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- Salty Ginger Talk Newsletter
Federal workers warming to new buyout offers
Our take: When DOGE first started, one of their first moves was to offer buyouts to federal employees whose positions may be found redundant or obsolete. This move was targeted to reduce headcount and costs. There was much outrage from many people about the buyout offers, despite this approach being not uncommon in the private sector.
Fast forward a few months, and many of the workers who once decried the offers are warming to the idea and taking advantage of them.
At least 2,700 workers at the Energy Department — which oversees the nation’s nuclear stockpile — applied for the buyout last week, more than double the 1,300 who left in the first wave of deferred resignations. About 4,000 workers — roughly 7% of the workforce — at the Department of Transportation have also asked to take the offer.
Roughly one-fifth of Internal Revenue Service staff — some 20,000 workers — are taking the buyout, a significant increase from the 4,700 employees who opted in for the first round.
To us, this seems like a logical approach. That could be because several decades ago, we went through this exact scenario at our place of employment. A buyout offer was made, which we declined, and our job was left untouched. That said, the idea of looking for something more stable seemed smart, so we did just that and landed a job all the way across the country. It changed our family’s lives, almost exclusively for the better.
We are not saying everyone should or should not take the buyout. We are saying that it is useful to think about all your options. Sometimes the impetus to change your thought process is thrust upon you in a situation like this one.
COURTESY: LABOR NOTES
Bear goes shopping, alarms mall employees, patrons
Our take: A bear in Connecticut looking for a good deal on mittens, or maybe looking for the food court, surprised mall patrons and employees alike. The young black bear was seen running in and around the parking lot of the mall. Video footage captured from the incident shows law enforcement officials in West Hartford chase the furry shopper as it runs amok through the mall. Shoppers were also seen running away from the bear as it moved through.
Healy said staff successfully managed to chase the bear away into nearby woods. We do wonder if people would have been as scared if the bear had been white instead of black. When will we be able to get past these inherent biases? Just a joke, folks, just a joke. We are glad no one was hurt, including the bear, who scampered off into the woods without incident.
COURTESY: YAHOO
Elizabeth Warren sponsors bill to crack down on ethics for Special Government Employees, forgets to include same rules for Congress
Our take: It is hard for us to take Elizabeth Warren seriously. She seems to incessantly virtue signal and look for opportunities to pander to the media and the American public. The latest bill she is sponsoring is a perfect example.
U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) and Representative Melanie Stansbury (D-N.M.) introduced the SGE Ethics Enforcement & Reform (SEER) Act, a bill to strengthen transparency and ethics requirements for Special Government Employees (SGEs). The bill would rein in Elon Musk by restricting certain SGEs from officially communicating with agencies and offices that regulate or contract with large companies owned by the SGE.
Special Government Employees (SGEs) are temporary federal employees with a limit of 130 workdays per year. Unlike regular employees, SGEs typically maintain jobs outside of the government and can be paid by an outside entity for the time they spend working for the federal government. SGEs are also not required to publicly disclose their financial interest unless they are classified above the GS-15 level and serve for longer than 60 days.
Elon Musk and various members of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are designated as SGEs, allowing them to be paid by private companies while they work to dismantle federal agencies. Musk specifically is an SGE at the White House and does not have to recuse himself from matters impacting his own multi-billion-dollar companies as long as his work does not meet the relatively narrow definition of a “particular matter” (as defined by Office of Government Ethics regulations).
This new bill would bar Musk from communicating with the Space Force and other agencies that interface with his companies, including the CFPB and the NLRB, which have reviewed and investigated complaints about Tesla. The bill would also block Musk from participating in portions of projects that he has a financial interest in and would require him to file a public financial disclosure form.
This bill has zero chance of making it out of the House or Senate. It is a cheap attempt to “flex” in the media and to the American population.
The sad part is, we agree with the bill and what they are trying to do 100%. Our only change would be to hold members of Congress to the same standards they purport to want to hold these SGEs to.
For centuries, members of Congress have passed laws and picked winners and losers, all while being able to invest in the sectors and companies they wield tremendous power over.
This is a bipartisan problem, with members from both major parties enriching themselves in the stock market and taking millions in donations from citizens, businesses, and lobbyists, all while sitting on committees and in positions that allow them to put their thumbs on the scale of both justice and the market.
We 100% think this bill should be expanded to include sitting members of Congress. We would love to see what the sponsor’s thought of the bill then.
COURTESY: YAHOO NEWS
Tip of the day
It seems counter-productive at first, but taking a break from the task at hand may help keep you from losing steam. One method for taking regular breaks without getting distracted is the Pomodoro technique, which is meant to help keep up your motivation while working on tasks for a longer period.
To try the Pomodoro method, follow these steps:
Set a 25-minute timer and work until it goes off.
Next, treat yourself to a 5-minute break to give your brain a rest before getting back to business.
Continue working in 25-minute intervals until you've reached the finish line for your task.
Quote of the day
“Your life is controlled by what you focus on.” - Tony Robbins
Federal workers warming to new buyout offers. https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/federal-workers-jump-at-buyout-offers-they-once-shunned/ar-AA1CXOFK?ocid=hpmsn&cvid=6aea01fbc88e48beacbc4ae27f240414&ei=75