BenefitsPay Table
View a PDF version of the 2008
Salary Table for Federal
employees. This salary table applies to GPO professional/administrative positions. The Public Printer has authority to set wages for employees at the GPO. At the present time, professional/adminisitrative pay matches that provided to Federal employees throughout the Government. Wages for employees in the crafts/trade areas are competitive with salaries for similar positions in the metro DC area.
Health Benefits
The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program helps
protect employees and eligible family members from the expenses
of illness and accident. It is a voluntary program and an
employee have 60 days from the date of an appointment to
enroll in any plan or waive coverage.
There are three basic types of health benefit plans available:
- fee-for-service,
- HMOs,
and
- point
of service
The Government and the employee share the cost of enrollment.
Premiums and coverage are adjusted annually. There is an
annual opportunity (open season) to make changes in enrollment.
For more comprehensive information, visit the OPM website
on Health
Benefits.
Group Life Insurance
Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) offers Federal
employees an opportunity to participate in a group plan that
offers low rates and the convenience of payment through payroll
deduction. FEGLI is term insurance. Participation is voluntary;
however, an employee is automatically covered for Basic Life
unless the coverage is waived. The Government pays one-third
of the cost of the Basic Life Insurance. Basic Insurance
equals the greater of $10,000 or the actual rate of annual
basic pay (rounded up to the next $1,000) plus $2,000. Accidental
death and dismemberment benefits are a feature of basic life
for employees. There is also an extra benefit for employees
under age 45.
Three insurance options are available to employees with
Basic coverage:
- Option
A - additional coverage of $10,000;
- Option
B - additional coverage up to five times
your rate of pay; and
- Option
C - Family coverage ($5,000 for spouse
and $2,500 for each eligible dependent child).
For more comprehensive information, visit the OPM website
on Life Insurance.
CSRS/FERS Retirement
Prior to 1984, the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS)
was the civilian retirement system for most Federal employees.
The retirement annuity formula for CSRS is roughly 2% for
each year of service times your high-3 (an average of your
highest three consecutive earning years).
The Social Security Amendments Act of 1983 required newly
hired or rehired (with more than a one-year break in federal
service covered by CSRS) employees may be covered by social
security. On 1 January 1987, the Federal Employees Retirement
System (FERS) became effective. The FERS system is a three
tiered system: a basic government pension that is approximately
1% for each year of service times your high-3 average salary;
a Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) which
provides employees with a pre-tax savings plan; and complete
coverage under the Social Security system.
Most new employees today are covered by the FERS retirement
system. For more comprehensive information, visit the OPM
website on Retirement.
Thrift Savings Plan
The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a retirement savings and
investment plan for Federal employees covered
by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)
and the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS)
The TSP offers:
- before
tax savings and tax deferred investment
earnings low administrative and investment expenses
- a
choice of three investment funds
- interfund
transfers
- an
attractive loan program
- a
choice of withdrawal options
The TSP is a contribution plan. The retirement income received
will depend upon how much (also by the GPO, if you are a
FERS employee) is contributed to your account during your
working years and the earnings on those contributions. Contributions
made to the TSP account are voluntary and separate from contributions
to the FERS or CSRS annuity. Newly hired employees must wait
a certain period of time before they become eligible to participate
in TSP. There are two open seasons held each year: May 15
- July 31 and November 15 - January 31.
TSP is an integral part of FERS employee retirement package.
FERS participants can contribute up to 14 % of their basic
pay each pay period. FERS employees are also entitled to
receive Agency contributions. Once a FERS employee is eligible
to participate in TSP, the Agency contributes an amount equal
to 1% of basic pay each pay period. When FERS employees begin
contributing to their TSP account, the Agency makes matching
contributions that apply to the first 5% of pay each pay
period. Your contributions are matched dollar for dollar
for the first 3% and 50 cents on the dollar for the next
2%.
Although CSRS employees do not receive Agency matching
or 1% contributions, they may contribute up to 9% of their
basic pay to the TSP. For more comprehensive information,
visit the TSP web page.
Student Loan Repayment Program
The Government Printing Office participates in the Federal
Student Loan Repayment Program. The program offers a written
agreement between the GPO and an employee under which the
employee agrees to a specified period of employment of not
less than 3 years in return for payments toward a student
loan previously obtained by the employee. As of January 1,
2004 the GPO will pay $10,000 per year, which is taxable
money. After the first three years the employee may then
sign on for one year at a time, up to $60,000 in his or her
lifetime. The Student Loan Repayment benefit will be available
for the recruitment of candidates with special skills into positions that are difficult to fill.
