Every year, the Federal Personnel Guide provides the timely and accurate information on the most important areas affecting federal employment — in easy-to-understand terms. The Guide includes coverage of:
Advancement and promotion, job protection Disability and Injury Compensation
Staffing, Placement, Promotion
Hiring from the outside
Merit promotion
Other staffing matters
Recruitment and retention incentives
Transfers
Training and Development
Training policy and programs
Incentive Awards
Honorary recognition
How cash awards are calculated
How to earn awards
Other forms of recognition
Performance recognition
Restrictions on awards for political officials
Special uses of awards
Suggestion awards
Federal Labor-Management Relations
Administrative and other provisions
Federal Labor Relations Authority (FLRA) and where to file
Labor relations grievances
Negotiation impasses
Federal Mediation & Conciliation Service (FMCS)
Federal Services Impasses Panel (FSIP)
Collaboration and Alternative Dispute Resolution (CADR)
Rights and duties: agencies and labor organizations
Unfair labor practices
Equal Employment Opportunity
Accommodation policy
Additional information concerning filing of complaints
Age discrimination in employment
Americans with Disabilities Act ( ADA)
Complaint-processing procedures
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
Equal pay for equal work
Job bias questions
Nondiscrimination because of disability
Processing EEO complaints
Reprisals and damages
Sexual harassment
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act
Grievances and Appeals
Prohibited Personnel Practices: "Whistle blowing"
Complaints/disclosure handling
Office of Special Counsel (OSC)
Prohibited personnel practices
Remedies
Appeals
Back pay
Complaints involving discrimination
Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB)
MSPB appeals procedures
Ethics in Government
Basic concepts
Office of Government Ethics (OGE)
Subpart A -General provisions
Subpart B - Gifts from outside sources
Subpart C - Gifts between employees
Subpart D - Conflicting financial interests
Subpart E - Impartiality in performing official duties
Subpart F - Seeking other employment
Subpart G - Misuse of position
Subpart H - Outside activities
Additional conduct rules
Political activity (Hatch Act)
The 1939 Act and the 1993 Reform amendments
What unrestricted employees may do (1993 law)
What unrestricted employees may not do (1993 law)
What restricted employees may do (1939 law)
What restricted employees may not do (1939 law)
Exceptions in certain communities
Penalties for violations
Questions about political activity restrictions
Guide to Career Transition
Career Transition Plans (CTAPs)
Federal employment information
Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plans (ICTAP)
Other career transition material available
Reemployment Priority Lists (RPLs)
RIFs -- how to prepare
Where to go for more information
Downsizing, Buyouts, Early Retirements (VERA) and RIFS
Agencies currently offering early retirements or buyouts
RIF facts, questions and answers
"Adverse action" furloughs (including emergency furloughs)
"Reduction in force" furloughs
Deciding which employees lose or change jobs
Determining Rights to Other Positions
Early Retirement ("Early Out")
Four RIF retention factors
Furloughs
Grade and Pay Retention
Guidance on RIF Benefits
How the RIF system works
Other RIF Considerations
Preparing for a RIF
Reinstatement
Retraining
RIF Notices and Appeals
RIFs in "excepted" positions
RIFs in the SES
Right of First Refusal
Transfer of Function
Severance pay facts, questions and answers
Unemployment Insurance
How to get a Federal Job
Agency repayment of student loans
Application forms
Career transition programs
Downsizing
Examinations
Excepted service agencies
Federal student employment programs
How the system works
Interagency Career Transition Assistance Plan (ICTAP)
Opportunities for the disabled
Summer employment/volunteer employment
USAJOBS
Vacancy announcements
Alternative personnel systems
Alternative personnel systems: Department of Homeland Security
Options for Human Resource Management System
DHS/OPM HR design team
Authorities for new DHS HR systems
Alternative personnel systems: Department of Defense
Specific provisions
Life Insurance (FEGLI)
Appeals
Assignment of life insurance
Basic life insurance
Beneficiaries
Conditions for changing election
Conditions for payments
Converting to an individual policy
Coverage after retirement
Discontinuance of FEGLI
Filing a claim
If you receive workers' compensation
If your basic pay changes
Living benefits
Portability
Protection after coverage stops
