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IDAHO NATIONAL GUARD FURLOUGH – FY2013

IDAHO NATIONAL GUARD FURLOUGH – FY2013. Agenda. Furlough Overview Discontinuous/Continuous Requests Leave Benefits FEHB FEGLI TSP FEDVIP FSAFEDS Within Grade Increase TDY - Furlough Workers Compensation TimeKeeper Instructions New Employees – Prorated Furlough Days

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IDAHO NATIONAL GUARD FURLOUGH – FY2013

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  1. IDAHO NATIONAL GUARD FURLOUGH – FY2013

  2. Agenda • Furlough Overview • Discontinuous/Continuous Requests • Leave • Benefits • FEHB • FEGLI • TSP • FEDVIP • FSAFEDS • Within Grade Increase • TDY - Furlough • Workers Compensation • TimeKeeper Instructions • New Employees – Prorated Furlough Days • Unemployment Compensation • Family Support Fund

  3. Furlough Overview • Sequester mandated reduction in budgetary resources • Administrative furlough is a result of the DOD budgetary challenges • Furloughs of 30 calendar days or less are covered under adverse action procedures found in Subpart D of 5 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) 752. • Technicians furloughed 11 work days or 88 hours • Effective: 8 Jul – 30 Sept 2013 • Employees should not plan to receive retroactive compensation

  4. Discontinuous/Continuous Furlough • Discontinuous Furlough - one day off per week or 18hrs in a pay period – Alternate Work Schedule. • Hours will be different depending on your work schedule (8/9/10 hours) • Continuous Furlough – 11 days or 88 hours continuous during furlough period. Technicians do not have to take all 11 days/88 hours continuous. • Approval authorities for Continuous Furlough are the Army Chief of Staff/Air Wing Director of Staff

  5. Leave During Furlough Days • Use of paid leave or other forms of paid time off is prohibited (annual, sick, court, military leave, and any comp time earned or time-off awards) during furlough days. • Compensatory time-off is not permitted to make up lost time or lost pay. • Approval authorities for Comp time will be the Army Chief of Staff/Air Wing Director of Staff

  6. Leave Accrual • Accrual of annual leave and sick leave • If the furlough period is for part of a biweekly pay period, leave accrual will generally not be affected for that pay period. • When 80 hours of non-pay status from the beginning of the Leave Year is accumulated, no annual or sick leave is earned in the pay period in which that 80 hour accumulation is reached. • This occurs whether the accumulation is all in one pay period, or over the course of several pay periods.

  7. Leave Accrual • Accrual of annual leave and sick leave • If another 80 hours of non-pay status is accumulated during the same Leave Year, no annual or sick leave is earned in the pay period in which the new 80 hour total is reached. • At the end of the Leave Year, any accumulation of non-pay status hours of less than 80 hours is zeroed out so that the accumulation of non-pay status hours for the next Leave Year starts at zero.

  8. Within Grade Increases (WGI) • Within-grade and step increases for General Schedule and Federal Wage System employees are awarded on the basis of length of service and individual performance. • Extended periods of non-pay status may affect the timing of such increases. For example, a GS employee in steps 1, 2, or 3 who is furloughed for more than 2 workweeks or 80 hours during the waiting period would have his or her within-grade increase delayed by at least a full pay period.

  9. Benefits • Benefits will continue! • Furlough time off is treated in the same way as Personal Leave Without Pay (LWOP) for benefit purposes • As the furlough count-down continues and the anticipation of its outcome heightens, the DOD employee benefits programs remain stable, and largely unaffected. • Benefits will only be affected if technician elects to continuously furlough and funds becomes insufficient to pay premium for benefits. • To avoid this situation – schedule continuous furlough period over two pay periods.

  10. Order of Precedence When Gross Pay Is Not Sufficient To Permit All Deductions • Retirement • Social Security (OASDI) Tax • Medicare Tax • Federal Income Tax • Basic Health Insurance Premium • Basic Life Insurance Premium • State Income Tax • Local Income Tax • Collection of Debts Owed to the U.S. Government • Optional Benefits • Health Care/Limited-Expense Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts (pre-tax benefit under FedFlex or equivalent cafeteria plan) • Dental (pre-tax benefit under FedFlex or equivalent cafeteria plan) • Vision (pre-tax benefit under FedFlex or equivalent cafeteria plan) • Health Savings Account (pre-tax benefit under FedFlex or equivalent cafeteria plan) • Optional Life Insurance Premiums (FEGLI optional benefits or similar benefits under other authority) • Long-Term Care Insurance Premiums • Dependent-Care Flexible Spending Accounts (pre-tax benefit under FedFlex or equivalent cafeteria plan) • Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) • Loan Payments • Basic Contributions • Catch-up Contributions

  11. Federal Employees Health Benefits [FEHB] • BASIC RULES: • Enrollment continues for no more than 365 days in a non-pay status. • Employer is responsible for their portion of the FEHB premium • Coverage will not lapse • Technician remains responsible for employee portion of premium payments

  12. Federal Employees Health Benefits [FEHB] • What if their continuous furlough causes insufficient pay to pay the FEHB premium? • If an employee elects to continue FEHB coverage, then FEHB premium that was missed will be collected in the future pay period.

