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The NTEU Bulletin outlines key reminders, such as you must be off-duty and not wearing any uniform or identifying accessories. Read more on what to know before protesting here. You can always get more information from your NTEU representative. Federal law and your NTEU contract guarantee your right to meet with your union steward for help with these issues ...

But federal employees must still avoid engaging in political activity while on duty—regardless of whether they are at home or in the office. That was the message from the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) in new guidance for teleworking employees. Read more about the OSC had to say, including Hatch Act considerations for video calls, here. You can always get ...

Can I Express Partisan Political Opinions on Social Media? It depends. In 2018, the U.S. Office of Special Counsel updated  Hatch Act social media guidelines outlining when it’s acceptable, or not, to engage in social media. In general, all federal employees may use social media and comply with the Hatch Act if they remember these three rules outlined in ...

In the 2021 plan year, the number of dental carriers will increase from 10 to 12. The number of vision carriers will increase from 4 to 5. Although enrollees have to pay the full cost of the premiums for dental and vision insurance, they benefit from group rates that OPM negotiates. In a 2019 survey of federal benefits, FEDVIP enrollees indicated solid levels ...

Washington D.C. – The federal government would protect more of its workforce from COVID-19 and better serve taxpayers under bipartisan legislation introduced today and endorsed by the National Treasury Employees Union.   The Pandemic Federal Telework Act of 2020, from Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Sen. James Lankford (R-OK), and Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ), ...

The non-partisan policy institute highlighted new data released by the IRS, as well as reports from the Congressional Budget Office and U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. “[They] provide even more evidence that the IRS needs to be substantially rebuilt, with its priorities directed toward policing tax cheating by wealthy individuals and ...

Since the pandemic began, TAS has been working with taxpayers on issues and concerns not related to Economic Impact Payments (EIPs). Due to limited IRS operations, TAS employees could not address concerns with EIP issues, but that is about to change. Now that the IRS has a process for resolving EIP cases, TAS will begin accepting cases for taxpayers who fall ...

Beginning in January 2021, all TSP participants eligible for installment payments may elect to receive payments based on life expectancy whether or not they previously started and then stopped installment payments. This means that if you are currently receiving life-expectancy payments, you may now stop them, knowing that you will be able to restart them next ...

Sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Wexton (D-VA) and added to the defense policy bill, federal employees serving during the pandemic would be permitted to ‘roll over’ unused annual leave at the end of the year. Currently, most federal employees are only allowed to roll over 240 hours of paid annual leave per year. NTEU strongly supports this, urging Congress to ...

Washington D.C. – Frontline federal employees would have a stronger voice in protecting their own health and safety in the workplace under legislation introduced by Sen. Brian Schatz (D-HI) and endorsed by the National Treasury Employees Union.  The Federal Labor-Management COVID Partnership Act would create formal task forces across government to review ...

The Senate proposal includes provisions that impact NTEU-represented agencies including $1.6 billion in supplemental funding for CBP to make up for the loss of user fees due to reduced trade and travel during the pandemic. It also includes $2 billion in supplemental funding for the IRS for business systems modernization through fiscal year 2025 and $320 ...

Washington D.C. – The Department of Homeland Security cannot justify spending $21.3 million to send extra federal officers to the Texas border, according to the House Appropriations Committee, a conclusion backed by the National Treasury Employees Union. DHS wants 810 Customs and Border Protection Officers to deploy to the Rio Grande Valley and Laredo to ...

Phishing The IRS will never initiate contact with taxpayers over email about a tax bill, refund or Economic Impact Payment. Be wary of any emails that have links claiming to be from the agency, as they could be scams to steal personal information. Fake Charities Criminals will use natural disasters and the pandemic to their advantage. Scammers may use ...

Washington D.C. – The National Treasury Employees Union has endorsed Joe Biden for President of the United States.   The union, which represents about 150,000 frontline federal workers around the country, said Biden’s record as a public servant demonstrates a deep understanding of the civil service and a strong commitment to supporting and respecting federal ...

John Lewis was a national treasure and an exceptional ally to federal employees. It was my deep honor to have known him and to work alongside him on behalf of NTEU and our members. Rep. Lewis addressed NTEU members just last year at our annual Legislative Conference where he reminded us of the unique role that federal employees play in the life of our country. ...

Washington D.C. – Customs and Border Protection should reverse plans to temporarily deploy 810 Officers from ports around the country to the Texas border, according to two key members of Congress who agree with NTEU’s concerns about their health and safety.   NTEU, which represents 27,000 CBP personnel at the ports of entry, last week said the worsening ...

Washington D.C. – NTEU-endorsed legislation to increase funding for multiple agencies and provide workplace fairness for all federal employees was passed by the House Appropriations Committee today. “We commend House appropriators for recognizing that federal agencies need additional investments next year to carry out their increasingly complex missions during ...

In response, the Office of Special Counsel (OSC) issued guidance on whether BLM terminology is inherently political and whether the Black Lives Matter Global Network (BLMGN)—the owner of blacklivesmatter.com—is a partisan political group. The answer to both questions is “no.” In short, BLM is not a partisan political group, and employees are not prohibited ...

