• If you want health insurance you must elect to enroll within 60 days of your appointment or you will not be covered. If you elect health insurance it is not effective until the beginning of the pay period after you make your election. • You will automatically participate in health insurance premium conversion if you elect health insurance. You have sixty days to sign a waiver if you do not want to participate. • You will have 60 days or until October 1 of any plan year to make an election to participate in the Flexible Spending Account. If you are hired on or after October 1 you are ineligible to participate in that plan year, but can elect during the open season for the following plan year. • You will automatically be enrolled in Basic life insurance. If you don't want any life insurance you must waive coverage. • If you want the optional life insurance (Options A, B, or C) you must elect the coverage within 31 days of your appointment. • If you want to participate in the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) you must make an election within 60 days of your appointment. • You must use the automated benefit systems to make your benefits elections: Employee Benefits Information System (EBIS) or The Benefits Line. Paper forms are not accepted. • You will have 60 days from the date of your appointment to elect Federal Long Term Care Insurance using abbreviated underwriting procedures. • If your appointment is limited to one year or less (Temporary appointment), you are not eligible for Life Insurance (FEGLI) or to contribute to the Federal employees retirement system or the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). However, you may be eligible for health benefits (FEHB) when you have completed one year of current continuous employment, excluding any break in service of 5 days or less. Read the sections below very carefully for additional information that may apply to you if you are a Temporary employee.

You Must Elect Health Insurance To Be Covered. You must make an election to enroll in health insurance within 60 days of the beginning of your appointment. Health insurance coverage is not automatic. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Publication RI 70-1, Guide to Federal Employees Health Benefits Plan For Civilian Employees gives an overview of the FEHB program. Cost for the Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) that are available in your area and nationwide fee-for-service plans open only to specific groups are contained in the RI 70-1. Before selecting a health insurance plan you should review the individual plan brochures. The RI 70-1 and individual plan brochures are available from the OPM health insurance Home Page at http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/index.htm. You must make your health insurance election using EBIS or The Benefits Line.

FEHB Premiums For Part Time Employees. If you are a part-time career employee, the Government contribution toward your health benefits is prorated in proportion to the percentage of full-time service you are regularly scheduled to perform. During each pay period in which your FEHB enrollment is in effect, you are responsible for paying all premiums in excess of the Government contribution, usually 25% of the total premium. If you are a part time employee, you can contact The Benefits Line (select option 4) for specific information about the cost of your FEHB depending upon your work schedule.

FEHB For Transferring Employees. If you are a transferring from another Federal agency or from another Navy activity not serviced by the HRSC-SW, your health benefits will automatically transfer to your new payroll office. If you remain under the same payroll office, there should be no change, and your health benefit premiums will continue to be deducted as usual. If you are transferring to a location that is outside the servicing area of the Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) in which you are enrolled, you must elect a new FEHB health plan that provides services in your new location. Employees moving outside the servicing area of an HMO are entitled to very limited benefits and their coverage may be cancelled by the health carrier without prior notice.

FEHB For Temporary Employees. If you are a new temporary employee, you are not immediately eligible to enroll in a health plan if you are on an appointment not to exceed one-year. However, if your appointment is extended beyond one year, you will be eligible to enroll in a health plan at that time. The one-year requirement for eligibility may be met at the end of a one-year appointment in a single agency, or a series of shorter appointments served in one or more agencies, as long as you have not had a break in service of more than 5 days. Please note that you must pay both the employee and the Government shares of the premium.

Effective Date of Health Insurance Coverage. Health insurance elections are effective on the first day of the first pay period that begins after you have made your election through the automated benefit systems and that follows a pay period during any part of which you were in pay status. This means that your FEHB election will never be effective during the first pay period you come to work. You can use your benefits as soon as your coverage becomes effective. There are no pre-existing condition limitations even if you change plans. If you elect to enroll in FEHB, you will receive your identification cards directly from the health insurance carrier.

You Can Make Changes To Health Insurance Enrollment During Open Season. Each year during open season you will have the opportunity to enroll in FEHB, change plans or change options. The annual open season for enrollment changes is held from the Monday of the second full workweek in November through the Monday of the second full workweek in December.

