5 Employee Benefits

5 Employee Benefits

5 Employee Benefits

511.1 Administration Policy

511.2 Responsibilities

511.3 Eligibility

511.4 Unscheduled Absence

512 Annual Leave

512.2 Determining Annual Leave Category

512.3 Accrual and Crediting

512.4 Authorizing Annual Leave

512.5 Leave Charge Information

512.6 Vacation Planning and Special Programs

512.7 Separation Adjustments

512.8 Transfers

512.9 Recrediting Annual Leave

513.2 Accrual and Crediting

513.3 Authorizing Sick Leave

513.4 Charging Sick Leave

513.5 Advanced Sick Leave

513.6 Leave Charge Adjustments

513.7 Transfer or Reemployment

513.8 Retirements or Separations

513.9 Collection for Unearned Sick Leave

514 Leave Without Pay

514.1 Essential Features

514.3 Authority to Approve

514.4 Acceptable Reasons and Instructions

514.5 Forms Required

515 Absence for Family Care or Illness of Employee

515.2 Definitions

515.3 Eligibility

515.4 Leave Requirements

515.5 Notice and Documentation

515.6 Intermittent Leave or Reduced Schedule

515.7 Return to Position

515.9 Family Leave Poster

516 Absences for Court–Related Service

516.2 Court Leave

516.3 Conditions Affecting Court–Related Service

516.5 Official Duty

516.6 Witness Service in a Nonofficial Capacity on Behalf of a Private Party

517 Paid Military Leave

517.2 Eligibility

517.3 Procedures

517.4 Military Leave Allowances

517.5 Leave Charge Information

517.6 Conflict With Work Schedule

517.7 Records Control

518 Holiday Leave

518.1 Observed Holidays

518.2 Holidays on Nonscheduled Workdays

518.3 Holidays on Scheduled Workdays

518.4 Eligibility for Holiday Pay

518.5 Provisions for Rural Carriers and Substitutes

518.6 Provisions for Postmasters

519 Administrative Leave

519.1 Definition

519.2 Special Conditions

519.3 Civil Participation

519.4 National Day of Observance

519.5 Medical Events

519.6 Special Events — Postal Service Invitation

519.7 Nonbargaining Unit Personal Absence

520 Health Benefits Program

521 Administration and Eligibility

521.2 Eligible Employees

521.3 Employees Not Eligible

521.4 Family Member Eligibility

521.5 Relatives Not Eligible

521.6 Former Spouses

521.7 Temporary Continuation of Coverage

521.8 Postal Service Health Benefits Education Program

522 Health Insurance Plans Available

522.1 Types of Participating Plans

522.2 Description of Participating Plans

523 Election Procedures

523.2 Employee Declines to Enroll

523.3 Late Enrollment or Change in Enrollment

523.4 Enrollment by Proxy

523.5 Enrollment in an Employee Organization Plan

523.6 Enrollment by a Former Spouse

524.1 Types of Enrollment

524.2 Husband and Wife Both Eligible to Enroll

524.3 Dual Coverage Restriction

524.4 Correction of Erroneous Enrollment

524.5 Enrollment or Change in Enrollment

524.6 Effective Date of Enrollment or Enrollment Change

524.7 Termination of Enrollment

524.8 Cost of Enrollment

524.9 Enrollments for Former Spouses

525 Special Circumstances Affecting Health Insurance Coverage

525.1 Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs

525.2 Employees in Nonpay Status

525.3 Military Service

525.4 Coverage Into Retirement

525.5 Death of an Employee

525.6 Transfer to or From Overseas Post of Duty

525.7 Move Outside Service Area of a Comprehensive Plan

525.8 Employment Transfer

526 Self–Support Determinations

526.1 Physical and Mental Incapacity Requirement

526.2 Financial Dependency

526.3 Medical Requirement

526.4 Medical Determinations

526.5 Procedures for Notifying the Health Benefits Plan

527 Privacy Act Considerations

527.1 Disclosure

527.2 Maintenance

527.3 Privacy Act Requests

528 Employee Appeals

528.1 Appeal of Refusal to Allow Enrollment or Change of Enrollment

528.2 Appeal of Claim Denial

530 Life Insurance Program

531 Administration and Eligibility

531.2 Eligible Employees

531.3 Exclusions

532.1 Based on Pay

533 Cost, Payment, Withholdings

533.1 Basic Insurance Cost

533.2 Optional Insurance

534 Special Circumstances Affecting Coverage

534.2 Service in Employee Organization

534.3 Employees Receiving OWCP Benefits

534.4 Living Benefits

534.5 Assignment of Life Insurance

