Author Archive
FEND
D.C.—Still a world apart
Columnist Mike Causey paints the town—and a few taxi cabs—and then travels on to explore some of the not always well-liked weirdnesses of the nation's capital and home to most fed agency headquarters.
FEND
Life outside the Beltway
Federal beat columnist Mike Causey reminds the majority of feds who live far from Washington to come visit and actually see the sights sometime—and recalls the joys of his own escapes far from the national capital area.
FEND
Correction: Bias made me do it ...
Longtime journalist and columnist Mike Causey reflects on an enduring problem in media—worsening these days—of news reports marred by more than a touch of bias. Still he reminds us, lest we forget, much of our press is good, fair and helpful.
FEND
A place like Heaven
Just as OPM releases its annual survey results of federal employee opinions about their employing agencies, our columnist and raconteur of workplace lore Mike Causey remembers ruefully some office antics when he had to fill in the same kind of blanks.
FEND
The 'right time' to invest ...
Columnist Mike Causey speculates on how the late great comedian Groucho Marx would invest for the 21st century—but quickly gets serious, sharing with us the fund picks of today's, and tomorrow's, TSP millionaires.
FEND
Retirement funds: Beware the fees!
Federal beat columnist Mike Causey explores some of the hidden costs of the latest, and at times over-hyped, TSP offerings—and remembers a favorite uncle's advice along the way.
FEND
Pay equity: You can't get there on a free lunch
This week, columnist Mike Causey spotlights the need for real pay equity—finally—for women in the workplace. The Biden administration is pushing for it, but will we ever get past the bad old days of unequal salaries except for an occasional extra perk?
FEND
Youth has no age ...
Columnist and fed workplace expert Mike Causey notes changes for the better in attitudes on how to treat your fellow employees, in all circumstances. Well, almost all of them.
FEND
Meet the new boss …
Columnist and veteran fed beat reporter Mike Causey remembers the fate of his worst Washington boss—and offers a warning for any not-so-nice government bosses out there.
FEND
The (fed) beat goes on
What happened to columnist and federal workplace beat reporter Mike Causey, on one of those once-in-a-lifetime chances to really kick back and take a walk down memory lane.
FEND
For many feds, increasingly moot commutes
Mike Causey shares a brief history of federal telework, with a side trip down one D.C. telecommuter's too-good-to-be-true career path.
FEND
And now for something completely different ...
Columnist Mike Causey begins his most recent piece by wondering if most feds headed toward retirement are (still) talking about their pay and benefits packages, or is it something completely different—say, something about masks and jabs?
FEND
Shopping for the perfect career ...
Government reporter and columnist Mike Causey asks: What is the "perfect career," anyway? And what would the Board of Directors at the ideal employer be like, and how long might each member serve?
FEND
DeTrumping the government
Veteran federal government reporter and columnist Mike Causey considers some possible consequences of the COVID era, and the transformation of somewhere between 43%—sampled before the pandemic—and most federal employees now into long-term remote workers.
FEND
Last promotion?
Columnist and veteran Washington-based federal government reporter Mike Causey considers some possible consequences of the COVID era, and the transformation of somewhere between 43%—sampled before the pandemic—and most federal employees now into long-term remote workers.
FEND
Ready, Aim, Eschew !!!
Some prominent politicians and leaders ... eschew. Mike Causey considers whether another verb better applies.
FEND
Signs of the times
After months and months of masks and uncertainty, things are improving but certain new trends are showing staying power. Mike Causey hopes that feds are too.
FEND
My neighbor, the hard-working fed
Most feds just don't work hard, a long-ago World War II veteran boss of mine once told me. Oh, except for the fed next door, HIS fed.
FEND
Are feds truly "fire-proof"?
Although I can't prove it, I suspect the number one complaint of taxpayers about the civil service is that they believe they are fireproof, all too safe in their jobs.
FEND