Flexible Spending Accounts
A flexible spending
account (FSA) is a program for Federal employees that
can save you money on health and dependent care. An FSA
allows you to set funds aside before taxes to pay for a
wide range of common expenses. You can save by reducing
your taxes and getting a discount of 20-40% while
paying for the care you need.
GPO's Federal Credit Union (GPOFCU)
All GPO employees are eligible to enroll in the GPOFCU.
Unlike other financial institutions, credit unions are owned
by the people who do business with them. Credit unions are
not-for-profit and there are no outside stockholders. That
means all excess profits are returned to the members in the
form of higher savings rates, lower loan rates and lower
fees for services than most other financial institutions.
Credit unions are well noted for the high level of service
provided to their members. GPOFCU offers a wide variety of
services. From savings and investments, to virtually every
type of loan, the Credit Union is a great place to take care
of most financial needs. And, access to accounts is available
through ATMs, direct deposit, audio response.
GPO's Employee Health and Occupational Resources
Employee
Assistance Branch - aids employees
with any personal or job-related problem
Fire Protection - responsible for fire prevention and
emergency preparedness
Industrial
Hygiene - devises engineering
controls in the work area so hazardous
agents or materials are confined or
otherwise kept away from employees
Medical
- provides medical care for employees
who become injured or ill while at
work, as well as a broad range of preventive
medicine services
Safety & Health
Committees - GPO management and the
unions have jointly established committees
to monitor safety and health conditions
Environmental
Programs - this program ensures
that the Agency and its employees conduct
their activities in an environmentally
responsible manner that complies with
applicable laws and regulations
Health
Promotion Programs- Health and wellness
services and programs include:
- Smoking
cessation classes
- Nutrition
and Fitness consultation
- Annual GPO
Health Fair
- World
AIDS Day
- Federal
Fitness Day
Work Schedules
Hours of Work: The majority of employees
have regularly scheduled workdays of 8 hours, totaling 80
hours in a pay period, and a half-hour unpaid lunch period.
Pay periods are 14 days, beginning on a Sunday and ending
on a Saturday.
Alternative Work Schedules (AWS): Most
Printing Office Grade (PG) employees may be permitted to
work a gliding work schedule or a compressed work schedule.
The glide allows some flexibility in the daily arrival time,
and the compressed allows an employee to fulfill the 80-hour
work requirement in less than 10 workdays.
Overtime Pay: In most cases, any work
beyond 8 hours in a day or 40 hours in a week is overtime
paid at "time and a half," that is, base pay
plus 50 percent. An employee must work overtime when ordered
by the supervisor.
Holidays/Leave
Federal Holidays: There are 10 Federal
holidays each calendar year.
Annual Leave: Full-time employees generally
earn 4 hours of annual leave each pay period, or 13 days
a year, during the first 3 years of Federal service, 6 hours
or 20 days for between 3 and 15 years of service, and 8 hours
or 26 days for more than 15 years. Part-time and intermittent
employees earn leave in proportion to their number of hours
worked.
Sick Leave: Full-time employees accrue
4 hours of sick leave each pay period, or 13 days a year
during each year of Federal Service. Unused sick leave may
be accumulated without limit.
Mass Transit Subsidy
MetroCheck Program (Metro Cards): The
GPO offers free fare cards valued at up to $100/month that
are available to all employees who are eligible for a transit
subsidy. Fare cards are for mass transit, such as, Metro,
MARC, VRE, or a qualifying vanpool. GPO was recognized as
one of Greater Washington DC Region's Best Workplaces
for Commuters, which includes employers that are committed
to improving quality of life for their employees while reducing
commuting costs, traffic congestion, and air pollution.
Parking Lots: The biweekly rate to park
in a GPO Lot is low cost. The GPO has several parking lots
located in proximity to the buildings.
The Federal Government's Long Term Care Program
Long term care insurance helps defray the costs
of when you need assistance. It also includes the kind
of care needed for severe
cognitive impairment like Alzheimer's. It covers
skilled, intermediate and custodial care in the home, an adult
day care center, an assisted living facility, a nursing
home, or a hospice facility. Some plans such
as the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program
also cover home care from informal providers. For more detailed
information on Long Term Care you can go to OPM's
Long Term Care Site.
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