Life Events Allow Changes to Health Insurance Enrollment. There are various life events such as marriage, divorce, birth of a child, etc that allow changes to FEHB throughout the year. The changes must be made within 31 days before and up to 60 days after the event.

Health Insurance Premiums Are Withheld Before Taxes. Premiums for health insurance are withheld before federal taxes are calculated so your gross income for tax purposes is reduced. This is called FEHB Premium Conversion (FEHB-PC). If you elect FEHB coverage you will automatically be participating in FEHB-PC unless you waive participation.

There are several important aspects of FEHB-PC that you should consider before participating in FEHB-PC:

• Paying health insurance premiums with pre-tax money reduces the earning reported to the Social Security Administration. This may result in a somewhat lower Social Security benefit when you retire. • If you participate in FEHB-PC you are not able to deduct health insurance premiums as an itemized medical deduction on your income tax return. • By participating in FEHB-PC, you do not have the flexibility to cancel your health insurance coverage or change to a self-only enrollment from a family enrollment any time. You will be able make these changes only in conjunction with a qualifying life event or during the annual FEHB open season.

If you do not wish to participate in FEHB-PC you must sign a waiver form electing not to participate and forward to the HRSC that services you (located on page 1). The waiver form must be submitted at the time of your FEHB enrollment. You may request a copy of the waiver form by calling The Benefits Line or by printing the Waiver form, 12890/24 from the Civilian Benefits Home page (http://www.civilianbenefits.hroc.navy.mil)You can change whether you participate in FEHB-PC during the FEHB open season or if you have a qualifying life event. Additional information about FEHB-PC is available from the OPM FEHB web site at http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/pretaxfehb/index.htm.

Life Insurance Coverage For Employees With No Prior Federal Service. You are automatically covered by the Basic Life Insurance from your first day in a duty (at work) and pay status. If you do not want any FEGLI coverage you must waive (decline) coverage. In addition to the Basic Life Insurance, you can elect Option A - Standard, Option B – Additional, and Option C - Family. You do not have any optional insurance unless you elect it within 31 days of your appointment. If you elect Option A, B or C coverage it is effective the day the election is made through the automated benefit systems. Additional information about FEGLI is available at the OPM web site at http://www.opm.gov/insure/life/index.htm.

If you have not been processed in the personnel system, and you want to make your optional insurance effective immediately, please contact The Benefits Line.

Life Insurance Coverage For Transferring Employees. If you are a transferring from another Federal agency or from another Navy activity not serviced by the HRSC-SW, your Life Insurance coverage and deductions will automatically transfer to your new payroll office. If you remain under the same payroll office, your Life Insurance deductions will continue as usual.

Life Insurance Coverage For Rehired Former Employees.

Break in Service of Less Than 180 Days. If you are rehired after a break in service of less than 180 days, you will automatically have whatever life insurance you had if any before leaving Governmentand do not have an opportunity to make a new election to increase coverage. If you do not want any FEGLI coverage or want to decrease your current level of coverage you must make a new election.

Break in Service of at Least 180 Days. If you are rehired after a break in service of at least 180 days you will automatically have Basic insurance even if you previously waived all FEGLI coverage. You can elect any amount of optional insurance within 31 days of returning to service, regardless of the coverage you had during previous employment. If you fail to elect any type of optional insurance, you will automatically have the optional insurance you carried immediately before your break in service. If you do not want any FEGLI coverage, or want to increase or decrease your current level of coverage you must make a new election.

You May Elect Life Insurance By Passing A Physical. Pre-existing physical conditions will not prevent you from electing the FEGLI coverage when given the initial opportunity to elect (usually when you are first appointed). If you waived Basic coverage or did not elect additional options, you may elect coverage (or increase coverage) if:

• It has been one year since your last election, • You successfully pass a physical (at your own expense) and • Are approved by the Office of Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (OFEGLI).

You cannot elect Option C – Family by taking a physical

Life Events Allow Changes to Life Insurance Enrollment. There are various life events such as marriage, divorce, birth of a child, etc that allow changes to FEGLI throughout the year. The changes must be made within 60 days of the event. Certain life events will allow you to elect Option C – Family.

