| 2005
Program |
Dates
|
Election
Method |
Comments
|
| PostalEASE
and USPS PIN |
Anytime. See below for
open seasons. |
Use the PostalEASE
employee Web:
• At an employee self-service kiosk (available
at some facilities).
• On the Intranet at https://ewss.usps. gov/esymain.htm
(from the Blue page, under "Essential Links," click PostalEASE).
• On the Internet, go to liteblue. usps.gov.
By phone:
• Call 877-4PS-EASE (877-477-3273). |
• You must use your
Employee ID, printed at the top of your earnings statement - use all eight
digits, even if the first one is 0. Your Social Security number no longer
is used. A USPS PIN is required - if you have forgotten your PIN, request
a reminder letter via the Internet (follow instructions) or telephone (when
asked to enter PIN, wait, and then you will hear a reminder for letter choice).
• Your PIN is usually mailed to your address of
record the next business day. |
| Thrift Savings Plan Regular
Contributions |
Anytime |
You may begin or change
your TSP paycheck contribution dollar or percentage amount via PostalEASE.
|
• New for 2006, TSP
is eliminating the TSP percentage caps.
• The IRS maximum for 2006 is $15,000.
• Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) employees
wanting to maximize their contributions should consider making a whole dollar
contribution of $15,000/26=$577 per pay period to avoid loss of
USPS matching contributions.
• This becomes effective in December. |
| TSP 50+ Catch-Up Contributions
|
Anytime |
Via PostalEASE.
|
• You may contribute
up to an additional $5,000 if you are age 50 or older during 2006.
• Catch-up contribution elections for 2006 will
be accepted beginning at 12:01 P.M.
CT on December 21, 2005.
• You must certify that regular TSP contributions
are at TSP percentage maximum or will reach IRS maximum.
• Coming to you in the mail: PostalEASE
TSP Catch-Up worksheet. |
| TSP Investment Choices
|
Anytime |
You may make your investment
fund choice or interfund transfer of an existing balance by:
• Accessing the TSP Web site at www.tsp.gov.
• Calling ThriftLine toll-free at 877-968-3778;
TDD toll-free at 877-847-4385.
• Mailing Form TSP-50 (available from your local
Personnel office) to TSP. |
• You must use your
TSP PIN (not your USPS PIN).
• You may request a new TSP PIN via www.tsp.gov
or ThriftLine.
• TSP issues quarterly participant statements.
|
| Federal Employees Health
Benefits |
Opens: 11/14
Closes: 12/13
@ 5 P.M.
CT |
Via PostalEASE.
It is much simpler to process your election by using
the PostalEASE Employee Web than by calling PostalEASE.
|
• OPM requires information
about dependents - you must enter this information if electing a new family
plan.
• Mailing: FEHB guide (plan summary) with
PostalEASE FEHB worksheet.
• Individual plan brochures available from your
local Personnel office. |
| Flexible Spending Accounts
|
Opens: 11/14
Closes: 12/31
@ 5 P.M.
CT |
Via PostalEASE.
|
• Health Care FSA
maximum is $5,000.
• Dependent Care (day care) FSA maximum is $5,000.
• Over-the-counter medicines and drugs are eligible.
• New 2 1/2 month grace period to use up FSA contributions
is explained in brochure.
• Coming to you in the mail: post cards,
leaflet, brochure. |
| Annual Leave Exchange
|
Opens: 11/15
Closes: 12/15
@ 11:59 P.M.
CT |
Via PostalEASE.
|
• Career nonbargaining
employees from Rate Schedule Codes (RSCs) E, F, S, and U may exchange from
8 to 128 hours in whole-hour increments, if annual leave balance is at least
160 hours as of the close of business on January 6, 2006.
• Bargaining employees from RSCs C, K, M, N, P,
T, and Y may exchange from 8 to 40 hours in whole-hour increments, if annual
leave balance is at least 440 hours, and less than 75 hours of sick leave
has been used for the leave year as of the close of business on January
6, 2006.
• The lump sum is calculated on salary as of January
7, 2006. It is included in the January 27, 2006, paycheck and taxable in
2006.
• Coming to you in the mail: letter about
Annual Leave Exchange. |
| Allotments/Net-to- Bank
|
Anytime |
Via PostalEASE.
|
You must provide your
financial institution's routing number and your account number. |
