Eye On Washington with Jessica Klement

With so much information to cover, federal benefits expert Tammy Flanagan joined host Jessica Klement for a bonus federal benefits open season conversation, this time focusing largely on the new Postal Service Health Benefits Program.

With new Medicare Part B and D requirements, postal employees and retirees are wise to spend time reviewing their options before choosing a 2025 plan.

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Federal benefits expert Tammy Flanagan joins host Jessica Klement on this week's Eye on Washington to talk about all things open season, which starts on November 9.

The duo discussed big changes for 2025, including the largest average premium increase in years. Flanagan also provided practical tips for evaluating plans, the difference between HSAs and FSAs, and the perennial question of whether to take Medicare Part B when you turn 65. 

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IIn closing out the first year of Eye of Washington, host Jessica Klement welcomes back John Hatton, staff vice president of Policy and Programs at the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association.

Klement and Hatton discuss the latest congressional action on the Government Pension Offset (GPO) and Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP), two laws that have punished federal workers in retirement if they had Social Security-covered work in addition to their CSRS government work.

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While members of Congress are back home in their states and districts through Labor Day, host Jessica Klement welcomes Federal News Network reporter Drew Friedman to discuss legislation under consideration when Congress returns.

The pair covered congressional and administrative efforts to reform the hiring process, as well as the ever-topical issue of returning to the office and its implications for locality pay. 

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This month on Eye of Washington, host Jessica Klement welcomes two guests to discuss one very topical issue: the Trump administration’s proposal to convert employees in “policy-related” jobs into excepted service positions, effectively making them at-will employees. 

With former President Trump securing the Republican nomination for president, the policy initiative, rolled out towards the end of the Trump administration’s term in 2020, has seen renewed attention.

The trio not only discusses the policy, but also concrete steps Congress can take to address civil service issues. 

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On this month’s episode of Eye on Washington, host Jessica Klement welcomes Jason Briefel, partner and director of Government and Public Affairs at Shaw Bransford & Roth, a law firm specializing in federal employment law. He is also the director of Policy & Outreach for the Senior Executives Association (SEA).

Klement and Briefel spend this episode talking about pay compression in the federal government, Congress’ role in managing the federal government, and implications should the proposed Schedule F policy of the Trump administration become a reality.

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On this month’s episode of Eye on Washington, host Jessica Klement welcomes Bob Levi, director of Legislative and Political Affairs for the National Association of Postal Supervisors (NAPS), and long-time advocate for the postal community.

During this year’s federal benefits open season, postal employees and retirees will be placed in the new Postal Service Health Benefits Program, and postal retirees who previously elected not to take Medicare Part B will have an opportunity to enter the program without penalty.

Levi covers this change along with crime against the U.S. Postal Service and postal employees and the challenges facing managers and supervisors in the USPS today.

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Jenny Mattingley, vice president for Government Affairs at the Partnership for Public Service,joins host Jessica Klement on Eye on Washington this month to discuss all things good government.

A long-time advocate for the federal community, both inside and out of government, Mattingley discussed the Partnership’s advocacy priorities relating to "return to office", the use of AI and how the Paperwork Reduction Act of the 1970s is driving (or not) policies today.

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Representative Gerry Connolly (D-VA) joins host Jessica Klement on this month's Eye on Washington to discuss the congressman’s priorities for the federal community.

Congressman Connolly was ranked the most effective lawmaker of the 117th Congress by the Center for Effective Lawmaking, no doubt in part due to his work on federal community issues.

During the show, Klement and Rep. Connolly tackle the serious issues, like Schedule F, preserving access to IVF, and the largest federal employee pay raise in 40 years.

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In this month’s episode of Eye on Washington, host Jessica Klement talks with Dan Chenok, executive director of the IBM Center for the Business of Government.

The duo talk about the rise in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and how federal agencies are using the technology to better serve their missions. Chenok also covered the Center’s work on being better prepared for the next world-wide catastrophe.

And of course, being the week government funding expires, Klement and Chenok take a look at the challenges ongoing continuing resolutions unnecessarily place on federal agencies and employees. 

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