534.6 Erroneous Enrollments

535.1 Acquiring Coverage

535.2 Waiver of Basic Insurance

535.3 Declination of Optional Insurance

535.4 Effect of Waiver or Declination

535.5 Cancellation of Insurance Coverage

535.6 Termination

535.7 Conversion

535.8 Canceling Waivers or Declinations

535.9 Exceptions for Canceling a Declination of Optional Insurance

536.1 Requirements for Continuance

536.3 Reduction After Retirement

536.4 Living Benefits

536.5 Assignment of Life Insurance

537 Reemployed Annuitants

537.3 Designation of Beneficiary

538 Beneficiaries, Benefits Payable, Claims

538.1 Beneficiaries

538.2 Benefits Payable

539 Insurance Forms

539.2 Privacy Act Considerations

540 Injury Compensation Program

541.1 Background

541.2 Definitions

542 FECA Claim Requirements

542.1 Employee Claims for Injury or Illness

542.2 Evidence Required

542.3 Penalties

543 Employee Rights

543.1 Waiver of Compensation Rights

543.2 Withdrawal of Claim

543.3 Medical Care

543.4 Continuation of Regular Pay or Leave for Disabling Injuries

544 Reporting Procedures

544.1 Responsibilities

544.2 Criteria and Time Limits

545 Control Office or Control Point Claim Management Responsibility

545.2 Authorizing Examination and/or Treatment With Form CA–16

545.3 Return to Work Responsibility

545.4 Implementing Medical Care

545.5 Monitoring the Employee’s Medical Care

545.6 Fitness-for-Duty Examinations

545.7 Continuation of Pay by the Postal Service

545.8 Compensation by OWCP for Disability

545.9 Managing Extended Leave Cases

546 Reassignment or Reemployment of Employees Injured on Duty

546.2 Collective Bargaining Agreements

546.3 Restoration Rights

546.4 Employee Appeal Rights

546.5 Retirement Considerations

546.6 Reassignment and Reemployment Procedures

547 Third Party Liability

547.2 Background

547.3 Definitions and Use of Terms

547.4 Responsibility

547.5 Third Party Recovery Action

547.6 Release of Information

547.7 Settlement of Claims

547.8 Third Party Recovery Action — Court Action

550 Unemployment Compensation

551.1 Legal Guidelines

551.2 Qualification Factors

551.3 Disqualification Factors

551.4 Information to State Employment Security Agencies

552 Responsibilities

552.1 Headquarters

552.3 State Coordinators

552.4 Installation Heads

552.5 Eagan Accounting Service Center

553 Explanation of Forms and Procedures

553.1 Postal Service Procedures

553.2 State Agency Forms and Procedures

554.1 State Law Requirements

554.2 Initial Level Appeals by Claimants

554.3 Initial Level Appeals by the Postal Service

554.4 Postal Service Participation in Appeals

554.5 Appeals (Second Level) to State Appellate Board

554.6 Postal Service Appeals to State Courts

560 Civil Service Retirement Program

561.2 Administration

561.3 Employees Covered

561.4 CSRS Offset

561.5 Exclusions

562 Creditable Service

562.2 Federal Civilian Service

562.3 Military Service

562.4 Credit For Unused Sick Leave

562.5 Computing Total Length of Service

563 Annuities — Requirements and Procedures

563.1 General Requirements

563.2 Requirements and Procedures by Type of Separation

563.3 Deferred Annuity

564 Types of Annuities

564.1 Annuity Without Survivor Benefits

564.2 Annuity with Survivor Benefits

564.3 Election of Annuity

565 Employee’s Retirement Account

565.1 Deductions from Current Earnings

565.2 Deposits for Prior Service

565.3 Redeposits

565.4 Voluntary Contributions

565.5 Refund of Deductions

566 Annuity Computation

566.1 Effective Dates

566.2 Factors Affecting Annuity Computations

566.3 General Formula

566.4 Disability Retirement

566.5 Reemployed Annuitants, Additional Annuity

566.6 Alternative Form of Annuity/Payment of Lump–Sum Credit

567 Death Benefits — Death in Service

567.1 Survivor Annuity

567.2 Lump–Sum Benefit

567.3 Procedure Upon Death of an Employee or Annuitant

568 Management–Initiated Disability Retirement Procedures

568.2 OPM Action

569 General Retirement Information

569.1 Retirement Counseling

569.2 Retirement Forms

569.3 Retirement Account Information

569.4 Information Source for Separated or Retired Employees

569.5 Information Source for Employees

