The Local Line
“A
PPA Award Winning Publication”
The Official Voice Of
The
American Postal
Workers
Phone: 630-833-0088 Fax: 630-833-0248
Jackie Engelhart – President Alan Czerwinski - News Director
Floor Edition
November 25, 2008
By Calvin Taylor,
Clerk Craft Director 601
Tour 2
Due to the “COMPRESSION” of tours slated for January 2009, some tour 2 employees will be choosing a tour I assignment. To ease any more confusion in their lives I will try to explain the non-scheduled days. Anyone beginning their tour between 8:00pm to 3:59am is starting on tour one. If there are any questions please see a steward. The number of assignments has yet to be determined.
Any bids or assignments with the following non-scheduled days will be off on these nights:
Sat/Sun (Friday night & Saturday night)
Sun/Mon(Saturday night & Sunday night)
Mon/Tue(Sunday night & Monday night)
Tue/Wed(Monday night & Tuesday night)
Wed/Thu(Tuesday night & Wednesday night)
Thu/Fri(Wednesday night & Thursday night)
Sat/Fri(Thursday night & Friday night)
END OF THE YEAR REMINDERS
2009 LEAVE YEAR
The 2008 leave year ends on January 2, 2009. Any craft employee in excess of 440 hours of annual leave, must use the excess leave before the end of the leave year. The new leave years begins on January 3, 2009. Regular employees can start using their new annual on that date.
NO PENALTY PAY
The four weeks of penalty pay exclusion will be from December 6. 2008 and will continue until January 2, 2009
DO I HAVE TO WORK DECEMBER 25TH TO GET THE EXTRA CHRISTMAS
HOLIDAY PREMIUM?
To get the extra holiday premium pay you must work your designated holiday and not necessarily December 25th if it is not your holiday.
OPEN SEASON FOR THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEES HEALTH BENEFITS
The open season dates for the Federal Employee health benefits plan is November 10, 2008 thru December 8, 2008 at 5:00pm.
FLEXIBLE SPENDING ACCOUNTS
The open season dates for the flexible spending accounts begin November 10, 2008 thru December 28, 2008.
FEDERAL EMPLOYEE HEALTH BENEFITS AFTER RETIREMENT
You may continue your health benefits into retirement if you have been enrolled in the FEHB program for the five years immediately preceding retirement or if enrolled less than 5 years, from the date of your first opportunity to enroll (Handbook EL-502)
If you cancel your Federal Employee Health Benefits prior to retirement, you will not meet the 5 years requirement for retirement. For more information, please read FEHB Brochure RI-70-2(Guide to Benefits for Career United States Postal Service Employees)
PIN NUMBER
Don’t know your pin number? Here’s what you should do.
Go to WWW.LITEBLUE.USPS.GOV, Enter your employee ID number (Found on your earning statement) Choose a new pin immediately. You may also request your pin number from the employee self service kiosk or dial 1-877-477-3273. Your present pin number or a new pin number will be mailed to your address of record.
GIFT CERTIFICATES
This year each NWIAL member will receive a $10.00 Jewel gift certificate. The certificates will be given out on December 15, 2008. You can pick them up in the APWU union room or the appropriate union official if you are at an associate office.
Happy Holidays
