Category: Paychecks & Work
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A law signed October 15 writes into federal retirement law how a closely held company’s stock must be valued for the employees who own it through an ESOP
Employees who own part of their company through an Employee Stock Ownership Plan, or ESOP, now have a federal definition behind the price put on that stock. The Retire through Ownership Act was signed into law on October 15, 2026, and it writes into the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, known as ERISA,…
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The Labor Department holds unclaimed back wages for three years
When the Labor Department recovers back wages for a worker and then cannot find that worker, it does not give up right away. The department’s Wage and Hour Division says it holds the money for three years while it keeps trying to locate the person. If it still cannot, the money goes to the U.S.…
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The IRS gave farmers and ranchers in drought-listed areas of 49 states and the District of Columbia more time to replace livestock they sold because of drought
Farmers and ranchers who sold livestock because of drought now have more time to buy replacement animals and still put off the tax on the gain. The IRS announced the extension on September 15, 2026, for drought-listed areas of 49 states and the District of Columbia. Trade coverage of the announcement confirms Alaska is the…
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Federal workers get their civilian service, and honorable active military service, counted toward family and medical leave eligibility from December 14 unless significant adverse comments arrive by November 16
The Office of Personnel Management has published a rule that changes who qualifies for family and medical leave in the federal government. Civilian federal service, and honorable active military service, would both count toward the 12 months a federal employee needs before taking that leave. The change is set to take effect on December 14,…
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Federal agencies face a 12-week ceiling on administrative leave for any single workforce realignment unless OPM and OMB approve more, under a rule effective November 18, alongside the 10-workday yearly limit on investigative use
Federal agencies that reorganize can keep an employee on paid administrative leave for no more than 12 weeks in any single workforce realignment, unless the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of Management and Budget jointly approve more. The rule that locks that in takes effect November 18, 2026. A separate 10-workday yearly limit…
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State unemployment agencies must hand confidential claim information to federal officials from November 16, with slower states given until September 2027
State unemployment offices will be required to share confidential claim information with federal officials starting November 16, 2026, under a final rule from the Labor Department. States that must change their own laws to comply have until September 16, 2027. The rule turns what had been a permission into a duty for every state agency…
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Federal workers and retirees have from November 9 to December 14 to change 2027 health coverage, choosing among 118 FEHB plan options from 45 carriers
Federal employees and retirees will have five weeks this fall to change their health coverage for 2027. The Office of Personnel Management says its yearly Open Season runs from November 9 through December 14, 2026. In the Federal Employees Health Benefits program, known as FEHB, the choice this year is among 118 plan options from…
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Competitive-service federal workers will no longer wait 52 weeks in grade before promotion to GS-6 or above starting January 19, 2027
The Office of Personnel Management has finalized a rule that ends the 52-week time-in-grade wait for promotions to competitive-service General Schedule jobs at GS-6 and above. The rule takes effect January 19, 2027. Employees who have not spent a full year in their current grade will be eligible to be considered for a higher grade…
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Federal workers in agency workforce realignments get no more than 12 weeks of administrative leave per instance from November 18 without OPM and OMB approval
Federal employees caught in an agency workforce realignment will be limited to 12 weeks of administrative leave in any single instance starting November 18, 2026. Only a higher threshold approved jointly by the Office of Personnel Management and the Office of Management and Budget can stretch that. The cap is in an OPM final rule,…
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Immigrant workers who filed work-permit renewals on or after October 30, 2025 no longer get up to 540 extra days to keep working while they wait
Immigrant workers who file to renew a work permit no longer get up to 540 extra days of permission to keep working while the renewal is pending, if they filed on or after October 30, 2025. The Department of Homeland Security made that permanent with a final rule that took effect October 14, 2026. The…