May 2013 - Benefits Newsletter
What's New?
1. Benefits Calendar Of Events
Topics Of Interest:
2. Where Can I Find Information On Debt Collections And Garnishments?
3. Did You Know The NIH Offers Access To A Child And Dependent Back-Up Care Program To All Employees?
4. Can I Name A Minor Child As The Beneficiary For My Life Insurance?
5. If I Get Married Or Have A Child, What Changes Can I Make To My Benefits?
6. Will My Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Premiums Increase Over Time?
7. Employment And Income Verification – Use TALX – The Work Number®
8. Why Do I Need A myPay PIN And How Can I Get One?
9. Where Can I Find Information On Pay And Leave?
Where Do I Go If I Have Questions About My Benefits?
10. How Can I Get In Touch With My Benefits Contact?
11. Previous NIH Benefits Information – Did You Know? E-mails
What's New?
1. Benefits Calendar of Events
Topics Of Interest:
2.Where Can I Find Information On Debt Collections And Garnishments?
The processing and termination of debt collection and wage garnishment actions are the responsibility of the Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS). You must deal directly with DFAS at 888-332-7411. The address is Garnishment Operations-HGA, P.O. Box 998002, Cleveland OH 44199-8002. Documents related to this subject may also be faxed to 216-522-6960.
3. Did You Know The NIH Offers Access To A Child And Dependent Back-Up Care Program To All Employees?
NIH has contracted with Bright Horizons to provide access for the NIH Community to back-up care options. Over 300 NIH employees have already been served with back-up care when their regular child or adult/elder care is unavailable. The NIH Back-up Care Pilot Program provides not only child care options such as center base care, home base care, and mildly ill care, it also offers Adult/Elder care and Self-Care.
Anyone with a valid NIH e-mail address (employees, fellows, contractors) can register for the program. To learn more about this program and for free registration, visit the NIH Back-up Care Website. If you have questions, please contact the NIH Child Care Team at the Office of Research Services, Division of Amenities and Transportation Services at 301-402-8180.
4. Can I Name A Minor Child As The Beneficiary For My Life Insurance?
Yes, you can name a minor child as your beneficiary. However, the Office of Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (OFEGLI) will not make a payment to the child while he/she is a minor. When the beneficiary is a minor, OFEGLI adheres to certain guidelines (OPM). If you wish to designate or change your beneficiary, you may do so at any time by completing a Designation of Beneficiary Form, SF 2823 (OPM). After obtaining the signatures of two witnesses, submit your form to the Benefits and Payroll Liaison Branch in Bldg 31/Rm B3C23, MSC 2215. For employees located at NIEHS, submit your form to Donna Fisher, Keystone Bldg/Room 1108. If you do not file a designation form, OFEGLI will make payment based on the order of precedence (OPM) as set by law. For further information, please get in touch with your Benefits Contact.
5. If I Get Married Or Have A Child, What Changes Can I Make To My Benefits?
If you already have a self and family enrollment under the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program (OPM) and you wish to continue with the same health plan, you should contact your health plan directly to have the name of your new family member added. If you do not have a self and family enrollment or you want to switch plans, complete a Health Benefits Election Form, SF-2809 (pdf). Your completed SF-2809 must be received in the Benefits & Payroll Liaison Branch (BPLB) within 31 days prior to the date of the change in family status or within 60 days afterwards. If you are adding a spouse and want the coverage effective on the date of the marriage, you must submit your SF-2809 the pay period prior to the anticipated date of the marriage. If you are adding a child, the effective date of your coverage is the first day of the pay period in which the child becomes a family member. As supporting documentation, you must provide a copy of your marriage certificate or your child’s birth certificate as appropriate. Please note that the certificates may follow the submission of the SF-2809.
If you already have Basic coverage under the Federal Employees Group Life Insurance Program (OPM), you may elect Options A, B, and/or Option C or increase your multiples of Option B and/or Option C by completing a Life Insurance Election form, SF-2817 (pdf). If you are not enrolled in the program, you may elect Basic, plus any or all Optional insurance. Your completed SF-2817 must be received in the BPLB within 60 calendar days after the change in family status. You must also provide a copy of your marriage certificate or your child’s birth certificate. For additional information, speak with your Benefits Contact.
If you already have supplemental dental (OPM) and/or vision (OPM) coverage and want to add your spouse or child, contact BENEFEDS at 1-877-888-FEDS within 31 days before or 60 days after the date of the change in family status. To enroll or increase the amount of your Flexible Spending Account (OPM), contact SHPS at 1-877-FSA-FEDS within 31 days before or 60 days after the date of the change in family status. To apply for Long Term Care Insurance (OPM), contact the LTC Partners at 1-800-LTC-FEDS.
You may complete designation of beneficiary forms at any time. If you have already filed designation forms, make sure they are up to date. You may view some of your forms on-line by accessing your electronic Official Personnel Folder (eOPF). Designation of beneficiary forms may be completed for unpaid compensation (pdf), life insurance (pdf), retirement (CSRS or FERS), and the Thrift Savings Plan (pdf). You must have your beneficiary forms signed by two witnesses prior to submitting them. Please note that a witness is not eligible to receive payment as a beneficiary. The unpaid compensation, life insurance, and the FERS forms should be forward to the BPLB. The CSRS and TSP forms should be mailed directly to the address indicated on each form. If you are satisfied with the Order of Precedence (OPM) as set by law, you do not need to file designations.
