More than 84,000 Vietnam veterans afflicted with heart disease, Parkinson’s disease or B-cell leukemia are drawing disability compensation today thanks to a decision by Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric Shinseki to expand the list of ailments presumed caused by exposure to herbicides, including Agent Orange, used during that war. Another 74,000 veterans have claims pending, […]
Press release: Udall talks budget, Radiation Exposure Compensation Act
April 12, 2011
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tom Udall talked with radio reporters today about the federal budget compromise that was reached late Friday night to avoid a government shutdown. He also discussed the bipartisan Radiation Exposure Compensation Act (RECA) Amendments of 2011, legislation he reintroduced today. For the audio, click here. Below is a time key of […]
Udall PSA urges troops and veterans to claim stop loss compensation
September 27, 2010
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tom Udall, D-N.M., today released a 30-second video PSA urging active duty service members, veterans, and beneficiaries of service members who were involuntarily extended between September 11, 2001 and September 30, 2009, to apply for Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay.
Press release: Udall urges troops and veterans to claim stop loss compensation
September 16, 2010
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Tom Udall, D-N.M., is urging active duty service members, veterans, and beneficiaries of service members who were involuntarily extended between September 11, 2001 and September 30, 2009, to apply for Retroactive Stop Loss Special Pay. Under the 2009 War Supplemental Appropriations Act, compensation is available to service members of every military […]
DoD launches compensation study
May 25, 2010
By Tom Philpott: Military Update Military compensation is far different today than it was on Sept. 11, 2001, when terrorists attacked America. As U.S. troops surged into Afghanistan and, 17 months later, invaded Iraq, Congress began pumping a stream of piecemeal improvements into pay and benefits. That continues, though the flow of new initiatives has […]
Experts: Military pay gap no longer exists
May 11, 2010
By Tom Philpott: Military Update Every witness before a Senate subcommittee hearing last week on military compensation — all experts on service pay and benefits — called directly or indirectly for Congress to end its 12-year run of voting for annual military pay raises that exceed wage growth in the private sector. No witness suggested […]
Compensation restored to widows
April 13, 2010
By Tom Philpott: CNJ columnist Jacqueline Peters, widow of a retired Army officer, only recently grasped how “ludicrous” the law has become that limits Survivor Benefit Plan (SBP) payments to surviving spouses of military members who either die in retirement from service-related ailments or die while on active duty. These survivors qualify for Dependency and […]
Diseases linked to herbicide exposure in Vietnam expanded
April 6, 2010
By Tom Philpott: Military Update About 86,000 Vietnam War veterans, their surviving spouses or estates will be eligible for retroactive disability compensation from the Department of Veterans Affairs — an average of 11.4 years for veterans and 9.6 years for survivors — under a draft VA rule to expand by three the number of diseases […]
Ag workers seek compensation
August 27, 2009
By Argen Duncan: Freedom New Mexico New Mexico is hearing a debate over whether agriculture workers need to be included in the state-run workers compensation system. A group of civil rights organizations is suing to have New Mexico agricultural workers included. However, many in the agriculture industry have said their employees are already covered and […]
VA not ready to back disabled pay
August 4, 2009
By Tom Philpott: Military update Monthly compensation the Department of Veterans Affairs pays to veterans with service-connected disabilities is intended to replace average earnings loss due to injuries or ailments. But should VA also pay disabled veterans something extra for diminished quality of life? Two prominent commissions in 2007 said it should. Last week, however, […]
Another gaffe in retro pay project
June 2, 2009
By Tom Philpott: Syndicated columnist As many as 39,000 disabled military retirees have been left out of the VA Retro Pay program by mistake, say officials at the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) who are calculating the amount of money owed. This latest and perhaps most serious gaffe in the problem-plagued VA Retro Pay […]
Bingaman cosponsors bill to limit executive bonuses
March 21, 2009
U.S. Senator Jeff Bingaman today offered his support for legislation that discourages excessive bonus compensation by companies that have received significant taxpayer funds from the Troubled Assets Relief program (TARP).
Committee will recommend city salary adjustments
May 14, 2008
The Employee Compensation Review Committee will recommend today to let the City Commission decide how to adjust city employee compensation. According to the committee’s recommendation, the state of the economy and limited city funds contributed to the decision. The committee was formed in December and have met every month since January comparing city employees’ salaries […]
New study suggests pay changes
March 17, 2008
By Tom Philpott: CNJ Columnist A new Department of Defense study of military compensation finds no pay gap exists today between service members and civilian peers. But the study, conducted over the last two years, advises Defense leaders to adopt a new tool for comparing military and private sector compensation so that service members learn […]
Mayor: Firefighters’ pay adequate
September 20, 2007
By Gabriel Monte: CNJ staff writer Phil Davis said he owes his life to the paramedics that came to his aid two weeks ago. Paramedics found him unconscious at his Clovis home within two minutes of his wife calling for help, he said. He shared his story Thursday at the Clovis City Commission meeting in […]
Labor bill will be tough sell
February 8, 2007
By Marlena Hartz: CNJ Staff Writer A bill that would help farm and ranch laborers injured at work has gotten a lukewarm reception in the Legislature, and local lawmakers predict it has too many hiccups to pass. Rep. Anna Crook, R-Clovis, and others said a bill that would amend the Workers’ Compensation Act to include […]
Retro pay reaches 31,000, averages $1,500
December 4, 2006
By Tom Philpott: Military Update Two months into a year-long review of pay records and disability compensation histories for 140,000 military retirees have produced a total of $45 million in back pay to 31,000 disabled retirees, say officials in charge. The lump-sum payments average about $1,500. Ten retirees have received more than $25,000 each, a […]
Lump sum payment may be welcome change
October 30, 2006
By Tom Philpott: Military Update The Veterans’ Disability Benefits Commission has examined and rejected a proposal that the VA begin offering veterans with lower-rated disabilities a lump-sum payment instead of lifetime monthly compensation. The 13-member commission reached its decision unanimously last week at a public meeting in Washington, D.C. It did so after being briefed […]
Legislation sweetens pot for 2007 pay hikes
October 9, 2006
By Tom Philpott: Military Update The 2007 defense authorization bill, which the president is expected to sign this month, will bring better pay and benefits to large segments of the military community. Drilling reservists who lack affordable health care coverage will be pleased. So will medical scholarship students seeking stipend increases. Others will be upset […]
