WASHINGTON – Congresswoman Elaine Luria (VA-02) has introduced House legislation to provide financial relief for certain federal civilian employees who have to relocate for work purposes. Senators Tim Kaine and Mark Warner of Virginia are championing an identical bill in the Senate.
“Moving should not be a burden on federal employees working for America,” Congresswoman Luria said. “Our bill would eliminate an unnecessary worry for workers transitioning to a new location to serve our nation.”
Relocation expenses generally are reimbursed by the federal government. But the 2017 tax law ended the federal government’s ability to cover the taxes on some reimbursements. As a result, moving cost reimbursements became recognized as taxable income for certain federal employees.
For example, civilian employees of the Department of Defense who transfer to teach at elementary, middle, and high schools on military bases across the world currently pay taxes on artificially inflated incomes due to the expense of their moves.
Other agencies where employees are likely to be transferred upon hiring may face decreased applications due to reluctance to take a job where relocation is likely.
Congresswoman Luria’s legislation would increase the percentage of federal employees who are able to be repaid for taxes on moving from 95 percent to 100 percent.
When I had to move as a result of transferring to a new location as an employee of the telephone company, I was paid relocation money that was considered income and was taxed. Why should federal employees be treated any differently?
‘Why should federal employees be treated any differently?’
That is easy, we have allowed local, state, and federal government and it’s minions to grow in to a monster that typically bites the hand that feeds it.
I do not support any of this legislation. I am frankly insulted by it and believe it is discriminatory. It promotes the idea that federal employees, and some contractors working with and for them, deserve special treatment. All Americans work with each other and for each other. This is a team job, a team sport, and a team enterprise. I am also frankly insulted by the facts that government employees get different retirement packages and different medical plans than those not in government work. I believe there should be ONE POOL for medical insurance. There should be only one kind of federal retirement plan. Everyone should be on Social Security and there should not be a special plan for government employees. FIX THAT ! Are we not all equal ? You said you would be different Ms. Luria. Not part of the same old crapola coming from the D.C. swamp. You held back your pay during the government shutdown. BIG DEAL. That was showboating. Can this legislation.
Ms. Luria’s proposed legislation proves yet again that the Democratic Party is the party of government, federal employees, government contractors, and retired federal employees. Federal employees, who can almost never be fired, occupy a privileged position among workers in the United States. They enjoy every federal holiday, whether or not they are essential. Most in the private sector have to work on MLK Day, Presidents’ Day, Columbus Day, etc.
Federal employees enjoy higher salaries and larger retirement annuities than almost all private sector employees, excluding those private employees who are engaged in very specialized, difficult professions. Many federal employees enjoy the benefits of affirmative action hiring–they couldn’t get a job sweeping floors in the private sector.
Before I entered private law practice in Washington, D.C., I worked for a few years in Congressional Research Service on Capitol Hill. It was a great job, and I was surrounded by many interesting, talented people, but all of us could work as industriously or as slowly as we chose. Many realized this fact and would have preferred more challenging work, but most felt bound by “golden chains”–they couldn’t do nearly as well outside government.
Ms Luria’s proposed legislation is particularly ill-advised, given the fact that many Accomack County residents are not sharing the benefits of a generally good national economy. Many here are barely making it; their houses are losing, rather than gaining value. “For Sale” signs appear everywhere in the County. They have no job protection.
Finally the US has a rapidly-growing $22 trillion+ national debt, which is the tip of the iceberg of a total $100 trillion + public debt. Ms. Luria, federal employment and federal contracting should be reduced, rather than subsidized. Your bill is a transparent suck-up; you should be ashamed of having proposed it.