569.6 Federal Income Tax

569.7 Privacy Act Considerations

570 Social Security and Medicare

571 General Information

571.2 Social Security

572.1 Employees Covered

572.2 Exclusions From Social Security and Medicare

572.3 FERS Employees

573 Social Security and Medicare Contributions

573.1 Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) Taxes

573.2 Allowances Not Subject to FICA Taxes

574 Quarters of Coverage

574.1 Social Security Quarter of Coverage

574.2 Federal Quarter of Coverage (Medicare)

574.3 Insured Status

574.4 Coverage Requirements for Benefits

575.1 Social Security

575.2 Medicare (Hospital and Medical)

575.3 Events That Can Affect Benefits

575.4 Elimination of Retirement Windfall Benefits

575.5 Computation of Benefits

575.6 Government Pension Offset

580 Federal Employees Retirement System

581.2 Administration

581.3 Employees Covered

581.4 Exclusions

581.5 Employees Covered

581.6 Exclusions

581.7 Employees Covered

581.8 Exclusions

582 Creditable Service

582.2 Deductions Refunded

582.3 Part-Time Service

582.4 Employee Receiving OWCP Benefits

582.5 Employee Restored After Erroneous Removal or Suspension

582.6 Employee Granted LWOP to Serve Full-Time in Employee Organizations

582.7 Military Service

582.8 Transfers to FERS

583.1 General Requirements

583.2 Requirements and Procedures by Types of Separations

583.3 Deferred Annuity

584 Types of Annuities

584.1 Annuity Without Survivor Benefits

584.2 Annuity With Survivor Benefits

584.3 Election of Annuity

585 Employee’s Retirement Account

585.1 Deduction From Current Earnings

585.2 Percentages Withheld

585.3 Service Credit Deposit

585.4 Redeposits

585.5 Refund of Deductions

586 Annuity Computation

586.1 Effective Date

586.2 Factors Affecting Annuity Computations

586.4 Transferees to FERS

586.5 Disability Retirement

586.6 Reemployed Annuitants — Additional Annuity

586.7 Alternative Form of Annuity

586.8 Cost–of–Living Adjustments (COLA)

587 Death Benefits — Death in Service

587.1 Basic Employee Death Benefit

587.2 Survivor Benefit — Spousal

587.3 Refund of Contributions

587.4 Former Spouse(s)

587.5 Child Annuities

587.6 Procedures Upon Death of an Employee

588 Management-Initiated Disability Retirement Procedures

588.2 Procedures

588.3 Processing by OPM

588.4 Cancellation of Retirement

588.5 Employee’s Status Pending OPM’s Decision

589 General Retirement Information

589.1 Retirement Counseling

589.2 Retirement Forms

589.3 Information Source for Separated or Retired Employees

589.4 Information Source for Employees

589.5 Federal Income Tax

589.6 Privacy Act Considerations

590 Thrift Savings Plan

591.1 Description

591.2 Enrollment

591.3 Eligibility to Contribute

592 Contributions

592.1 Basic Pay

592.2 Contribution Rates

592.3 Maximum Contribution Rates

592.4 Automatic Contributions

592.5 Matching Contributions

592.6 Vesting of Contributions

592.7 Maximum Contribution Amount

592.9 Insufficient Earnings

593 Investments

593.1 Funds Available

593.2 Investment Options

593.3 Participant Statements

594 Adjustments

594.1 Responsibility

594.2 Elections Not Processed

594.3 Over-deductions

594.4 Under-deductions

594.5 Resuming and Make-up Contributions When Returning from Military Leave

594.6 Erroneous Retirement System

594.7 Back-Pay Awards

594.8 Claim Procedure

595 Termination of Contributions

595.1 Definition

595.2 Submissions

595.3 Effective Date

596.1 Eligibility

596.2 Types of Loans

596.3 Applications

596.4 Loan Repayment

597 Withdrawal of Funds

597.1 Eligibility

597.2 Withdrawals upon Separation

597.3 In-Service Withdrawals

597.5 Withdrawal Packages

597.6 Additional Information

597.7 Return to Federal Service

598 Court Orders

598.2 Requirements

598.3 Notification

598.4 Effect on Withdrawal Options

598.5 Effect on Loans

598.7 Additional Information

599 TSP Contact Mailing and Fax Information

599.1 Forms and General Correspondence

599.2 Loan Payments

599.3 Transfers or Rollovers of Funds to the TSP

599.4 Court Orders and Legal Process Actions

599.5 Death Benefits Claims

599.6 Federal Tax Levies and Criminal Restitution Orders