MEMBERSHIP HAS ITS BENEFITS
August 13th, 2026 | Posted by in ADVANCE LEAVE SUSPENSIONS | Benefits | Did you know? | Insurance - (0 Comments)Need a Scholarship?
July 27th, 2026 | Posted by in Benefits | college funds | Did you know? | scholarships | Uncategorized - (0 Comments)
Over $6.2 million in scholarships awarded to union families
Since 1991, the Union Plus Scholarship Program has awarded more than $6.2 million to students of working families who want to begin or continue their post-secondary education. More than 4,400 families have benefited from our commitment to higher education.
The Union Plus Scholarship Program is offered through the Union Plus Education Foundation, supported in part by contributions from the provider of the Union Plus Credit Card , the provider of the Union Plus Personal Loan, and providers of the Union Plus College Program. (You do not need to participate in these programs to apply for this scholarship.)
How the Union Plus Scholarship Program works
Eligibility
Current and retired members of participating unions, their spouses and their dependent children (as defined by IRS regulations). At least one year of continuous union membership by the applicant, applicant's spouse or parent (if applicant is a dependent). The one-year membership minimum must be satisfied by May 31 of the scholarship year. See more details on eligibility in the tab below.
Evaluation Criteria
This is a competitive scholarship. Applicants are evaluated according to academic ability, social awareness, financial need and appreciation of labor. A GPA of 3.0 or higher is recommended. The required essays can account for up to half your total score. Scholarship applicants are judged by a committee of impartial post-secondary educators.
Application Timeline
Applications are available starting in mid-June, and a complete application must be received on or before 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on January 31 of the scholarship year. Applications received after this deadline will not be considered.
Scholarship Award Amounts
Amounts range from $1,000 to $4,000. These one-time cash awards are for study beginning in the fall of the awarded year. Students may re-apply each year.
Apply: https://apply.mykaleidoscope.com/program/UnionPlusScholarship2027
AFGE Settlement Agreement (Monetary Awards)
March 9th, 2026 | Posted by in AWARDS | Benefits | Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) - (0 Comments)Message from AFGE General Committee Spokesperson:
Please see attached, which is a settlement agreement between the parties to make changes to the awards system in Article 17 and to engage in settlement discussions over PACS and our GC union-management grievances in the near future. This agreement was made in connection with the latter issue, but no grievances were withdrawn as part of this agreement. The settlement agreement changes the names of the awards from “recognition of contribution” (ROC) to “performance award” and the “exemplary contribution or service award” (ECSA) to “on-the-spot award”.
The agreement expands eligibility for the performance award (formerly ROC) from an element average of 4.0 to 3.5, which will grant thousands more employees an award each year starting this year.
The agreement lifts the $800 cap on non-ratings based awards, meaning potentially higher on-the-spot (formerly) ECSA awards.
The agreement incorporates the Time Off Award MOU as a sidebar to Article 17, putting the MOU into the contract.
The agreement also changes the language in Article 17, Section 3.B, which previously initially allocated 75% of funds to ROCs and 25% to ECSAs, and then unspent ROC money would be transferred over to ECSAs. Each fiscal year, once the ROC awards were paid, millions were transferred to the ECSA pot months later. The intent of the language is to acknowledge the status quo and to speed up the processing of both types of awards by ensuring that the ROCs (now performance awards) get the funds they require and then allocating the awards to the on-the-spot awards.
The Agency has stated its intent to issues awards sooner than in past years, to grant awards to more employees, and to have the awards be meaningful. These are laudable goals and we will work to ensure those goals are realized.
In solidarity,
Rich Couture
CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE
February 17th, 2025 | Posted by in Benefits | Budget | Did you know? | Events | MAKE THE CALL - (0 Comments)Dear AFGE Activist,
Let's keep the pressure on! Tell Congress: Stop the War on America's Workforce!
Last week, hundreds of AFGE members, government workers and union activists gathered in Washington, D.C. to tell members of Congress across the country, and across political party lines, to stop the war on America's workforce. We rallied with our labor family and coalition partners to save our country and save the civil service.
Right now, federal employee's pay, benefits, retirement and health care are on the chopping block as lawmakers work through the current budget process.
