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New Employee Orientation - Employee Benefits

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Eligibility for employee benefits depends on your type of appointment and your tour of duty.  Generally, you must be hired under a non-temporary appointment, and have a regular tour of duty.  Ask your supervisor if you are not sure.

The benefits for which you may be entitled are described below.  These include:

Carefully read each of the relevant topics, and if you'd like, print the information for future reference.  Please note the specific time frames for making these decisions.  Forms are due in the Human Resources Benefits office by the deadline.

Please contact your Benefits Specialist, if you have any questions regarding employee benefits. Our Address is:

USDA, APHIS, MRPBS, Human Resources
Benefits Team
100 North 6th Street, Butler Square 5th Floor
Minneapolis, MN  55403-1588

GENERAL ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS:

Tour of duty (work schedule) is:

  • Full time
  • Part time

Appointment type is: 

  • Career or Career Conditional 
  • Excepted or Excepted Conditional or Excepted Indefinite
  • Term, exceeding more than one year
  • Excepted, exceeding more than one year
  • TAPER
  • Provisional 

Exceptions: 

Intermittent employees on Career or Career Conditional appointments are eligible for retirement coverage, but not insurance benefits.

If hired under the Student Career Experience Program (SCEP), and student is expected to be in a pay status for less than one third of the time from the date of appointment to the completion of the work-study program, the student is eligible for retirement coverage, but not for insurance benefits.

ELIGIBILITY FOR BENEFITS CHARTS (PDF; 27Kb)

GENERALLY NOT ELIGIBLE FOR BENEFITS:

Tour of duty (work schedule) is:

  • Intermittent
  • Mixed Tour, expected to work less than 6 months in a year
  • Seasonal, expected to work less than 6 months in a year

Appointment type is:

  • Temporary not to exceed one year
  • Excepted not to exceed one year 

 

Health Insurance
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Federal Employees have a variety of health plans to choose from.  Link to the Office of Personnel Management's web site http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/index.htm, where you will find information to help you compare and choose a plan.  Review the Guide to Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Plans, RI-70-1, which lists the premiums and basic benefits for each plan.  Part time employees (16-32 hours per week) pay higher premiums than those shown in this Guide. Before you make a selection, review the individual plan brochures.

When you have decided on a health plan, please print and review the instructions to the Health Benefits Registration form, then complete parts A through G of the Health Benefits Registration Form, SF 2809 (http://www.opm.gov/forms/html/sf.asp).  Print, sign, and return this form to the, Human Resources Benefits office (address above) within 60 days of your appointment, even if you elect not to enroll. 

New enrollments are effective the first day of the pay period which begins after the completed SF-2809 is received by the Human Resources Benefits office and which follows a pay period during any part of which you were in a pay status.  You will receive a copy of the form returned to you after we have processed it, showing the effective date.  This is your proof of coverage until your health plan sends you identification cards.  Watch your statement of earnings and leave for the health benefit premiums to be deducted, and you can expect your health plan ID cards to arrive several weeks after that.

If you elect to be covered by an FEHB plan, your health insurance premiums are automatically paid on a pre-tax basis from your salary, which means your taxable income is lower for Federal, State, Social Security and Medicare taxes. For additional information on using pre-tax dollars to pay your health insurance, go to http://www.opm.gov/insure/health/reference/premconversion/index.asp .  If you want to waive participation and have your health insurance premiums deducted from your pay on an after-tax basis (which means more of your income is taxable), you must complete a waiver form and send it with your completed SF-2809, Health Benefits Registration form. Please contact your Benefits Specialist for the pre-tax waiver form. Click here for the name, email address, and phone number of your Benefits Specialist.

Employees transferring from one Federal agency to another are not generally eligible to change health benefits elections.  Please watch your earnings statement to be sure that your previous health insurance coverage continues.  If your transfer requires a move out of your health benefits service area, or other loss of health insurance coverage, you may be eligible to elect a new health plan.
Future enrollments or changes can be made during the annual health benefits open season, or during time limits stated in the Table of Permissible Changes.