Washington D.C. – One way the U.S. government can begin to claw back some of the massive deficit spending it has incurred because of the coronavirus pandemic would be to augment the tax examination and collection operations of the IRS. Wednesday is Tax Day 2020, delayed from its usual spot on the calendar of April 15, and a new government report shows that ...

Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Benjamin Cardin of Maryland and Sens. Mark Warner and Tim Kaine from Virginia sent a letter to the administration opposing plans to require many federal employees in the national capital region—and nationwide— to return to their worksites. “The current guidance is encouraging agencies to end maximum telework prematurely,” the ...

Washington D.C. – The administration’s plan to send teleworking federal employees back to their offices while coronavirus infections are on the rise is a threat to their health and safety, according to all four U.S. Senators from Virginia and Maryland. In a Thursday letter, Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Benjamin Cardin of Maryland and Sens. Mark Warner and Tim ...

Washington D.C. – The worsening coronavirus crisis along the Texas border threatens the safety of federal employees who work there and the administration should reverse plans to deploy even more Customs and Border Protection Officers to the region, according to the National Treasury Employees Union. CBP has informed NTEU that it wants to uproot more than 800 ...

The 2019 Federal Employee Benefits Survey found that about 70 percent of respondents said the ability to receive insurance through the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program influenced their decision to a “great or moderate” extent to take a job in government. Around 80 percent said the program influenced their decision to keep their jobs. Nearly 70 ...

During the limited period, which began July 1, enrollees in a 2020 Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA), Limited Expense Health Care Flexible Spending Account (LEX HCFSA), or Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA) can make a one-time change (increase or decrease) in the amount of their annual election in each of their FSA accounts. ...

Chairman Connolly, Ranking Member Hice, and distinguished members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to submit this statement for today’s hearing. As National President of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), I have the honor of leading a union that represents 150,000 dedicated federal employees across 33 agencies. From the ...

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announced it is soon issuing regulations allowing for ‘restoration of leave’ canceled because an employee had to perform work related to the pandemic. However, these new regulations do not allow for the carry-over of excess leave due to canceled travel plans . NTEU is working on Capitol Hill to get legislation passed ...

Chairman Lankford and Ranking Member Sinema, thank you for the opportunity to submit this statement to comment on the recommendations of the National Commission on Military, National, and Public Service and discuss how the government can build the most effective workforce, attract skilled and talented individuals, and engage federal employees throughout their ...

The loan policy changes are available only if a participant, spouse or dependent has been diagnosed with coronavirus or “is experiencing adverse financial consequences” as a result of quarantine, furlough, reduction in work hours or being unable to work due to lack of child care due to the virus. The maximum loan amount on a general purpose loan is increased ...

This horrific event sparked demonstrations and raised voices across our land that speak to centuries of racial and economic injustice, to violent actions that result in senseless deaths like those we've seen in Minneapolis, Baltimore, Dallas and far too many other communities. It is heartbreaking and infuriating that so many of us, our loved ones, friends, ...

Washington D.C. – Customs and Border Protection employees at the ports of entry are in dire need of on-site COVID-19 testing, reliable contact tracing and emergency funding to make up for the dramatic drop in user fees, according to testimony today from NTEU National President Tony Reardon. “Throughout the pandemic, most international air, sea, and land ...

Chairwoman Torres Small, Ranking Member Crenshaw, and distinguished members of the Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to testify before you today.  As National President of the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU), I have the honor of leading a union that represents over 27,000 Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Office of Field Operations (OFO) ...

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Criminals are continuing to use the COVID-19 Economic Impact Payments as a cover for schemes to steal personal information and money. Other scams the IRS has seen include organized selling of fake at-home test kits, vaccines and advice on unproven treatments. And online, there are fake charities soliciting donations for individuals, along with fraudulent ...

If you are a public-facing federal employee or you have returned to a workplace with other employees, you may request a free cloth mask from FEEA to help keep you safe at work. Sign-up here to request your FEEA mask. The NTEU-FEEA Disaster Fund is also available to provide financial assistance to federal employees who have been directly impacted by the ...

As of June 1, CBP had seized more than: 107,300 FDA-prohibited COVID-19 test kits; 750,000 counterfeit face masks; 2,500 EPA-prohibited anti-virus lanyards; and 11,000 FDA-prohibited chloroquine tablets. According to CBP, criminals are smuggling and selling on the internet counterfeit safety equipment, unapproved COVID-19 test kits, unproven medicines and ...

Washington D.C. – The IRS has informed the National Treasury Employees Union that it is planning to recall employees into work sites in multiple states over the next four weeks. After IRS employees in Utah, Texas and Kentucky started reporting back to their buildings this week, the next wave is scheduled to report June 15 in Michigan, Georgia, Missouri and ...

This year’s campaign, which launched Monday, features a new website with virtual tools that allow federal employees to safely contribute to hunger relief during the pandemic. Food banks face their greatest need during the summertime when donations decline and schools offering free or reduced-cost meals close. Federal employees can choose from nine different ...

Last fiscal year, the government spent nearly 40 percent of its discretionary spending on contracts for goods and services, an increase of $20 billion from the previous fiscal year. The GAO snapshot reveals this increase is largely driven by spending on services for national defense, with the Department of Defense spending a total of $381.2 billion. The ...