Government Shutdown Q&A with Shane Canfield
WAEPA (Worldwide Assurance for Employees of Public Agencies), a nonprofit Voluntary Employee Benefits Association which offers Group Term Life Insurance* exclusively to Civilian Federal Employees, made headlines in January when they announced they were waiving January’s premiums for all their members, including those for Members not impacted by the partial Government Shutdown, which went on for 35 days from December 21, 2018 to January 25, 2019, and affected approximately 22% of Federal workers.
Bill Would Give Reservist Feds the Choice to Enroll in TRICARE
While much of the news has rightly been dominated by the partial government shutdown and the 2019 pay freeze, the 116th Congress is slowly beginning to turn the gears and get underway. New legislation is being introduced and reintroduced from earlier sessions of Congress. Among the bills that has been reintroduced is the TRICARE Reserve Select Improvement Act (H.R. 613 / S. 164), introduced by Representative Trent Kelly (R-MS) and Senator Steve Daines (R-MT), respectively. This legislation, referred to the House and Senate Committees on Armed Services, would address an issue the Federal Managers Association (FMA) has been working on for several years.
Uncertainty Addressed by FEDS President
As the President of FEDS, I didn’t know whether to celebrate the agreement to fund agencies through midFebruary or to commiserate over the uncertainty that lies ahead.
Handling Furlough Fallout
In the wake of the recent government shutdown and subsequent strains on the federal community, we have had many FEDS members contact us with concerns about how to handle current or upcoming furloughs.
Evaluating Life Insurance Coverage Outside of Open Season
While it’s not Open Season for Life Insurance, it’s a perfect time to evaluate your coverage. Life insurance is a vital tool when it comes to safeguarding your family’s future. How would your family’s income be impacted if you passed away? What if you receive a terminal diagnosis? What will your family need to retain financial stability? Fortunately, you can apply for WAEPA’s Group Term Life Insurance at any point in the year – meaning you don’t have to wait for an Open Season period to supplement or replace your coverage from FEGLI.
A Crushing Pay Freeze at the Worst Possible Moment
Much has been written about the current partial government shutdown as it approaches its third week, and rightfully so. Hundreds of thousands of federal employees across the country remain unable to perform their constitutionally-mandated missions until the shuttered agencies and departments are properly funded by Congress and signed into law by the President. Millions of dollars in production are lost and the services Americans count on are simply not performed. As the shutdown continues –without end in sight – another devastating policy towards feds was enforced over the holidays. On the evening of Friday, December 28, 2018, President Trump issued an executive order calling for a freeze of federal employees’ pay in fiscal year 2019.
iPad Raffle
If you have your liability insurance through FEDS Protection, you have automatically been entered into a raffle to win one of two 9.7 inch 128 GB Apple iPads.
What Will Feds Get for the Holidays?
Late last week Congress agreed to a two-week extension of a Continuing Resolution preventing a partial government shutdown for the time being. The new CR expires on December 21.
Carrying Coverage with WAEPA is Easier Than Ever
In addition to the many benefits we offer our Members, Civilian Federal Employees insured under our Group Term Life Insurance* and Guaranteed Issue Life Insurance Programs enjoy the ease of carrying coverage from us.
The Benefits of Long Term Care Insurance are Invaluable
While many federal employees may question whether long term insurance is worth the cost, they may ultimately realize that the emotional and financial reassurance of having this protection may offer value that outweighs the cost of premiums.
When it Comes to Selecting Healthcare, Americans Need to do their Homework and be Informed Consumers
The annual Open Season, running now through December 10, is an important time for more than eight million federal employees covered in the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHB). This is the time to anticipate health care needs and review health care options for next year, and it can be filled with more questions than answers.
FMA Looking Forward to Working With the 116th Congress
Last month, Americans went to the polls to cast their ballots in the midterm elections. As a non-partisan organization, the Federal Managers Association watched the election results closely, supporting both Democrats and Republicans with a track record of working to enhance the federal workforce.
Excuses, Excuses, Excuses
We get several calls a week from federal agency managers who need legal advice or representation but don’t have FEDS Protection in place.
Preparation Tips for FEHB Open Season 2019
As a federal employee, it is important to ask yourself if your current health plan is working for you. A change in marital status or a newly discovered medical condition can impact your coverage needs. To better adjust to the unexpected events in life, the Office of Personnel Management hosts its annual Federal Employee Health Benefits (FEHB) Open Season.
Let’s Fix the Unfair Federal Retirement Rule
In April, we wrote about the Federal Retirement Fairness Act (H.R. 5389), bipartisan legislation introduced by Representative Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Walter Jones (R-NC). FMA endorsed the bill, which would allow a Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) employee to make a deposit, plus interest, and receive credit toward his or her annuity computation for non-deduction service performed on or after January 1, 1989.
Federal Managers – Are You Prepared to Take the Stand?
The recent Supreme Court nomination process has demonstrated to the public at large that any Federal employee can be brought forward to testify in a Senate Hearing.
Considering Life Insurance? Take a Detailed Needs Analysis
When purchasing life insurance, it's important to understand the financial needs of your beneficiaries before you choose a policy. Many individuals tend to think backwards when it comes to life insurance. They make critical decisions on the product they want, whether it’s permanent life insurance, basic term life insurance or even a combination of both, before thinking through the amount of protection they need. As such, you really need to first figure out how much life insurance you need before you even think about the product that would be most appropriate. A needs analysis can help you determine how much life insurance you should buy.
When was the last time FEGLI gave you money back?
Since 1996, WAEPA has refunded over $100 Million dollars to our members. Why do we do it? It’s simple: we’re a voluntary benefits association, here to serve our members. In honor of our 75th Anniversary, we’re revisiting the history and benefits of our Premium Refund Program: