Benefit Bits Date: Wed, 14 Jul 1999 08:27:05 -0400 To: "USGS Employees" From: "Cindy S. Wylie" Subject: Benefit Bits MEMORANDUM Supervisors, Managers, and Team Leaders: Please ensure that employees without access to email receive a copy of this message. To: All USGS Employees From: Joyce D. Pieritz Acting Personnel Officer Subject: Benefit Bits The topics this month will cover a variety of benefit areas. Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) This is a reminder that the current open season for the TSP will close on July 31, 1999. Anyone who would like to begin contributing to the TSP, change the amount of your TSP contributions, or reallocate your future TSP contributions among the 3 investment funds must do so through Employee Express by the closing date. If you do not have your Personal Identification Number (PIN), you should contact the Employee Express Help Desk at 1-800-827-6254. It takes 5 to 7 days to receive a new PIN. Early Out Window The current early out authority for the Department of Interior expires on September 30, 1999. If you are retiring under this authority, you must retire no later than September 30. The following Interior employees are not eligible for early out retirement under this authority: (1) Employees who have not been continuously on Interior's rolls since at least August 16, 1998; (2) Interior employees serving under time-limited appointments; and (3) Interior employees in receipt of a decision of involuntary separation for misconduct or unsatisfactory performance. Health Benefits and Nonpay Status Employees who will be in a nonpay status and whose salary will be insufficient to cover the cost of the health benefits premium must complete Form 9-1178 through their administrative office within 31 days to avoid termination of their health benefits coverage. Form 9-1178 is available from your servicing personnel office or your administrative office. A copy of the completed form should be forwarded to your servicing human resources office for their records. Generally, your enrollment may continue for up to 365 days of nonpay status. You pay the employee share of the premium for every pay period that your enrollment continues. Your enrollment will terminate at the end of the pay period which includes the 365th day of consecutive nonpay status. You have a 31-day extension of coverage and conversion rights. If you return to pay status for at least 4 consecutive months during which you are paid for at least part of each pay period, you are entitled to begin a new 365 day period of continued enrollment while in a nonpay status. If you wish to continue your coverage, you must elect to pay the premium directly or to incur a debt in the amount of the unpaid premiums. If you elect to pay directly, a check or money order would be sent to the Debt Management Branch in Denver. If you elect to incur a debt or elect to pay directly but fail to pay the entire amount due, deductions will automatically be taken from your pay when you return to work or when your pay becomes sufficient to cover the debt. By electing to continue health benefits coverage, you agree to repay the resulting debt in full and to allow the debt to be collected by withholding from any salary payments made to you by the Federal Government. Every 2 weeks the Debt Management Branch in Denver sends the human resources offices a list of employees with insufficient salaries to pay their health benefits premium. Having a copy of the form available will enable us to reconcile this list in a more timely and efficient manner. Any questions concerning the above subjects should be directed to your servicing human resources office.