Table of withholding rates
Withholdings and contributions
Basic insurance
Option A (Standard)
Additional Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
Option B (Additional)
Option C (Family)
Long Term Care, Health Insurance (FEHBP/FLTCIP)
Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP)
Biweekly Withholding Rates, Government wide/National Plans and Options
Changes in enrollment
Claims and appeals
Continuations or terminations
FEHBP and DoD's TriCare
FEHBP costs
FEHBP Fraud Hotline
General features
Health benefit rates by plan
HMO and POS Plans By State: Phone Numbers
Medicare and FEHBP
Participation and eligibility
Patients' Bill of Rights
Premium conversion
Table of Permissible Changes in Enrollment: Employees, Annuitants and Former Spouses
Types of health plans
Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP)
Benefit amounts and periods
Billing options
Claims and appeals
Coordination of benefits
Exclusions -- what's not covered
Grace period
Inflation protection
Maximum lifetime benefit
Payment of benefits
Portability
Premiums
Reinstatement of coverage
Types of plans
Waiting period
Waiver of premium
Who may apply
Pay
"High 3" Previous Three Years General Schedule Pay Charts
A-E Postmaster Schedule
APWU Transitional Employee Schedule
Basic Pay - Senior Executive Service
Biweekly Payroll Withholding Charts
City Carrier Grades 1-2-3
Distribution of General Schedule Employment - All Areas
Foreign Service Locality Rates
Foreign Service Salary Schedule
Foreign Service Salary Table - Washington-Baltimore
Locality Pay Areas
Mail Handlers
Maximum GS Pay Limitations
Percentage Pay Adjustment by Geographic Locality
Postal Career Executive Service
Postal Executive/Administrative Step Schedule
Postal Service/Mail Equipment Shops/Material Dist. Center Schedules
Postal Step Increases
Salary Table - General Schedule
Salary Table - Law Enforcement Officers
Special Salary Rates - Certain Engineers
Special Salary Rates - Certain Information Technology Employees
Special Salary Rates - Law Enforcement Officers
Special Salary Rates - Medical Officers (Clinical)
Special Salary Rates - Medical Officers (Other)
Special Salary Rates - Medical Officers (Research)
Take-Home Pay Worksheet
Personal Circumstance
Aid and assistance
Annual leave
Applying for retirement and death benefits
Blood donation
Death benefits - where to apply
Disability
Divorce and remarriage
Educational assistance
Emergency leave
Family leave
Former spouses, benefits for
Grievances, complaints
Income taxes
Jury duty
Leave
Loans
Lost or missing payments
Medical leave
Moving expenses
Remarriage and divorce
Retirement benefits - where to apply
Scholarships and loans
Sick leave
Social Security
Student assistance
Survivor benefits - where to apply
Taxes, income
Widows, benefits for
Postal Service
How to get a postal job
USPS Basics including 1992 USPS reorganization
Benefits for postal workers
Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA)
Employee classifications
Premium pay
Salary system
Step increases
Unions and labor relations
USPS training center locations (chart)
Tables
A-E Postmaster Schedule
APWU Transitional Employee Schedule
City Carrier Grades 1-2-3
Mail Handlers
Postal Career Executive Service
Postal Executive/Administrative Step Schedule
Postal Service/Mail Equipment Shops/Material Dist. Centers Schedules
Postal Step Increases
Reimbursement
Travel reimbursement
Actual subsistence expenses
Allowable transportation
Charge cards
Commercial transportation
General rules
Government-furnished vehicles
Miscellaneous expenses allowance
Other travel provisions
Per diem travel/per diem maximums
Prescribed maximum travel per diem rates for CONUS
Public transportation subsidy
Records of travel and expenses
Reimbursement for private vehicles
Rental cars
Travel advances
Relocation allowances
Telephone reimbursement
Veterans' burial reimbursement
Retirement
Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS)
Administration of CSRS
Annuities with and without survivor benefits
Appeals for reconsideration
Computation of CSRS annuities
Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs)
Creditable service under CSRS
CSRS coverage
CSRS/FERS comparison table
"CSRS Offset" ("Public pension offset")
CSRS table of annuity rates
Death benefits
Sample notification-of-death letter to OPM
Death in-service of a re-employed annuitant
Survivor annuity upon death of annuitant
Deferred retirement under CSRS
Deposits and redeposits
Disability retirement under CSRS
Discontinued-service retirement under CSRS
Election between retirement annuity and compensation for work injury
General CSRS retirement eligibility requirements