At a time when federal employees are already facing extreme stress and uncertainty, Congress should not make things worse by increasing the cost federal employees must pay to save for retirement and provide health care to their families.
Contact your lawmakers and tell them NO CUTS to federal pay and benefits.
In Solidarity,
AFGE
Scholarships for Students!!
December 3rd, 2024 | Posted by in Benefits | Did you know? | Uncategorized - (0 Comments) Dear AFGE Activist, FEEA's annual scholarship competition is available for eligible students and open until March 13, 2025. The scholarship, which ranges from $1,000 to $5,000, can be used for tuition and fees at any accredited college or university. Eligible students include: *Federal employees *Their children, step-children, and legal dependents (under age 25) *Their spouses *Some associations and unions partner with FEEA and include scholarships for members, members' children, grandchildren, spouses, or retiree members' children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren. Details are included on the website. AFGE families who apply to FEEA's program are also eligible for special AFGE-sponsored awards, using the same application as the regular FEEA scholarship. Eligible students for the AFGE-sponsored scholarships include: *Current AFGE members who are active federal employees and their dependents, spouses, and grandchildren. *Children, grandchildren, and spouses of current AFGE members who are retired federal employees *Dependents and grandchildren must be under the age of 25 Program information, detailed instructions, and a link to the application can be found here: https://feea.org/our-programs/scholarships/ A video with tips for applicants can be accessed here: https://feea.org/2023/01/scholarship-webinar/. In Solidarity,AFGE |
REBATES FOR NEW MEMBER & RECRUITER
October 19th, 2024 | Posted by in Benefits | Did you know? | JOIN AFGE | REBATES | Uncategorized - (0 Comments)
2025 COST OF LIVING ADJUSTMENT (COLA)
October 15th, 2024 | Posted by in Benefits | COLA | News | Political - (0 Comments)Most Feds to Receive Diet COLA – Again – in 2025
October 15, 2024
The 2025 cost of living adjustment (COLA) was announced last week, and most federal workers will again receive a reduced COLA due to a flawed rule in the current law.
For 2025, Social Security beneficiaries and Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) retirees are expected to receive a 2.5% COLA, while Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) retirees, those hired in 1984 or later, will only get a 2% increase.
Under the current law, the COLAs for Social Security, CSRS, and FERS are all calculated based on the rate of inflation as measured by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). If CPI is 2% or less, the FERS COLA is the same as the CSRS and Social Security COLA. But if the CPI is between 2.01% and 3%, the FERS COLA is 2%. If the CPI is greater than 3%, then the COLA for FERS is 1% less than the CSRS COLA.
What does that mean for a FERS retiree? It means they will lose $128 a year just for 2025, assuming the same average pension. But for those who retired four years ago with the same average pension, their pension would have lost more than $1,000 to rising costs because the losses are compounded.
This unfair penalty places FERS retirees further away from keeping pace with the cost of living.
That’s why AFGE supports the Equal COLA Act (S. 3194 introduced by Sen. Alex Padilla and H.R. 866 introduced by Rep. Gerry Connolly) which would eliminate this unfair penalty for FERS Retirees. The legislation would also eliminate the arbitrary pension cost of living reduction federal employees face in high inflation years.
“Our nation’s public servants shouldn’t see their hard-earned retirement benefits eroded by a COLA set at the start to be arbitrarily lower the real inflation rate,” said AFGE Legislative Director Julie Tippens.
The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE) is the largest federal emp
As summer vacations fade into memory, we turn our attention to the remaining months of the year and all that’s left to accomplish. The good news is, we have a lot to celebrate as we head into fall.
We are this close to finalizing the largest raise for federal employees in 40 years – on top of a major expansion of the locality pay system that will mean higher wages for tens of thousands of employees in both the General Schedule and Wage Grade pay systems. We’ve also blown past our organizing goal for 2023 – with nearly half the year remaining – and are making personal connections with new and potential members that will only serve to strengthen the federation for years to come.
We’re breaking it all down in this latest issue of the Government Standard.
SHOW ME THE MONEY!
June 23rd, 2021 | Posted by in Benefits | Did you know? | Events | Insurance | Retirees | Uncategorized - (0 Comments)
CHECK YOUR LIFE INSURANCE?
April 10th, 2021 | Posted by in Benefits | Did you know? | Insurance - (0 Comments)
