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• Groups question TSP interfund transfer restrictions
  Employee council probes alternatives to limiting participants' number of trades per month.
• Catch-all funding bill includes pay parity, personnel provisions
  Move follows authorization of equal increase for military service members.
• House passes omnibus spending bill with 3.5 percent raise
  Democrats back down on many spending priorities; Bush indicates he'll sign measure.
• TSP officials hear from participants on interfund restrictions
  Some react negatively to a proposal to set a monthly limit on transfers, but officials are intent on moving forward.
• Lawmakers urge Pentagon to weigh alternatives to furloughs
  Military budgeting options could delay the need for layoffs until at least late March, a new report states.
• Panel OKs pay hike for federal judges
  Bill will now move to the full House for consideration.
• Intelligence agencies to launch common performance appraisal system
  Employees across 16 agencies will be rated on a standard set of criteria starting with the fiscal 2009 appraisal cycle.
• Conferees move to scale back Pentagon personnel changes
  Final legislation would restore collective bargaining and appeal rights under the National Security Personnel System.
• Thrift Savings Plan Figures Monthly Returns
  Thrift Savings Plan Figures Monthly Returns
• Thrift Savings Plan Figures Monthly Returns for the L Funds
  Thrift Savings Plan Figures Monthly Returns for the L Funds
• Bush gives feds extra Christmas holiday
  President order agencies to close Dec. 24, giving most employees a four-day weekend.
• TSP equity funds post losses for November
  Every stock-based funds in the 401(k)-style retirement savings plan lost money last month.
• Davis urges IRS to clarify tax benefit for retired safety officers
  Lawmaker says agency needs to define exactly who qualifies for benefits under a 2006 law.
• President issues plan to limit pay raise to 3 percent next year
  Alternative salary increase plan issued to prevent larger increases from automatically taking effect.
• OPM authorizes retention bonuses for agencies facing restructuring
  Agencies with offices subject to closure or relocation can offer payments to employees likely to move to other federal jobs.
• TSP to restrict interfund transfers
  Thrift Savings Plan board votes to allow only two transfers between investment funds per month starting next spring.
• Generational stereotyping seen as barrier to recruiting
  Experts say younger workers, like older employees, prefer to be treated as individuals, rather than as representatives of a generation with shared characteristics.
• High court extends deadline for appeal of Defense personnel system
  A federal labor union now has until Jan. 7 to determine whether to appeal ruling that implementation of National Security Personnel System can go forward.
• Federal agencies called unprepared for future wave of retirements
  More than 60 percent of managers said their agencies don't have knowledge management policies, a new survey shows.
• SEC, union sign new collective bargaining agreement
  Contract establishes telework policy and flexible work schedules, but pay-for-performance issues remain unresolved.
• Employees urged to weigh a switch in health plans
  Analyst says that with changing premiums and options, participants risk leaving money on the table if they stand pat.
• High-ranking Park Service official pleads guilty to travel fraud
  Special agent admits to using a government credit card for nine personal trips.
• Senators urged to overturn Social Security provisions affecting federal retirees
  But as always, the stumbling block is the price tag of repealing the Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision.
• TSP funds boast strong gains in October
  International stocks are the top performers, with 4.49 percent in gains last month and 25.70 percent over the past year.
• Likely 2009 raise figure comes in at 3.4 percent
  Change in Employment Cost Index has become the de facto baseline for recommended average federal salary increase.
• Pentagon to add 75,000 employees to new personnel system
  Latest installment will bring the total number of civilians working under the performance-based pay system to 184,000.
• Union, law firm partner to pursue reservists' benefit claims
  The labor group and New York firm will co-represent 10,000 union members who claim they were improperly charged leave for reserve duties.
• Panelists suggest reducing reliance on political appointees
  Replacing appointees with career employees would improve continuity and help address leadership and workforce challenges, officials say.
• Federal Benefits Open Season Guide
  Federal Benefits Open Season Guide
• 2008 Federal Leave Chart
  2008 Federal Leave Chart