  13. Federal Employees Health Benefits [FEHB] • Qualifying Life Events (QLE) to allow change in participant election in FEHB. • FURLOUGH IS NOT A QUALIFYING LIFE EVENT!!!!! • Temporary employee who completes one year of service and is eligible to enroll under 5 USC 8906a • Marriage, divorce, annulment • Birth, adoption, acquiring foster child or stepchild, issuance of court order requiring employee to provide coverage for child • Last child loses coverage, for example, child reaches age 26 or marries, foster child moves out of employee's home and/or becomes financially independent, or disabled child becomes capable of self-support, child acquires other coverage by court order • Death of spouse or dependent

  14. FEGLI • Coverage will continue during furlough period while in a non-pay status. • If furlough results in a salary less than the FEGLI premium amount, employee’s share will be withheld on return to full salary.

  15. TSP – effect on non—pay status • What happens to TSP during a furlough • Those who contribute a % --- have a smaller proportionate amount deducted • Those who contribute a $dollar amount --- that amount will not change and a technician needs to be aware that this will affect their net pay in a greater amount than the % method

  16. TSP – effect on non—pay status • TSP LOANS: - Can I take a TSP loan while I am furloughed? Answer: YES, if it’s a furlough of less than 30 days Loan payments will be withheld providing sufficient salary is available; loans are not in default until the employee has missed more than 2½ payments

  17. Federal Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) • BENEFEDS will generate a direct bill for past due premiums when no premium is paid for 2 consecutive pay periods. Coverage will continue only if the direct bills are paid timely. • When you are placed in a furlough status you are still covered under the Federal Dental and Vision Insurance Program.

  18. Federal Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) • If FEDVIP is unable to take the necessary amount of money out of your paycheck then it will take it out of your next check if there is sufficient funds. • So in reality you will be paying twice the amount for what you would normally pay for that pay period just to catch up on your payments.

  19. Federal Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) • Can I terminate my coverage? • During a furlough it is unauthorized to terminate your FEDVIP and re-enroll at a later date. These opportunities are limited to Benefits Open Season or in conjunction with a (QLE) qualifying life event.

  20. FSAFEDS - Flexible Spending Account • Will an employee’s Federal Flexible Spending Account Program (FSAFEDS) be impacted during an administrative furlough? • The employee’s FSAFEDS coverage continues, and allotments made by the employee continue if the employee’s salary in each pay period is sufficient to cover the deduction(s). • If the employee’s salary is insufficient to cover his or her allotment(s), then incurred eligible health care expenses will not be reimbursed until the allotments are successfully restarted.

  21. Technician TDY • Technicians CANNOT use furlough days while TDY. • Make sure if you are scheduled for a technician TDY that you have not requested to be furloughed during this timeframe.

  22. OFFICE OF WORKERS COMPENSATION • Are Employees who are Injured while on Furlough eligible to receive Workers’ Compensation Benefits? • NO! • Federal Workers’ Compensation is paid to employees only if they are injured while performing work duties. Employees on furlough are not in a duty status.

  23. New Employees During Furlough Period • New Employees hired after 8 July 2013 will be required to be furloughed. New Employees furlough hours will be prorated depending when they were hired. • Example: Hire Date: 15 July – must complete 80 hours or 10 days.

  24. Idaho Dept of Labor Mil Contact • Randy Wilde is the Military Representative for the Idaho Department of Labor • Phone: # 208-332-3575 extension 3298 • Email: Randy.wilde@labor.idaho.gov 3rd Friday of each month10 a.m.—NoonIdaho Department of Labor219 West Main StreetBoise, Idaho 83735

  25. Idaho Guard Family Support Fund • Provides emergency financial assistance to Soldiers and their immediate family members. • Contact your Family Assistance Center or Family Readiness Support Assistant for more information about the Idaho Family Fund and other financial assistance programs. • Please contact your local FAC Specialist for an application and any questions/concerns. FAC Coordinator Gowen Field, Rene Bade 4250 Cessna St., Bldg. 270, Boise, ID 83705 208-272-4356/208-514-9930 Renee.m.bade.ctr@mail.mil

  26. NECESSARY FORMS FOR UNEMPLOYMENT CLAIMS • SF 8, UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION REQUEST - IDAHO AIR/ARMY NATIONAL GUARD • SF 50, PERSONNEL ACTION, FURLOUGH

  27. Idaho Dept of Labor Mil Contact • Randy Wilde is the Military Representative for the Idaho Department of Labor • Phone: # 208-332-3575 extension 3298 • Email: Randy.wilde@labor.idaho.gov Career Guidance Job OpportunitiesTraining ProgramsIdaho Department of Labor219 West Main StreetBoise, Idaho 83735

  28. Idaho Guard Family Support Fund • Provides emergency financial assistance to Soldiers and their immediate family members. • Contact your Family Assistance Center or Family Readiness Support Assistant for more information about the Idaho Family Fund and other financial assistance programs. • Please contact your local FAC Specialist for an application and any questions/concerns. FAC Coordinator Gowen Field, Rene Bade 4250 Cessna St., Bldg. 270, Boise, ID 83705 208-272-4356/208-514-9930 Renee.m.bade.ctr@mail.mil

  29. QUESTIONS?

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