By John Solomon
How the government's punishing of the exposure of official wrongdoing can linger for years
Dear Sgt. Shaft: I'm trying to get the straight scoop on military Reserve time and whether or not it can be applied toward federal civil service retirement — (CSRS or FERS) Civil Service Retirement Service or Federal Employees Retirement System.
As hundreds of federal employees face unpaid leave, a prominent Republican senator is demanding the government's human resources office consider taking action against employees who aren't doing their work on the government's dime.
As politicians of both parties ride through the country Paul Revere-like in their warning about the dire consequences of the looming automatic spending cuts coming with sequestration, a lot of Americans are worried that essential government services will see a dangerous reduction in their operating resources. Yet there is a way to cut substantial amounts of federal spending that will have zero effect on public services. Simply get rid of federal employees who do no work for the federal government.
Dear Sgt. Shaft: I understand that the Pentagon has decided to issue a new Distinguished Warfare Medal which will outrank the Bronze Star and Purple Heart. Is this true?
Dear Sgt Shaft: I am way out of touch with possible benefits after being honorably discharged in 1977; I actually enlisted in 1971 after serving in Camp Lejeune and also on the MSG program, serving at the American Embassy in London for some three years inclusive. I currently live in the United Kingdom, where I married here and brought up our two daughters. Please give me some help and guide me on any benefits that I can claim, retirement or some other financial benefit.
Working for the government may sound like a sweet gig — regular hours, generous benefits, job security — but it turns out that it's not how things look from inside the bureaucratic bubble.
On Nov. 12, I wrote about federal holidays that fall on a weekend but are observed on a workday for friendsofronsmith.com, my tribute website honoring my late husband, Ron Smith, WBAL Talk Show Host, Emmy Award winner and Baltimore Sun columnist.
Officials on Sunday implored residents of the Washington area to use common sense and respect nature's will as Hurricane Sandy steered toward its clash with wintry weather from the north.
The Office of Personnel Management was quick to apologize when officials wrongly told hundreds of applicants to its prestigious Presidential Management Fellows program that they'd been accepted as finalists back in February.
A three-judge federal appellate court heard arguments Wednesday on whether a 1996 federal law that defines marriage as the union of one man and one woman - thus denies marital benefits to gay couples married under state law - is constitutional.
The House of Representatives has failed to defend its federal marriage law, and it should be thrown out, attorneys for six gay couples and a gay widower said in recent court papers.
There has been a lot of doom and gloom spouted concerning the state of the U.S. Postal Service ("USPS, R.I.P.," Commentary, Thursday). Most of it has been dismal warnings and speculations of the agency's incipient demise due to failing revenues of first-class mailings and the Internet culture.
The White House may pull the Postal Service back from the brink of insolvency, at least for a few months.
President Obama has signed an executive order directing the federal government to design a new strategy for hiring, promoting and keeping workers of diverse backgrounds.
Stewart E. Chase, a background investigator for the federal government, pleaded guilty Thursday in federal court to charges that he falsified reports of prospective federal employees and contractors.
