Finance

HANDBOOK REVISION

Handbook F-15 Revision, Part 3 Relocation (Non-bargaining only)

Effective July 1, 2005, Handbook F-15, Travel and Relocation, is revised with new reimbursement policy and procedures for advance round trip for finding, temporary quarters at the new duty station, and the return trip to old residence, for non-bargaining (non-executive) employees. Selected elements of the Purchase Service program are also revised.

We will incorporate these revisions into the next printed edition of Handbook F-15 and into the next online update available on the Postal ServiceTM PolicyNet Web site.

• Go to http://blue.usps.gov.

• Under "Essential Links" in the left-hand column, click on References.

• Under "References" in the right-hand column, under "Policies," click on PolicyNet.

• Then click on HBKs.

(The direct URL for the Postal Service PolicyNet Web site is http://blue.usps.gov/cpim.)

Handbook F-15, Travel and Relocation

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Part 3, Relocation (Non-bargaining only)

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Policies and Procedures

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Finding a Place to Live

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Reimbursable Expenses While Traveling on Your Advance Round Trip

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ALL NON EXECUTIVE EMPLOYEES, THEIR SPOUSE, AND THEIR DEPENDENTS

[Replace the table with the following text:]

See Lump Sum.

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Temporary Quarters

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What's Allowed

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Occupying Temporary Quarters in More Than One Location

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[Delete the title and text of the EAS Employees section.]

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Reimbursable Expenses

[Delete the second sentence of the first paragraph.]

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[In the table, delete the first row.]

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[Delete the title and text of the "Limitation of Reimbursement" section.]

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Return Trips to Your Former Residence

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[At the end of the "Return Trips to Your Former Residence" section, insert the new section on Lump Sum to read as follows:]

Lump Sum

Non-bargaining (non-executive) employees will receive a lump-sum payment, which replaces the current requirement to submit itemized expense reports for travel, lodging, per diem, and other expenses related to relocation for any advance round trip taken by the employee or immediate family to the new duty station, any temporary quarters required, and the return trip to the old residence.

The lump sum payment is an industry best practice and considers your family composition, whether you rent or own your at the old duty station, and your relocation destination. The lump sum eliminates the necessity for you to submit receipts to support expense reports, and allows efficient access to funds to cover travel expenses. Payment will be made when requested through the RMF Online Expense Report program. Components used in the lump-sum calculation are:

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Buying and Selling a

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Purchasing Service

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Using RMF Services

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Services Provided

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Eligibility

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—National Accounting, Finance, 7-21-05

NOTICE

Local Tax Code Information

The Postal ServiceTM collects appropriate federal, state, and in some cases, local taxes directly from the pay of our employees who are subject to these deductions. Based on agreements between individual local taxation authorities and the United States Treasury Department, the Postal Service collects a number of occupational license taxes, city and/or county income taxes, revenue taxes, senior citizen taxes, mental health taxes, residence taxes, or, in some locations, two of these taxes. This updated Local Tax Code (LTC) listing adds a number of additional tax collection locations, and indicates the type(s) of taxes collected directly from our employees via payroll deduction procedures.

Some of the taxes shown below are automatically deducted from the salaries of Postal Service employees who live or work within the geographic boundaries of specific taxing authorities. However, most of these taxes have not been established as automatic deductions. If you are subject to any of these local taxes, you must be proactive and complete and submit the proper taxation paperwork. Frequent contact between the Postal Service, the Department of the Treasury, the Internal Revenue Service, and these taxing authorities indicates that many employees are not having the appropriate amounts withheld from their pay. You are reminded that, as a Postal Service employee, you are personally responsible for ensuring that the correct local taxes are deducted from your pay.

All Postal Service employees are reminded that they are bound by the materials contained within the Code of Ethics, Principles of Ethical Conduct for Government Officers and Employees. This includes Principle 12 which states: "An employee shall satisfy in good faith their obligations as citizens, including all just financial obligations, especially those - such as federal, state, or local taxes - that are imposed by law."

If you live or work in a locality that is subject to one (or more) of the taxes listed below and the correct deduction(s) is not being assessed from your pay, you should immediately complete a Form PS 4, Employee's City or County Withholding Certificate. After completing these forms, forward them to the appropriate Personnel Office for entry into your master file.

—Payroll Accounting,
Finance, 7-21-05

STAND-UP TALK

Proper Completion of PS Form 8105-A, Funds Transaction Report

The Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) Compliance Office has received numerous questions about how to complete PS Form 8105-A, Funds Transaction Report, and the documentation that local offices may maintain. The following information is provided in response to those questions.

Acceptable Forms of Identification

Customers who wish to purchase money orders, Sure Money®, or stored value cards for $3,000 or more during the same business day must provide government-issued identification and a Social Security number or acceptable alternative as outlined below. The following identifications are acceptable replacements for a Social Security number:

1. Passport number - the country of issuance must also be entered.

2. Alien registration number.

3. Military ID number.

4. Employer identification number (EIN).

5. Tax identification number (TIN).

No other forms of identification can be used in lieu of a Social Security number.

The following are acceptable forms of government- issued photo identification:

1. State-issued identification - driver's license or photo-ID card.

2. Matricula consular identification card issued by the government of Mexico.

3. Visa border-crossing identification card issued by the United States government.

4. Tribal Identification cards, which are issued by Indian tribes throughout the United States.

Except for passports and matricula consular cards, no photo identification from other countries may be accepted.

Documentation at Local Offices

For privacy reasons, copies of completed PS Form 8105-A and PS Form 8105-B, Suspicious Transaction Report, must not be maintained at local offices. If local offices wish to maintain documentation of completed forms, they may maintain a log of applicable transactions (see page 10 in this Postal Bulletin).

If an office believes that a PS Form 8105-A that it completed was not entered into the BSA database, the office may send an e-mail message to the BSA Compliance Office at bsa@usps.gov to report the omission. The following information relating to the transaction must be sent in the e-mail message:

1. Inclusive serial numbers of the transaction, as follows:

a. Beginning serial number.

b. Ending serial number.

2. Customer's last name.

3. Transaction date.

4. Transaction amount.

5. Office Finance number or unit ID.

6. Office telephone number.

The BSA Compliance Office will research and, if appropriate, update the BSA database to indicate that the required PS Form 8105-A was completed.

Any questions regarding the proper completion of PS Form 8105-A can be directed to the BSA Compliance Office at 202-268-6804 or via e-mail to bsa@usps.gov.

—Corporate Treasury,
Finance, 7-21-05

PS Form 8105-A Tracking Log