Dental and Vision Insurance
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Dental and Vision Insurance offers you choices to supplement your health plan’s dental and vision coverage. Go to the http://www.opm.gov/insure/dental/chooseindex.asp web site for complete information on the Federal Dental and Vision Plans (FEDVIP), including the details of each plan, the cost, and how to enroll. If you choose to enroll, you have 60 days from the date of employment to complete your enrollment using the FEDVIP enrollment process https://www.benefeds.com/.

Employees transferring from one Federal agency to another are generally not eligible to change Dental/Vision elections unless moving out of a regional plan's service area. Transferring employees who are already enrolled in a Federal Dental/Vision plan are required to contact https://www.benefeds.com/ to report the change in employing Federal agencies and payroll offices. This is not a deduction that automatically transfers from one Federal agency to another. Watch your future earnings statements for the deductions, as you are responsible for the premiums.

Future enrollments or changes can be made during the annual benefits open season, or during qualifying life events.


Life Insurance
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Federal Employees Group Life Insurance offers you choices on coverage for yourself and eligible family members.  Please go to the www.opm.gov/insure/life web site for complete information, including a calculator to help you determine the value and cost of coverage.  Newly hired employees are automatically covered by Basic Life as of the date of your new appointment.  You may elect optional coverage or you may waive all coverage now; however there are no regular open seasons for life insurance. 

Life Insurance Election Form, SF 2817 (PDF; 79Kb) .  Complete and return this form to the Human Resources Benefits office (address above) within 31 days of your appointment, even if you are electing the automatic Basic Life coverage only.

Employees transferring from one Federal agency to another are not eligible to elect life insurance coverage based on the transfer.  Please watch your earnings statement to be sure your previous life insurance coverage continues.

Rehired employees whose break in Federal service is 180 days or less are automatically enrolled with the level of coverage in effect at the time of separation from previous Federal employment.  If you do not wish to continue this coverage, you may reduce or cancel at any time, but you may not elect to increase the coverage, unless you had a qualifying life event during your break.  If you previously waived all coverage, you may not elect coverage at this time.

Rehired employees whose break in Federal service is more than 180 days are enrolled with Basic only, and have 31 days from the date of rehire to make a new life insurance election.  If you don’t make a new election, the coverage in effect on the date of your separation from previous Federal employment will be reinstated.

For frequently asked questions, go to http://www.opm.gov/insure/life/faq/index.asp.

Retirement
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With some exceptions, the following rules apply to retirement coverage:

  • If you are a newly covered employee, with  less than 5 years of prior Federal civilian service, you are covered by the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS).  The FERS Booklet, RI 90-1, http://www.opm.gov/retire/pubs/pamphlets/fers.asp , explains the benefits of the plan, which includes a Basic Annuity, Social Security, and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). 
  • If you are a rehired employee who was previously covered by the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS), and your break in Federal civilian service was less than 1 year, you are covered by CSRS. 
  • If you are a rehired employee who was previously covered by the CSRS and your break in service was more than 1 year, and you had more than 5 years of prior Federal civilian service, you are covered by CSRS-Offset. 
  • If you are a rehired employee who had a break in service ending after 12/31/86, and you had completed 5 years of creditable civilian service by 12/31/86, you are covered by CSRS-Offset.

If you are covered by CSRS or CSRS-Offset, you have a 6 month period from the date of your appointment to transfer to FERS.  You may compare the benefits of both plans by using RI 90-3, FERS Transfer Handbook, A Guide to Making your Decision, at http://www.opm.gov/retire/pubs/pamphlets/fers.asp , and make your decision to remain in CSRS or transfer to FERS.   Contact your servicing Benefits Specialist if you have any questions.

If you performed active duty military service after 1956, see "Post-1956 Military Service Deposit" information about service credit for retirement.


Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
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The Thrift Savings Plan is a voluntary retirement savings and investment plan for FERS and CSRS/CSRS-Offset employees.  A major advantage of the TSP is that you pay no taxes on contributions or earnings until you withdraw your account.  Please review the Summary of the Thrift Savings Plan, TSPBK08, and the Managing Your Account, TSPBK30, which can be found under Civilian Forms & Publications on the TSP web site, http://www.tsp.gov.

Participation in TSP is optional, but strongly encouraged, especially for FERS employees because it is a major part of the total retirement package.  There is no deadline to submit a completed TSP Election Form, TSP-1 (PDF; 29Kb) to the Human Resources Benefits office (address above).  You should take advantage of this important benefit by enrolling right away! 

