Page 17 - Work Force November 2020

Important dates to remember for 2021 health expenses
NYSHIP enrollees should start thinking about their health care expenses for next year.
Do you currently participate in the Flex Spending Account or the Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP)? If you don’t, now is the
ideal time to get more information about these cost-saving benefits
as enrollment begins in November. Enrollment is time sensitive and end dates vary.
Flex Spending Account Open Enrollment Period: Nov. 2 to 30, 2020 (later than in the past)
The Flex Spending Account 2021 plan year will begin on Jan. 1, 2021. The Flex Spending Account is a negotiated employee benefit for state employees. A flex spending account offers a way to pay for
your dependent care, health care expenses or adoption expenses with pre-tax dollars.
The Flex Spending Account website at www.flexspendny.gov contains more information about eligibility and program rules. Visit www.goer.ny.gov/FSA or call 1-800-358-7202 to enroll. If you are currently enrolled in the Flex
Spending Account program, you must re-enroll to continue your participation in 2021.
Productivity Enhancement Program Enrollment Period: Nov. 2 to 30, 2020
The Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) allows eligible full and part-time state employees
to exchange previously
accrued annual and/ or personal leave in return for a credit to be applied toward their NYSHIP premium.
If you are eligible
and elect this
program, the credit
will be included in your
biweekly paychecks and
divided evenly during the
plan year. During the last round of negotiations, CSEA was successful negotiating an increase to the PEP amounts.
For calendar year 2021, CSEA active state members can receive up to a $600 credit or $1,200 credit determined by salary grade and number of days forfeited. To elect
PEP for 2021, you must apply between Nov. 2 and 30, 2020.
Ask your agency health benefits administrator for details and an application. If you are currently enrolled in PEP and remain eligible, you must re-enroll to continue receiving in 2021.
Pre-Tax Contribution Program (PTCP) Election
Period: will run concurrently with
the official NYSHIP Option Transfer
Period for Health Insurance
The Pre-Tax Contribution
Program (PTCP) is a voluntary program that
allows your share of the health insurance premium to be deducted from wages before
taxes are withheld.
In exchange for this reduction
in tax liability, you agree to maintain the same pre-tax health insurance deduction for the entire plan year, unless you experience
a qualifying event and provide timely notification. Participation
in the PTCP can be chosen when first eligible for health insurance benefits and may also be selected to participate or decline participation in PTCP each year during the PTCP election period.
Requests made during the PTCP election period become effective at the beginning of the 2021 plan year. If you want to change your PTCP election for 2021, complete a NYS Health Insurance Transaction Form PS-404 and submit to your Agency Health Benefits Administrator before the PTCP election period deadline.
Per IRS rules, this election period is the only opportunity to change your PTCP status for 2021; arbitrary, mid-year status changes are now allowed. Should a qualifying PTCP event occur mid-year, you may
be able to change your health option or coverage type (family to individual) or cancel coverage, if all requirements are met. Any PTCP qualifying event request to change your benefits during the tax year must be submitted within 30 days
of the event (or within the waiting period, if newly eligible); delays may be costly. No action is required to keep your current PTCP status.
Summary of September Board of Directors Meeting
Editor’s Note:
union business is still being done, and this meeting was held via Zoom. In official business, the board:
• Swore in new Board of Directors member Cindy Pohlmann.
• Approved Local 412 to
enter into a three-year photocopier agreement with Atlantic Tomorrow’s Office at the local’s office 3 Wilbur Road, Thiells, NY 10984, as referenced in the Statewide Treasurer’s report to the Board of Sept. 17, 2020. As this lease term runs past
the local officers’ current term, the Board’s approval is necessary for this lease.
• Approved Local 885 to enter into a one-year lease with Shamlo Realty Co. Inc. at 650 Franklin Street, Suite 107, Schenectady, NY 12305, as referenced in the Statewide Treasurer’s report to the Board of Sept. 17, 2020. As this lease term runs past
the local officers’ current term, the Board’s approval is necessary for this lease.
• Approved the 2021 election schedules for Retirees, as referenced in the Standing Election Committee’s report to the Board of Sept. 17, 2020.
• Approved the Standing Legal Committee Report to the
Board of Sept. 17, 2020.
• Approved the appointments
of Wally Green (Local 852, Long Island Region) and Barbara Rustin (Local 910, Metropolitan Region) to
the Region Political Action Committees as referenced
in the Standing Legislative & Political Action Committee Report to the Board of Sept. 17, 2020.
Questions concerning the summary should be directed to Statewide Secretary Richard Bebo, CSEA Headquarters, 143 Washington Ave., Albany, NY 12210. (800) 342-4146 or (518) 257-1253.
The Work Force
publishes a
summary of
actions taken
by CSEA’s
Board of
Directors. The
summary is
prepared by
CSEA Statewide
Secretary
Richard Bebo for union members.
ALBANY — To comply with state social gathering restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic, CSEA has canceled in-person meetings for the remainder of the year. However,
Bebo
November 2020
The Work Force 17