There Is No Annual Open Season For Life Insurance. OPM may announce a periodic open season for FEGLI enrollment, but it is very uncommon.

Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)

Most employees who started working for the Federal government after 31 December 1983 are automatically covered by FERS. The OPM Publication FERS (An Overview of Your Benefits) highlights the main features of FERS. You may download this publication at http://www.opm.gov/asd/pdf/ri90-001.pdf.

There are three components to FERS retirement benefits.

• Social Security. You automatically contribute 6.2% of your earnings up to the maximum taxable wage base to Social Security and 1.45% to Medicare. • FERS Basic Benefit Plan. As a FERS employee you will automatically participate in the FERS Basic Benefit Plan. You will contribute 0.80% of your earnings to the FERS Basic Benefit Plan. FERS employees under special retirement coverage such as firefighters, law enforcement officers, and air traffic controllers contribute a total of 1.3% of earnings to FERS. • TSP. TSP is a tax-deferred retirement savings and investment plan that offers you the same type of savings and tax benefits that many private corporations offer their employees under 401(k) plans. Your TSP account is the part of your retirement that you control. You decide how much of your pay to put in your account (up to the allowable limits), how to invest it, and, when you retire, you decide how you want your money paid out. Since TSP is a major component of FERS retirement you are encouraged to participate in TSP.

Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS)

CSRS. Prior to 1984, CSRS was the civilian retirement system for most Federal employees. Employees who separate from federal service and are rehired to a CSRS covered position within 365 days of the separation from a CSRS position may retain CSRS coverage. Most CSRS employees contribute 7% of basic pay toward retirement benefits and 1.45% to Medicare. CSRS employees under special retirement coverage such as firefighters, law enforcement officers, and air traffic controllers contribute a total of 7.5% of basic pay toward retirement benefits and 1.45% to Medicare.

CSRS Offset. A CSRS employee rehired on or after 1 January 1984 who has had a break in CSRS coverage of more than 365 days and who has at least 5 years of creditable civilian service by the end of 1986 is covered by CSRS Offset retirement. Employees covered under CSRS Offset pay Social Security and a reduced CSRS contribution. CSRS retirement and survivor benefits are offset by the value of the offset service in their Social Security benefits. A CSRS Offset employee pays 6.2% of earnings to Social Security, 0.80% to CSRS benefits and 1.45% to Medicare.

Eligibility To Participate In TSP. CSRS and CSRS Offset employees may elect to participate in TSP, but the participation rules are different than for FERS employees. For more information and to view the TSP summary booklet, please visit http://www.tsp.gov/forms/tspbk08.pdf.

Opportunity To Elect FERS. CSRS and CSRS Offset employees have 6-month opportunity to elect FERS when they are rehired after a break in service of more than 3 days. The OPM publication FERS Transfer Handbook gives an overview of the CSRS and FERS benefits. The handbook is available on the OPM website at http://www.opm.gov/fers_election/fersh/hb.pdf. You may print form SF-3109, Election of Coverage FERS, from the Benefits home page at http://www.civilianbenefits.hroc.navy.mil. Elections are mailed to the HRSC that services you (located on page 1).

If you have active duty military service, it is potentially creditable toward your civilian retirement. The rules for crediting the service depend upon your retirement system.

FERS RETIREMENT

FERS employees must make a deposit equal to 3% of military base pay plus interest to receive credit for post-56 military service in computing retirement annuity and eligibility.

Interest On Military Deposits. Interest begins to accrue on military deposits 2 years after you are first hired in a covered position. Interest is computed at a variable interest rate and no interest is actually charged if the deposit is completed before the end of the year after interest begins.

Retired Military. If you are retired military, you must waive your military retired pay (prior to retirement from your civilian job) in addition to making the deposit, if you want to receive credit for your military service toward your civilian retirement.

CSRS/CSRS OFFSET RETIREMENT

For CSRS and CSRS Offset employees the rules for crediting military service toward retirement depend upon the date first employed under CSRS.

