Open Season For Health Benefits Starts Monday, Nov. 8
It’s Open Season — the time of year when employees can sign up for benefit programs, change enrollments, or cancel their participation.
Open Season for three benefits programs — Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB), Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), and the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) — begins Monday, Nov. 8.
FEHB and FEDVIP plans have changed significantly. For example, the 2010 Affordable Care Act changed FEHB eligibility requirements allowing children up to age 26 as eligible dependents for Self and Family coverage (Link, 8/17). Employees are asked to note that even if they keep the same FEHB plans and coverage automatically continues, their premiums may change. It’s also recommended that employees check their insurance coverage for details that could save them money. For example, if you’re enrolled in a family plan but no one else is covered by that plan, changing to the “Self Only” option will reduce your premiums.
Employees with FEHB plans that no longer will be offered must select a new plan or their health insurance coverage will end. Affected employees will receive a letter from the plan and from the Postal Service. Employees whose plan’s service area is changing also will be notified.
FSA — which can save money on taxes for eligible out-of-pocket health care and dependent care expenses — also has changed. The Health Care FSA has added restrictions on coverage for over-the-counter drugs and medicines. Also, children who are not dependents on your taxes may now be covered under your Health Care FSA until Dec. 31 of the year before they turn age 27. Employees who want an FSA for 2011 need to re-enroll — FSA coverage does not continue from year to year. FSA brochures with more details now are being mailed to all employees.
You can make FEHB and FSA selections on PostalEASE. For FEDVIP elections, go to www.benefeds.com.
Open Season for the Annual Leave Exchange (ALE) begins Monday, Nov. 15. Employees eligible to make an ALE election will receive a letter.
FEHB, FSA and FEDVIP booklets will be arriving in the mail. Look for the information and save it when it arrives. Additional Open Season information is in today’s edition of the Postal Bulletin. You also can go to the “My HR” section on LiteBlue for more details.
You will need your employee identification number (EIN) and USPS personal identification number (PIN) to enter PostalEASE or LiteBlue. Forget your PIN? Click here to read “Got Your Number?” in yesterday’s Link for help.
source: USPS News Link
USPS Launches Improved Employee Website
New look, new features — same commitment. USPS has launched a revitalized LiteBlue to help employees stay better informed about the organization, their careers and their benefits.
“LiteBlue is now becoming a destination for all employees,” said Tony Vegliante, executive vice president and chief Human Resources officer. “When we engage our employees online, they have immediate access to career and benefits information.”
The new LiteBlue is more than a makeover. It’s a joint project of three departments — Human Resources, Information Technology and Corporate Communications — to meet the Postal Service’s pledge to provide employees with an easy-to-use, one-stop online resource. And it’s the Postal Service’s response to employee feedback to make information easily accessible 24/7.
“We are pleased to be able to help make LiteBlue more accessible and attractive for our employees,” said Ross Philo, chief information officer and executive vice president. “It’s all about making the information you need easier to find. IT looks forward to delivering additional capabilities in the future that will benefit USPS employees.”
LiteBlue includes more Human Resources information than ever before. Employees can now access a variety of relevant life, health and career options on the new “My HR” tab of the website. Continuing are LiteBlue’s more popular applications, such as eJob bidding, PostalEase and Change of Address. Whether it’s forms, policies or applications, employees will continue to find the latest HR information on LiteBlue.
New features also have been added to the website. Check out Behind the Blue, a behind-the-scenes look to discover “How does USPS do that?” There also are links to Sustainability and Shipping Services updates, area and district news, and information about how everyone can help USPS confront challenges and meet corporate goals.
You’ll need your Employee ID and USPS PIN to check out LiteBlue. No PIN? No problem. Go to LiteBlue’s Log In page, click on “Forget Your PIN?” enter your employee ID number, and request a new one.
LiteBlue is secure, convenient and reliable. Most of all, it’s yours. Check it out and let us know what you think of the website’s new content and format at LiteBlue@usps.gov.
source: USPS News Link
Postalreporter reader: Some things like ePayroll and e-Reassign are harder to find.
Postal Employees April 16th Earnings Statements Already Available on Liteblue
Postal employees who utilize direct deposit of their biweekly net-to-bank earnings can access their April 16th earnings statements today on Liteblue rather than waiting until Friday. Earnings statements become available at Liteblue as soon as the employee’s pay record has been processed. The ePayroll earnings statement provides much greater detail about withholdings, benefit deductions,leave balances and processed adjustments than can be provided on the limited space of the traditional hardcopy earnings statement. Maybe in the future daily clock ring information will be added.
Don Cheney
Auburn WA