TCP1 overfunded or underfunded?

Right LLNS TCP-1 holds $600 Million more than it needs--that's over $150,000 per person for all 3500 TCP-1 participants. LLNS just released the annual funding Notice TCP-1 to beneficiaries. Funding Levels (PVassets/PVliabilities) 2010 154.64% 2011 127.58% 2012 151.59% How the heck can LLNL insist employees contribute 7% to TCP-1, (while LLNS/DOE does not contribute) when it is so overfunded already? The 600M differnce between assets, $1.8B, and liabilities, $1.2B, is over $150,000 per person, growing at a rate of $60,000 per person per year during 2011-2012) This needs to be clearly and transparently explained to employees, with sufficient justification numbers provided so employee number crunchers can verify the arithmetic. At 170% overfunding about 20 years ago, the IRS warned UC that UCRS appeared to be a tax shelter, which is the reason UC suspended employee contributions then. This seems needlessly conservative, even irresponsible to be taking 7% from employee pockets to pad a well stuffed feather bed.

More on VSP, VSIP

If you take the VSP, you will still be able to collect unemployment. When you file for unemployement, they will check with Lab HR and ask if you were terminate or quit, and HR will say you were terminated. That's it, no other checks. Yes its a loop hole, but it makes some sense. You could quit right now and not get the VSP severence pay. Take the VSP you are really agreeing to being fired - in exchange for the payout. To the government you are still being fired, and entitled to unemployment benefits. If it was a VSIP it might be different. But a VSP is the same as a forced RIF (from unemployment standpoint), difference is employees self select instead of management. Can we some confirmation of this from any of the "barracks lawyers" in the audience? A real lawyer would work too I suppose. April 28, 2013 at 8:44 AM

Discrimination at LLNS?

Discrimination at LLNS: 1. They tell you not to come into work 2. Once you have a certain number of days off work, they send you to medical 3. Medical says you need accommodations, asks you for them, then turns those accommodations into unreasonable restrictions. 4. Your boss says they can't meet the unreasonable restrictions 5. They no longer accept your new accommodations 6. They say they need to get restrictions from your treating doctor 7. They reject accommodations from your doctor 8. They say you need a note from your to return to work. And they need a medical release to "talk" to your doctor. 9. After they talk to your doctor, your doctor won't provide a note to return you to work 10. You go on disability, and you are still employed, so you can't "complain" to EEOC. 11. After a year on disability, they medically separate you from your employer 12. After 3 years on disability, they stop your benefits.

why is Bruce Goodwin leaving WCI?

Wow, why is Bruce Goodwin leaving WCI? http://www.bizjournals.com/sanfrancisco/news/2013/04/26/lawrence-livermore-shuffles-some-top.html

How is UCRS and/or TCP-1 pension cpi adjustment calculated?

A question about the UCRS and/or TCP-1 pension cpi adjustment calculation. How is it done? I vaguely remember that it averages the BLS all-urban CPI data for LA and SF from Feb to Feb and that it is applied to pensions adjusted the following July. But I can't get the 2012 numbers to work. After recent Rogoff's Excel fiasco, I figured I should verify simple matters for myself. My 2012 adjustment was 1.8% in July 2012. The BLS all-urban seasonally-adjusted all-item deflators for the period are listed as; for LA Feb 2011 229.729 Feb 2012 234.537 Feb 2013 239.753 LA(2012/2011) = 234.5/229.7 = 1.0209 For Sf Feb 2011 229.981 Feb 2012 236.88 Feb 2013 242.677 SF(2012/2011)= 236.88/229.98 = 1.03 Therefore the average of the CPI increase in LA and SF from 2011 t0 2012 is (.03+.0209/2 = 2.54% not 1.8%. Do you know what the difference is from? By the way using current data the new CPI adjustment in July should be 2.3% Thanks in advance. Parney if you are reading, help out here.

VSP

LLNL will announce by May first a VSP targeting dead wood and EBAS. If your on the list look for a email strongly suggesting you apply for the VSP. All applicants will be released by June. Anonymous Anonymous said... April 25, 2013 at 8:21 PM So you're telling all of us if we were a good employee who does a good job we can't get the he-ll out of here and have to stay to be tortured by unreasonable managers from the top down, but if were a *** no-load who hasn't done their part for years, we get a good deal, free and laugh all the way to the bank. Good move.

Another Chu scandal

Another Chu scandal He was such a disappointment as Secretary. In addition to all the bad investments he made in businesses, he managed to leave NNSA in a worse position than where he inherited it. What a downward slide for the Labs! http://www.businessinsider.com/how-electric-automaker-fisker-imploded-2013-3?op=1