Senate measure would tie official time with retirement benefits -- FederalSoup.com

Senate measure would tie official time with retirement benefits

By FederalSoup Staff
Sep 12, 2017

The Senate is considering two measures that aim to address “official time,” and put restrictions on some federal employee’s retirement benefits, Government Executive reports.

One measure, introduced by Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), would prevent employees from counting years where they worked at least 80 percent on union representational duties toward their retirement pensions, as well as prohibit those employees from receiving bonuses, and would change the term, “official time” to “federal taxpayer-funded union time,” according to the report.

Another measure would require the Office of Personnel Management to issue regular reports on official time usage as OPM is not required to issue such reports; the last report was released in 2014, the article notes.

Reader comments

Fri, Sep 29, 2017 Peter H Jacksonville

Enact legislation that states the if a member of Congress is not physically present for voting/debate at least 80% of each year, then that year is not counted towards their retirement. Tie their retirement to the same plan as the US Military (each year you accrue 2.5 percent). Place term limits at a TOTAL of 16 years for Congress - if you don't make the Oval office you don't get 20 years. Minimum time of 10 years of accredited service must be completed to be eligible for any retirement package. Place salary caps of $200K. Require an IRS audit each year to account for all income and for any violations of "soft money" charge 3X for penalties. Any Pay raises are tied directly to the rate of the military. Travel "perks" and similar bennies are to be considered income against the $200K cap. Healthcare is tied to the their choice of any standard level commercial plan but any premium plan enhancements that are selected are considered part of the $200K cap. Any member of Congress who within their current term has not actively collaborated with at least one member of the opposing party is deemed ineligible to run for future terms. In the event of any shutdowns of the Government, no member of Congress will receive any salary, funds or bennies during the period of the shutdown and for a period of 90 days after the shutdown has been resolved.

Mon, Sep 25, 2017

Time to reduce the salaries, benefits and implement term limits for congress and senate and limit the salaries of the staff working for such greedy, ineffectual self-serving hapless individuals. Also look at SES and other management positions, eliminate the ones that have not produced anything of importance to our nation and then with the smaller number of remaining management make sure they work well with talented employees, are well informed about age and gender discrimination and hold them accountable. Unfortunately this system promotes minions and self serving greedy ineffective, biased individuals who's sole mission and intent it to put a knife in the back of productive folk.

Fri, Sep 22, 2017

Rif 50% of congress and senate. The remaining make them work a 40 hr work week, those that do not do so get their pay checks cut in half. Then the remaining 50% should have their salaries and benefits cut, and see how much we would save as tax payers.

Thu, Sep 21, 2017

The senate, and the political minions hardly put in any official time in to get anything accomplished. They should turn their attention to what is needed to be done, rather than individuals who are union representatives protecting the rights and working conditions of rank and file workers.

Mon, Sep 18, 2017

Oh excellent, will congress and senate and their staff take into consideration that time for them should be adjusted also when they are being wined and dined by special interest groups, on sponsor paid junkets and fact finding missions or when they do not show up to vote along with their three month recesses.

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