Office of Personnel Management

Retirement and Insurance Service

1920

1954

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1986

Federal Employee Benefit Programs

FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT LETTER

Number: F-97-03	Date: August 21, 1997

SUBJECT: TRANSMITTAL OF PAYROLL OFFICE LETTERS

So that you are kept informed of changing payroll system requirements, we are providing you with copies of all Payroll Office Letters issued in 1997 which have not been forwarded to the Chief Financial Officers.

P-97-01	Compendium of 1996 Payroll Office Letters

January 17, 1997

This letter provides the compendium of the payroll office letters issued during 1996 calendar year.

P-97-02	New Requirements for Payment of Health Benefit Premiums for Periods of Nonpay or Insufficient Pay

January 17, 1997

This letter discusses the new rules mandated by Public Law 104-208, enacted on September 30, 1996, and became effective immediately, concerning the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB) premiums remitted to the Office of Personnel Management for employees in a nonpay status or with insufficient pay to cover their contributions.

P-97-03	Payroll Office Directory

February 18, 1997

This letter requests for verification and correction of address of the payroll office, responsible for the preparation and maintenance of the Standard Form 2812 data (i.e. withholdings and contributions for health benefits, life insurance and retirement). Copy of this letter will only be provided upon request.

P-97-04	March Headcount

March 7, 1997

This letter requests the submission of the March 1997, Headcount by all payroll facilities. The Headcount is submitted twice annually (in March and September) and provides with the official enrollment in the Federal employee benefit programs (Retirement, Health Benefits and Life Insurance). The March 1997 Headcount Report was due to the Office of Personnel Management from agency payroll offices by April 1, 1997. Copy of this letter will only be provided upon request.

P-97-05	Agency Per Capita, Annual Revenue Confirmation Reports

March 14, 1997

This letter notifies payroll officers of the requirement to remit $80 to the Civil Service Requirement and Disability Fund (CSRDF), per the Workforce Restructuring Act of 1994 (Public Law 103-226), for each employee covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) or the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). The letter also advises all agency Chief Financial Officers of a new reporting requirement, the Annual Revenue Confirmation Report (ARC), to be completed by all payroll offices and submitted to the Office of Personnel Management by May 1, 1997.

P-97-06	Quarterly Reporting of Health Benefits Data

March 27, 1997

This letter advises that each Federal Employees Health Benefits carrier is required to reconcile its enrollment on quarterly basis. Payroll Offices are required to provide carriers with the names of enrollees by payroll office and the premiums paid for each of those enrollees for each current pay cycle. Beginning with the quarter ending March 31, 1997, each payroll office must send the quarterly Health Benefits Reconciliation report to all health plans.

P-97-07	Revised Agency Contribution Rates for the Federal Employees Retirement System	June 26, 1997

This letter provides the revised FERS normal cost and agency contribution rates for the various types of FERS employees. The new, lower contribution rates will be effective with the first pay period beginning on or after October 1, 1997.

Please contact us on (202) 606-0666 or via Internet email, finance@opm.gov, if you have any questions about these letters or have not received them.

/s/

William J. Washington, Chief

Financial Management Division

Retirement and Insurance Service

Enclosures