During the first few weeks of the shutdown, many Feds were disappointed by news of an executive order to freeze pay for Civilian Federal Employees in 2019. Then, in an unexpected turn, Congress passed a federal pay raise in a funding bill on February 15, effectively overturning the freeze. On March 28, President Trump signed an executive order officially implementing the change. In case you’re confused by the complicated discussions around federal pay, here are four things you need to know about the raise:

Most Civilian Federal Employees own smart phones loaded with apps designed to add value to their daily lives. For those looking for guidance on government information and services, there are a variety of mobile apps sponsored by the Federal government which provide relevant and accurate information.

WAEPA (Worldwide Assurance for Employees of Public Agencies), a nonprofit Voluntary Employee Benefits Association which offers Group Term Life Insurance* exclusively to Civilian Federal Employees, made headlines in January when they announced they were waiving January’s premiums for all their members, including those for Members not impacted by the partial Government Shutdown, which went on for 35 days from December 21, 2018 to January 25, 2019, and affected approximately 22% of Federal workers.

While it’s not Open Season for Life Insurance, it’s a perfect time to evaluate your coverage. Life insurance is a vital tool when it comes to safeguarding your family’s future. How would your family’s income be impacted if you passed away? What if you receive a terminal diagnosis? What will your family need to retain financial stability? Fortunately, you can apply for WAEPA’s Group Term Life Insurance at any point in the year – meaning you don’t have to wait for an Open Season period to supplement or replace your coverage from FEGLI.