Federal Dental and Vision Enrollment Extended Through Dec. 15

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has announced that due to difficulties with telephone lines and the OPM web site, it will continue to accept belated enrollments in the dental and vision plans at least through Friday, Dec. 15.

Dec. 11 was the last day of the annual Open Season during which federal employees could enroll in the newly-offered, government-sponsored dental and vision plans. Late last week OPM announced that there were problems with the telephone lines and web site dedicated to accepting these new enrollments.

NTEU has been informed by OPM that the situation is fixed and the agency is monitoring activity on the web site. OPM is extending the deadline for enrolling in the dental and visions plans until Friday (Dec. 15) and may extend that enrollment period further if volume warrants. OPM is encouraging federal enrollees to work with the web site or call the Benefeds toll-free number (1-877-888-3337) to enroll. If NTEU receives additional information on the enrollment period or any other problems or issues employees experience, it will be posted on NTEU's web site.

For more information on the dental and vision programs, or to enroll, click here or visit <www.benefeds.com>.

 

CFC Winds Down This Week! If making a charitable donation is on your holiday to-do list, you’re in luck. The Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) offers a fast and easy way to make a difference by allowing federal workers to donate to the charity of their choice through payroll deductions. This year’s campaign season runs through this Friday. For more information and a list of eligible charities, click here or visit <www.opm.gov/cfc/>. To learn about the Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund (FEEA), click here or visit <www. feea.org>.

Top Stories

2007 Pay Raise Update:
NTEU Continues Fight for Higher Increase
The issue of how much of a boost federal employees will receive in their 2007 paychecks has been left up to the incoming Congress to decide. Before adjourning late Friday night, Congress approved extending a continuing resolution until Feb. 15, funding agencies whose appropriations bills have not been passed at the 2006 rate.

Among the bills still pending is the Transportation-Treasury Appropriations bill, which includes a 2.7 percent pay raise for federal civilian employees. Because the bill was not passed in time, the 2.2 percent increase called for in the White House's alternative pay plan will take effect Jan. 1.

NTEU, too, will remain steadfast in its pursuit of a fair pay raise for civilian employees and members of the military— who also received only a 2.2 percent increase—when Congress completes its 2007 appropriations work early next year.

To learn how you can help, click here or visit <http://
capwiz.com/nteu/issues/alert/?alertid=9061861&type=CO>.



The New Year Brings New Opportunities for FEEA Scholarships
If going back to school tops your list of New Year’s resolutions, or a family member is headed to college this year, you may be eligible for as much as $5,000 in scholarships.

January marks the start of the 2007–08 Federal Employee Education & Assistance Fund (FEEA) scholarship program, which in the past has provided awards ranging from $500 to $1,500. But this new crop of applicants stand to receive even more cash for education. For the first time, at least five $5,000 scholarships will be awarded next year to top candidates under the FEEA-NTEU Scholarship Fund. The endowed fund, announced Oct. 11, came from leftover administrative costs from NTEU's special rates case.

FEEA scholarship applications are available from January through March each year with awards announced Sept. 30. For the 2006–07 year, 489 FEEA scholarship winners shared in a record amount of $473,500.

In addition to applying for scholarships, NTEU members can volunteer to serve on FEEA scholarship committees, which meet in the summer to select winners from their area. For details on volunteering, visit your union office.

For more information about FEEA scholarships, visit www.feea.org. To see a list of 2006–07 winners, click here or visit <http://feea.org/schol_info/schols0607.html>.

 

NTEU Spotlight—Listen to This Week’s Report
If you have 60 seconds, NTEU will give you the news. This week President Kelley addresses the solution to the tax gap: increase IRS staffing.

In the Washington, D.C., area you can hear President Kelley’s NTEU Spotlight on Federal News Radio (1050 AM). For those outside the D.C. area, you can listen online at www.federalnewsradio.com.

To get an exclusive preview of tomorrow’s report, click here.

Winning   approval for a government- wide pay-for-performance system will be “almost impossible to do with a Democratic-led Congress. I expect very little movement on that in the next couple of years.” Office of Management and Budget Deputy Director Clay Johnson at a Dec. 6 Government Executive Leadership Breakfast.

 

Senate Confirms FDA Commissioner Nomination
The Senate on Friday confirmed Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach as commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The FDA has been without a permanent chief for nearly four-and-a-half of the past six years, making it difficult to both advance the agency’s mission and resolve important policy and personnel issues.

NTEU President Colleen M. Kelley will be requesting an introductory meeting with Dr. von Eschenbach to discuss employee concerns, including the need for increased agency funding, and explore ways NTEU and the agency can work together. In recent months, NTEU has met with consumer and patient groups regarding the problem of inadequate FDA funding in preparation for a major push for an increase in the fiscal 2008 budget.

Headlines

Union Demands Timely Bonuses for Energy Employees
GovExec, December 7, 2006
Three weeks after Energy Department officials announced they were postponing all employee bonuses until Congress votes on the agency’s funding for fiscal 2007, the National Treasury Employees Union filed a grievance.

NTEU, which represents all bargaining unit employees in the department’s Washington headquarters, asked Energy officials to pay the bonuses immediately. Jeff Pon, the agency’s chief human capital officer, said in a Nov. 14 memorandum to employees that it would not be clear whether the department has enough money for performance-based awards or even to avoid layoffs until lawmakers approve the Energy appropriations bill.

For the complete story, click here or visit www.govexec.
com/story_page.cfm?articleid=35632&dcn=todaysnews>.

 

New on NTEU.org

Still Shopping?
Finish Up Your Holiday Shopping with NTEU Online Discounts

Don’t join the crush of people trying to finish their holiday shopping at the local mall. NTEU members can let their fingers do the shopping with our exclusive online discounts page. Whether it’s flowers for mom or sporting goods for dad, NTEU offers savings on a wide range of gifts and services. And once all the names on your list have been checked off, NTEU members can treat themselves to aroma therapy candles, gourmet cookies and a good book—all items that can be purchased from our online merchants. To start shopping, click here or visit <www.nteu.org/MemberBenefits/OnlineBenefitsMem.aspx>.