The Benefits & Payroll Liaison Branch (BPLB) is located at 31 Center Drive, Bldg 31, Rm B3C23, MSC 2215, Bethesda, MD 20892-2215. (Note: NIEHS employees located in North Carolina should submit their forms to Donna Fisher, MSC K1-01, Rm 1108, 530 Davis Drive.) If you have questions, please notify your Benefits Contact.
6. Will My Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Premiums Increase Over Time?-
Yes, they may increase. The premium (OPM) for FEGLI Basic coverage is based upon your salary. The premiums for Optional coverage, Option A (Standard), Option B (Additional), and Option C (Family), are based upon your age group and sometimes your salary. The change in premiums resulting from age begins at age 35 and continues to increase in five year increments. If you notice a change in your FEGLI premiums on your Leave and Earnings Statement (LES), you should verify your cost by using the FEGLI calculator (OPM). Please refer any questions to your Benefits Contact.
7. Employment And Income Verification – Use TALX – The Work Number®
The Work Number®, is an automated system that provides proof of employment and income to verifiers. Workforce Solutions is widely known and used by over 50,000 entities including most major financial institutions, mortgage lenders, leasing companies, and private corporations to verify employment and income status of employees. The system provides a secure way for verifiers to obtain your employment information and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Before your information can be released to a verifier, you must give your authorization. NIH employees can use Workforce Solutions - The Work Number® in two easy steps:
1. Authorize the verification by completing the verifier’s (lender, bank, etc.) authorization form. When you try to access the system as an employee, you will be asked to enter a User ID and a PIN.
- Your user ID is your full SSN
- Your initial PIN is the last four digits of your SSN + full birth year (Example: 12341953)
Note: You will be prompted to enroll in the Enhanced Security or Risk Based Authentication. This is mandatory and must be completed in order to use the system.
2. Provide the verifier with:
- Workforce Solutions –The Work Number® access options - www.theworknumber.com or 1-800-367-5690
- HHS Employer Code: 14775
- Salary Key (if needed) (A salary key is a six digit electronic signature created by the employee that is good for a one time use by a verifier)
8. Why Do I Need A myPay PIN And How Can I Get One?
It is very important to have access to your myPay (DFAS) account so that you can view your Leave and Earnings Statement (LES) each pay day to verify that the correct deductions are being withheld and that your leave balances on your LES match the balances in ITAS. You must also use myPay to make changes to your home address, TSP contributions, direct deposit of pay, allotments, Federal tax withholdings, and Open Season health benefits elections. Additionally, some state tax withholdings must be made via myPay (DFAS). If you move to or from Maryland, you must complete a state tax form for your new state and submit it to the Benefits and Payroll Liaison Branch (Bldg 31/Rm B3C23) for processing. However, for movement between other states and/or the District, you must use myPay (DFAS).
To access the system, you will need your Login and Password. If you have forgotten your Login or Password, click the “Forgot Your Login ID?” or “Forgot or Need a Password?” link on the left side of the myPay (DFAS) screen. Using this method, your Password can be e-mailed to you if you pre-registered your e-mail address, or it can be mailed to your current home address of record within 7 to 10 business days
A second option for requesting a Password is to send a fax to 216-367-3549. You will need to include in your request your name, SSN, a daytime phone number, a copy of your NIH ID Card, and you must sign the fax. Upon receiving your fax, the Defense Finance & Accounting Service (DFAS) will reset your Password using a temporary Password. Your temporary Password will be 8 numbers, the last 4 numbers of your SSN twice. You will not receive a notice from DFAS that your Password has been reset. Simply wait at least two business days before logging into myPay (DFAS) to use your temporary Password. Upon logging in, you will be prompted to reset your Password. Information pertaining to establishing an acceptable Login and Password can be obtained at myPay FAQs (DFAS).
If you encounter problems with your Login and/or Password or technical issues using myPay (DFAS), contact the DFAS Centralized Customer Support Unit toll-free at 1-888-332-7411. This support line is available Monday through Friday, 7:00 A.M. to 6:30 P.M. Eastern Standard Time. They can provide assistance on how to use the options available to you in myPay. They will also provide support for establishing and changing your Login and/or Password.
9. Where Can I Find Information On Pay And Leave?
You can find a wealth of pay and leave information on our website. Additionally, you can find information on the most frequently asked payroll questions.
Where Do I Go If I Have Questions About My Benefits?
10. How Can I Get In Touch With My Benefits Contact?
Your contact in the Benefits and Payroll Liaison Branch will be able to help you with a variety of issues pertaining to the health and life insurance programs, designating beneficiaries, the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP), calculating your retirement annuity estimate, working with you to pay a redeposit for prior civilian service if you previously withdrew your retirement funds, paying a deposit for prior civilian or military service for which retirement deductions were not withheld, etc. To find your benefits contact, review our list of contacts. In addition, the Benefits and Payroll Liaison Branch (BPLB) website has an abundance of information regarding your Federal benefits. Don’t forget to check out the Benefits FAQs section.
Human resource topics not related to your benefits are normally handled by your Client Services Division HR Representative.
11. Previous NIH Benefits Information – Did You Know? E-mails