First Employed Under CSRS Before 1 October 1982. If you were first employed under CSRS before 1 October 1982, eligibility to receive Social Security benefits at age 62 determines what rules apply to your post-1956 service. The Social Security Administration can advise you regarding your eligibility to receive Social Security benefits at age 62. If you will be eligible for Social Security at age 62 you have two options:

• You can make a deposit for post-1956 service and the service will be used for retirement eligibility and annuity calculations and you will avoid a reduction at age 62; or • You can decide not to make a deposit for post-1956 service and the service will be used for retirement eligibility and annuity calculations only until age 62. At age 62 your service will be deducted from your total years of service and your CSRS annuity will be recalculated based only on your years of civilian service. This is commonly referred to as "catch 62" since it affects retirees at age 62.

If you will not be eligible for Social Security at age 62 and you were first employed under CSRS before 1 October 1982, you do not need to make a deposit for post-1956 military service. Post-1956 military service will be used to meet length of service requirements for CSRS retirement eligibility and monthly retirement annuity benefits. At age 62 there will be no reduction in your CSRS annuity.

First Employed Under CSRS On Or After 1 October 1982. If you were first employed under CSRS on or after 1 October 1982, eligibility for Social Security benefits at age 62 is not a factor. A deposit is always required to credit post-1956 military service toward CSRS retirement length of service requirements and monthly retirement annuity computations. If you do not make a deposit, you will receive no credit for either purpose.

Interest On Military Deposits. For CSRS employees, interest begins to accrue on deposits for post-1956 military service on 1 October 1985, or 2 years after an individual is first employed (or reemployed after a period of military service) in a position subject to CSRS.

Retired Military. If you are retired military, you must waive your military retired pay (prior to retirement from your civilian job) in addition to making the deposit, if you want to receive credit for your military service toward your civilian retirement.

LEAVE AND EARNINGS STATEMENT (LES)

It is important to verify your benefits elections on your LES each pay period and notify a CSR immediately of any problem. An error in deductions may result in indebtedness to the government for which you must repay.

QUESTIONS ABOUT BENEFITS AND THE AUTOMATED SYSTEMS

If you have any questions about your benefits, please call The Benefits Line at 1-888-320-2917. Select option 4 to speak to a CSR. CSRs are available 7:30 am to 7:30 pm, Monday through Friday (Eastern Time). Hearing impaired employees should call the TTY line for their servicing HRSC that is listed on page 1 of this information sheet.

Overseas employees who have access to DSN service can connect to The Benefits Line by dialing the DSN number to Randolph AFB (RAFB), 487-1110. Once the RAFB operator answers please indicate that you want to make an "official off net call." The employee must provide The Benefits Line number, 888 320 2917.

ADDITIONAL WEB-SITES FOR DON EMPLOYEES

MISCELLANEOUS

Commander, Navy Region Southwest www.cnrsw.navy.mil
DOD Dictionary of Military Terms http://www.dtic.mil/doctrine/jel/doddict/
FedNews Online http://www.fpmi.com/FedNews
HRSC-SW http://www.donhr.navy.mil/HRSC/HRSC.asp?ItemArea=8
Office of Personnel Mgmt (OPM) http://www.opm.gov/index.asp
The Federal Times http://federaltimes.com/index.php

BENEFITS

Department of Navy's Civilian Benefits www.civilianbenefits.hroc.navy.mil
Federal Employees Retirement Calculator www.seniors.gov/fedcalc.html
OPM Federal Retirement Programs www.opm.gov/retire
OPM FEGLI Calculator http://www.opm.gov/calculator/worksheet.asp
OPM FEHB www.opm.gov/insure/health
Social Security Retirement Planner www.ssa.gov/retire
Thrift Savings Plan www.tsp.gov

LEAVE AND PAY

DFAS-MyPay -Leave and Earnings www.dfas.mil/emss
OPM Leave Administration www.opm.gov/oca/leave

JOB SEARCHES

Department of Navy Job Vacancies http://www.donhr.navy.mil/Jobs/default.asp
Navy On-Line Resume Builder www.chart.donhr.navy.mil
OPM Job Listings www.usajobs.opm.gov