Health and life insurance for annuitants
Lump sum withdrawals
Optional CSRS retirement
Re-employment of retired CSRS employees
Refunds
Special groups
Survivor benefits for former spouses
Survivor procedures after death of annuitant
Thrift Savings Plan and CSRS
Voluntary contributions
Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)
Basic annuity component of FERS
Contributions
Cost of Living Adjustments (COLAs) and FERS
CSRS/FERS comparison table
Disability benefits
Employees covered and not covered by FERS
Exclusions from retirement coverage
FERS and rehired employees
General provisions regarding FERS benefits
"Public pension offset"
Retirement options
Social Security component of FERS
Special employee groups
Special retirement supplement
Survivor benefits
Thrift Savings Plan component of FERS
Transfer of CSRS employees to FERS
Thrift Savings Plan
Catch-up contributions
Participating in the TSP
Protecting your account balance
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Tax advantages
Transfers/Rollovers
TSP major features
Understanding agency contributions
Understanding your TSP account
Social Security & Medicare
Age to receive full Social Security benefits Table
Benefits
Chart of increases for delayed retirement
Contribution rate schedule for employees and employer (each)
Coverage of federal civilian employment (CSRS and FERS)
Creditable earnings
Credits (quarters of coverage) needed to be fully insured
Disability
Financing
Individualized Social Security statement
Medicare
Number of QCs needed
Percentages for dependents and survivor payments
Rates, costs and premiums: Social Security and Medicare
Retirement
Social Security benefits and "insured status" needed
Social Security offices
Survivors
When to retire
"Windfall" Social Security benefit
Working after Social Security starts
Tables
Factors for determining reduction in basic annuity for separation
Chart for obtaining number of hours for any period of time when 2,087 hours constitute yearly basis
State sales tax and income tax treatment of civil service annuities
Minimum guaranteed disability retirement annuity table
Contacts for general inquiries - OPM
Rules-and-Regulations
Highlights of the federal employee year
Selected decisions and rulings affecting federal employment
Income Taxes
Withholding
Employee's educational expenses
Conference expenses
Government travel allowances
Moving expenses
Tax year items to keep in mind
Adoption credit
Alternative minimum tax
Capital gains
Charitable contributions
Child and dependent care credit
Child Tax Credit
College expenses
Direct deposit refunds
Earned income credit
Estimated tax payments (" Safe Harbor" rule)
Exemptions
Free electronic filing
FSAFEDS flexible spending accounts
Interest and dividends
Interest on VA dividends
IRAs
Itemized deductions
Medical expenses
Mileage rates
Miscellaneous deductions
Personal interest deductions
Premium conversion
Sale of residence
Social Security numbers
Standard deductions
Tax rate
Thrift Savings Plan
Unemployment compensation
Victims of terrorist attacks
Taxation of annuities and annuity taxation worksheet
Disability/elderly exclusion
Military family exclusion
Taxpayer Bill of Rights
Veterans/Retired Military
Military leave
CSRS and creditable military service
Credit for military service
Military furlough or leave of absence
Military service following separation from a civilian position
Separation to enter the military during war or national emergency
Eligibility for and effect of a refund
Military service and civil-service disability annuities
Military service and buyouts (VSIP program)
FERS and creditable military service
FERS retirement formula and military service
Employment of retired military personnel
Retirement credit for military service
Service credit deposit for post-1956 military service
Veterans' preference
Preference in layoffs
Adverse action appeals
Preference in hiring
Veterans' benefits
Disability compensation
Death benefit
Pensions for non-service-connected disabilities
Post-Vietnam Veterans Educational Assistance Program (VEAP)
Montgomery G.I. Bill for post-June 1985 military service
Vocational rehabilitation services
Home loans
Hospital and health care
Domiciliary care
Readjustment counseling service
Insurance
Medical care for dependents and survivors
Workplace Guidelines
Alternative work schedules
Drug-free workplace
Emergencies during normal work hours
Federal Health and Safety Standards
Holidays
Leave Chart
Religious expression in the federal workplace
Smoking regulations
Telephone regulations
Work dismissal policy
Call toll-free 1-800-341-7874 or click here to order your copy of the 2006 Guide today!
