Enrollment for 2008 FSAs begins: November 10, 2008
Enrollment ends: December 28, 2008 (5:00 p.m. CT)
Enrollments are effective: January 1, 2009
New — Extended PostalEASE Self-Service Deadline
for FSA BELATED ENROLLMENT is
Jan. 31, 2009, 5:00 p.m. Central Time (CT)
Since the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) authorized belated enrollment for the Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program, you may make belated FSA Open Season elections if the FEHB benefit changes affect your FSA enrollment decision.
PostalEASE Employee Self-Service Belated Enrollment for FSA
n PostalEASE self-service FSA elections are available through Jan. 31, 2009, at 5:00 p.m. CT on LiteBlue and Blue, and at employee kiosks. Select FSA and then the Belated Open Season button. Only employees who are making their first FSA election for 2009 can use PostalEASE — it is not for employees who already have made an FSA election for 2009 that has been processed and now wish to change their election.
n Employees who cannot use PostalEASE to make a belated FSA election must complete a PostalEASE FSA worksheet including the block at the bottom with name, employee ID, signature, and date.
n The PostalEASE FSA worksheet is included in the Nov. 2008 FSA brochure that was mailed to employees at their addresses of record in Nov. You can also find a copy on the Internet at https://liteblue.usps.gov and on the Intranet at http://blue.usps.gov; click Open Season Benefits Elections — PostalEASE Self-Service Extended Deadlines! and then FSA for the worksheet.
n Mail the worksheet to HR Shared Service Center, P.O. Box 970400, Greensboro, NC 27497-0400, or fax the completed worksheet to the HRSSC at 651-994-3543.
FSA worksheets for this belated enrollment period postmarked after Jan. 31, 2009, or faxed on that date after 5:00 p.m. CT, are past the deadline and will be returned unprocessed.
Access the PostalEASE Web:
n On the Internet at https://liteblue.usps.gov. Under “Employee Self Service,” select PostalEASE.
n On the Intranet at http://blue.usps.gov. Under “Employee Resources,” select PostalEASE.
n At an employee self-service kiosk.
You cannot seek reimbursement from the 2009 FSA for the expenses of service or items received before the effective date of your participation. Maximum and minimum election amounts will be prorated.
Date and Time Open Season Enrollment Is Processed in PostalEASE or Belated Enrollment Is Received by HRSSC
|
Effective Date of FSA Participation and First Date to Receive Services or Items That Can Be Reimbursed From the 2009 FSA
|
Maximum FSA Contribution Amount
|
FSA Open Season Enrollment by Dec. 28, 2008, 5:00 p.m. Central Time (CT)
|
Jan. 1, 2009
|
$5,000
|
Belated Enrollment from Dec. 28, 2008, 5:01 p.m., through Jan. 2, 11:59 p.m. CT
|
Jan. 3, 2009
|
$4,807
|
Belated Enrollment from Jan. 3, 2009, 12:01 a.m., through Jan. 16, 2009, 11:59 p.m. CT
|
Jan. 17, 2009
|
$4,615
|
Belated Enrollment from Jan. 17, 2009, 12:01 a.m., through Jan. 30, 11:59 p.m. CT
|
Jan. 31, 2009
|
$4,423
|
Belated Enrollment from Jan. 31, 2009, 12:01 a.m., through Jan. 31, 5:00 p.m. CT
|
Feb. 14, 2009
|
$4,230
|
Please post on all bulletin boards through Jan. 31, 2009
(Page 1 of 2)
For this belated enrollment period only, if an election is submitted with an FSA contribution that is higher than the permitted maximum, the HR Shared Service Center will process the election for the highest possible amount.
An FSA rule will apply to employees who make a Health Care FSA election and subsequently elect an increased Health Care FSA contribution amount. Employees can only be reimbursed up to the original Health Care FSA contribution level for the expenses of eligible services or items received before the effective date of the increase. After that, the full increased amount is available.
An FSA rule will apply to employees who make an FSA election and subsequently elect a decreased FSA contribution amount. The FSA contribution may be decreased no lower than either the amount already contributed in 2009 (plus any contributions missed because of low pay or leave without pay) or the amount claimed, whichever is higher. The decreased contribution amount may be adjusted upward if needed to reflect claims that were in processing when the decreased amount was elected.
For this belated enrollment period only, if an election is submitted with an FSA contribution that is lower than the permitted minimum, the HR Shared Service Center will process the election for the lowest possible amount.
Reminder — the Dependent Care FSA is not for the Health Care Expenses of Your Dependents
To cover those, enroll in the Health Care FSA. The Dependent Care FSA is used to cover eligible expenses for your qualified dependents as explained in the FSA brochure and permitted by the IRS, such as payments to day care centers, nursery schools, summer day camps, and elder care centers. If you enroll for the Dependent Care FSA and do not have eligible Dependent Care expenses, under IRS “use it or lose it” rules for FSAs, you will lose your Dependent Care FSA contributions.
Find this on the Internet at https://liteblue.usps.gov and on the Intranet at http://blue.usps.gov; click Open Season Benefits Elections — PostalEASE Self-Service Extended Deadlines! then FSA. Then, if you need help with your belated enrollment request, call the HR Shared Service Center at 877-477-3273, and select option 5. TTY is 866–260–7507.
If you have questions about the FSA Program, Covered Expenses, and How FSAs Work, call the FSA hotline at 800-842-2026. TTY is 888-697-9056 (advance call to hotline encouraged).
If this notice does not affect you, there is no need to take action.
— Compensation, Human Resources, 1-1-09
Please post on all bulletin boards through Jan. 31, 2009
(Page 2 of 2)