Once your TSP account is activated by your contribution, the TSP Service Office will issue you a TSP Personal Identification Number (PIN) which you may use to choose your investment funds, using the TSP web site or the Thriftline.  Your contributions will be invested in the G Fund until your fund allocation is processed.

Employees transferring from one Federal agency to another will continue to have their previous TSP contribution election withheld.  Please watch your earnings statement to be sure your TSP contributions are withheld.

Rehired employees with a break in Federal service of less than 31 days will continue to have their previous TSP contributions withheld.  Please watch your earnings statement to be sure your TSP contributions are withheld.

TSP Catch-Up.  If you are age 50 or older this year, you may be interested in making extra contributions to the TSP, in addition to the current maximum.  See the TSP Catch-Up information, http://www.tsp.gov/forms/oc03-03.pdf (PDF; 64Kb).

Flexible Spending Accounts
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The Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) program allows employees to use pre-tax allotments to pay for eligible dependent care expenses or certain health care expenses that are not reimbursed by another source.  Sykes Health Plan Services (SHPS) is the third party administrator of this benefit.  Please visit http://www.fsafeds.com or call toll free 1-877-FSAFEDS (372-3337) to speak to a SHPS counselor.  For hearing impaired employees, the TTY/TDY number is 1-800-952-0450. 

If you are a new employee eligible for FSAFEDS you will have 60 days or until October 1 of any Plan Year to make an election to participate in FSA.  These elections will be binding throughout the Plan Year unless you experience a Qualified Status Change. If you are hired on or after October 1 you are ineligible to participate in that Plan Year, but can elect an FSA during the FEHB open season held each fall for the following Plan Year. 

Employees transferring from one Federal agency to another are not eligible to elect flexible spending based on the transfer, however, if your previous agency withheld flexible spending deductions from your salary, YOU are required to contact FSAFEDS at 1-877-372-3337 to report your change in employing Federal agencies and payroll office.  This is not a deduction that automatically transfers from one Federal agency to another. 

Federal Long Term Care Insurance
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Long term care is lengthy or lifelong assistance needed for the activities of daily living (eating, bathing, dressing, etc.) due to injury, illness, or cognitive impairment (e.g., Alzheimer’s disease).  It may be the most expensive type of care you ever face, and most health care programs do not routinely cover it.

Key benefits of the Federal Long Term Care program include:

  • Long Term Care Insurance Partners, John Hancock and Metropolitan Life Insurance companies, are the administrators of this high quality product.
  • Coverage for care in a nursing home, assisted living facility, adult day care, or at home.
  • Qualified relatives can also apply – even if you are not ready to apply for coverage, consider it for your parents and parents-in-law to help secure their future.
  • Premiums are designed to remain stable and do not increase because you get older or experience a change in health status.
  • If you apply within 60 days of becoming eligible, you and your spouse may qualify for abbreviated underwriting (fewer health questions means it’s easier to be approved for coverage).

Please visit http://www.LTCFEDS.com for information and to request an application package, or call 1-800-LTCFEDS (1-800-582-3337).
New employees have 60 days from the date of employment to complete the short application for enrollment.

Employees transferring from one Federal agency to another are not eligible to elect long term care coverage based on the transfer, however, if your previous agency withheld long term care premiums from your salary, YOU are required to contact LTCFEDS at 1-800-582-3337 to report your change in employing Federal agencies and payroll office, and to pay any missed premiums.  This is not a deduction that automatically transfers from one Federal agency to another.

Designation of Beneficiary Forms
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You may designate a beneficiary, or beneficiaries, to receive payments upon your death for your life insurance, unpaid compensation, retirement contributions, and Thrift Savings Plan. You should complete designation forms only if you are not satisfied with the normal order of payment, which is:

  • to your widow or widower
  • if no widow/widower, to your children in equal shares 
  • if no children, to your parent(s) 
  • if no parent(s), to your estate
  • if no estate, to your next of kin 

If you choose to submit designation forms, you are responsible for their accuracy and completeness, and for keeping them up to date as life changes occur.

If you wish to designate other than the normal order of payment, please click below to complete the appropriate forms:

If you would like to watch short benefits orientation videos at your computer, click here.

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Last Modified: November 25, 2008

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