Nominees must have a strong commitment to public service and demonstrated significant accomplishments.

Award recipients in nine categories will be chosen by a distinctive panel of national leaders, which includes President Kelley. Awards will be handed out in September at a gala dinner in Washington, D.C. For details and a nomination form, visit www.servicetoamericamedals.org.


NTEU Spotlight—Listen to This Week’s Report

This week on the NTEU Spotlight, President Kelley discusses two major battles NTEU is waging on behalf of federal employees. On one front, NTEU is challenging a popular federal program that harms current and prospective government employees by allowing agencies to circumvent merit principles in hiring. On a second front, NTEU's battle against outsourcing tax debt collection continues to gain congressional support. House members last week unveiled a bill that would stop the IRS program in its tracks; similar legislation was introduced earlier this month in the Senate.

In the Washington, D.C., area you can hear President Kelley’s NTEU Spotlight on Federal News Radio (1050 AM). For those outside the D.C. area, you can listen online at www.federalnewsradio.com.

To preview this week’s report, click here.


Headlines

With ‘07 Spending Bills Still Undecided,
Bush Looks Ahead To Deficit Reduction in ‘08
Federal Times, January 24, 2007
In his State of the Union address, President Bush called for affordable health care, energy independence and congressional support for efforts in Iraq.

But there was little in the speech for federal managers, many of whom are operating under slashed budgets and have yet to know their funding for the remainder of the fiscal year.
Shortly before the president’s address, Colleen Kelley, president of the National Treasury Employees Union, called on Bush to consider the state of the nation’s federal work force.

“Clearly the state of the union would improve significantly if federal employees received the respect they earn every day by their performance, and if their agencies were appropriately funded so they could accomplish their missions of service to the public,” Kelley said in a statement.

To read the complete story, click here or visit <http://federaltimes.com/index.
php?S=2503844>.


New on NTEU.org

Read Coverage of NTEU's Battle Against Privatizing Tax Collection
Last year, NTEU's opposition to the IRS tax debt privatization program grabbed headlines in hundreds of national and local newspapers, not to mention television and radio programs. If January is any indication of the months ahead, NTEU is poised to exceed last year's media coverage generated for its fight against IRS outsourcing. Most recently, NTEU made the news when lawmakers in the House and Senate advanced legislation that would ban the IRS from using private collectors. NTEU played a key role in getting the bills introduced and even hosted a telephone press conference with Reps. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) and Steve Rothman (D-N.J.), leading co-sponsors of the House measure.

To read some of the media coverage, visit www.nteuirswatch.org.