Benefit Bits-The benefits topics this month include the health benefits insurance program, the Unsung Hero Award, and Employee Express. 

Date: Wed, 24 Feb 1999 15:19:00 -0500
To: "USGS Employees"<distribution>
From: "Cindy S. Wylie" <cwylie>
Subject: Benefit Bits

In Reply Refer to:
Mail Stop 601


					MEMORANDUM


Supervisors, Managers, and Team Leaders:  Please ensure that employees
without access to e-mail receive a copy of this message.


To:         All USGS Employees

From:       Robert Hosenfeld
            Personnel Officer

Subject:    Benefit Bits

The benefits topics this month include the health benefits insurance
program, the Unsung Hero Award, and Employee Express.

Health Benefits

Throughout the year, many employees experience life events that allow a
change to be made in their health benefits coverage outside the annual open
season.  Life events include but are not limited to marriage, death of a
spouse, birth or adoption of a child, or loss of coverage under a
non-Federal health plan.  In order for your human resources office to be
able to process these types of permissible changes, proof of the life event
must be provided.  Examples of acceptable documentation are:

	Change in marital status:  Marriage certificate or divorce decree (copy
	only; does not have to be certified)

	Addition of child:  Birth or adoption certificate.  Other evidence would 
	include proof of financial dependency when adding a foster child to your
	family policy.

	Loss of coverage under a non-Federal plan:  Letter from company stating
	loss of coverage.  This letter should include the date of termination of
	the health benefits coverage.

Your servicing human resources office will not be able to process your
health benefits change without the information listed above.

Unsung Hero

The Department of the Interior has established a new award, the Unsung
Hero.  This award recognizes employees:

	Who provide outstanding customer service to their clients;

	Whose behind-the scenes contributions result in an impact on successful
	mission accomplishment; and
		
	Who are extraordinarily dependable and dedicated.

Nominations may be submitted at any time for any U.S. Geological Survey
(USGS) employee by an emploeye or group of employees to the nominee's
division.  The nominations must include a one-page citation detailing the
employee's contributions.  A panel will meet quarterly to review the
nominations for the Unsung Hero; one recipient per division will be
selected each quarter.  Each recipient will receive a $150 net cash award.
Each year, the panel will select 10 of the winners for consideration by the
Department.  One nominee from each bureau will be selected as a
Departmental Unsung Hero and will receive a plaque and monetary award of
$1,849.

Employee Express

Employees are reminded to use Employee Express when making changes in
benefits, tax withholding, or allotments.  If you do not have a Personal
Identification Number, you should call the Help Desk at 912-757-3030 and
request a PIN.  This will enable you to make your changes through Employee
Express by calling
1-800-827-6254.  The Human Resources Office can no longer accept hard copy
forms for most benefits changes.  For the list of changes available through
Employee Express, you should refer to the all USGS employee e-mail sent
October 6, 1998, or call your servicing human resources office.