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1 CIVILIAN PERSONNEL NEWS VOL 09-08, 19 AUG 2009 INCLUDED IN THIS ISSUE: --Change to the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) --NSPS Out-processing Procedures --Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) --Claimant Query System for Injured Workers --Out-processing Procedures for all Civilian Employees --Military Service Creditable for Retirement --Updating Civilian Career Brief --My Biz --Retirement Procedures for Employees and Supervisors --Use or Lose Annual Leave for Civilian Employees --BEST Subscription Service & Newsletter Opportunity --Hard Copy Leave and Earnings Statements (LESs) Shut Off For Air Force Civilians --Antiterrorism Awareness (Level I) Training (Mandatory) --New Online Retirement Planning Courses Offered To Civilian Employees --All Time-Off/Performance Awards/Appraisals for Legacy --Civilian Advanced Sick Leave Procedures --Voluntary Civilian Annual Leave Donations Requested TO SERVE YOU BETTER WE REQUEST ALL CUSTOMERS CALL AHEAD AND MAKE AN APPOINTMENT THE CIVILIAN PERSONNEL SECTION MAIN NUMBER IS If you have any new ideas for articles and you would like to see them in this newsletter, please send your ideas to AFPC SECURE WEBSITE UPDATE The hyperlink to Air Force Personnel Center (AFPC) Secure website has changed again. If you have AFPC Secure bookmarked or placed in your favorites, be sure to update the link. It is now: To see just a few things you can do in this website check out the article in this newsletter named Accessing Your Record and Benefits - How to use the AFPC Secure Website and EBIS. BENEFITS QUESTIONS Just a reminder that questions concerning your retirement status and other benefits should be directed to the folks at BEST, CIVILIAN PERSONNEL TRAINING SEMINARS

2 CHANGE TO THE THRIFT SAVINGS PLAN (TSP) Eligible employees under the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) will now receive immediate Agency Automatic (1%) and Agency Matching Contributions! On June 22, 2009, President Obama signed the H.R. 1256, Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act into law. Part of this new law pertains to Agency Automatic 1% and Agency Matching Contributions of funds to FERS employees Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) accounts. Traditionally, all new FERS employees came into federal service with a waiting period before they were eligible to receive the Agency 1% and Matching Contributions. This new law has eliminated the waiting periods, making employees eligible immediately. The new act does not allow for retroactive entitlements. There are two populations affected by this provision: (1) All FERS employees who are newly hired or rehired after the Act has been signed; and (2) FERS employees who are currently employed and waiting until the second election period to become eligible for agency contributions (i.e., employees hired on or after December 1, 2008). Under the Act, both groups will immediately be eligible for the Agency Automatic (1%) Contributions. In addition, if the participant is contributing to the TSP, he or she will be eligible for the associated Agency Matching Contributions. Reminder: FERS employees participating in the TSP receive Matching Contributions up to 5% of their basic pay, which they contribute each pay period. The first 3% of pay that is contributed is matched dollar-for-dollar; the next 2% is matched at 50 cents per dollar. If TSP contributions are stopped, Matching Contributions will also stop. NSPS OUT-PROCESSING PROCEDURES In order to fulfill NSPS regulatory guidance, the NSPS Program Office and Civilian Personnel have implemented new out-processing procedures for both active duty and civilian employees leaving the Peterson Complex. Active Duty All active duty members PCSing, retiring or separating will have three requirements added to their virtual MPF out-processing checklist. Those who do not rate on any NSPS civilians will be cleared through our screening process without any action on the part of the member. Those showing up as rating officials will need to ensure that there is an approved performance plan in the PAA (My Biz, My Workplace) system and their employees have begun self-assessments for a closeout or an early annual appraisal. Closeouts are completed when departures take place from 1 Oct through 30 June. After 1 July, it is appropriate to complete an early annual appraisal rather than a closeout. Once the employee has provided their self-assessment, the rating official will need to complete the required assessment and then make sure the hierarchy is updated to reflect the new rating official. As each requirement is fulfilled, the corresponding item on virtual MPF will be cleared. * Please note that closeout assessments are different from interim assessments. NSPS obligations must be completed prior to final clearance. Civilians Civilian employees will continue to inform the Civilian Personnel Section that they are leaving the Peterson Complex and upon this notification, will receive the Base Clearance Sheet and appropriate attachments. The NSPS Out-processing Checklist will also accompany the outprocessing package. Employees will need to complete the form according to the personal obligations identified by the NSPS Program Office. The departing employee will bring all completed forms to the final out-processing appointment.

3 ELECTRONIC DATA INTERCHANGE (EDI) WORK INJURY CLAIMS GO ELECTRONIC It has been DoD s policy since July 2003 that supervisors utilize EDI when filing claims for federal employees who sustain either a work-related injury or occupational disease. EDI is a web-based system supervisors use for filing federal workers compensation claims electronically. The benefits of using EDI to both the agency and the employee are: Increased Timeliness of Filing Faster Turnaround on Claim Numbers Decreased Errors on Paperwork Meets DoD SHARE Goals Automatic Reporting to Safety Offices EDI allows supervisors to access the Notice of Traumatic Injury/Occupational Illness claim forms in an electronic form and once completed, submit those forms with just the click of a button. It has previously been the Civilian Personnel Section that inputs these claims electronically but in accordance with regulations supervisors will now be responsible for submitting all claims for traumatic injuries and occupational disease claims through EDI. To receive a copy of the training materials please contact your organization's servicing specialist. The supervisor s link for accessing EDI and inputting workers compensation claims can be found at: CLAIMANT QUERY SYSTEM FOR INJURED WORKERS On June 9, 2009 the Department of Labor (DOL) held their Office of Workers Compensation Programs (OWCP) Interagency meeting. One of the topics discussed was their deployment of the Claimant Query System (CQS). CQS allows an injured employee the ability to access information regarding their own claim such as: benefits payments, benefits tracking, medical bill status, case status history, accepted conditions, employing agency information, and CA-16 information. The information in CQS is not as extensive as the Automated Query System (AQS) which is used by the installations Injury Compensation Program Administrator but provides individual claimants the ability to view when the DOL/OWCP has issued a check in the case, provides the amount of the payment, annotates whether or not OWCP has received and logged in a CA-7, etc. In AQS, the payment history screen provides the ICPA with more detailed payment information such as the basis for the amount of the check issued - pay rate, compensation rate, health benefits deductions, etc. OUT-PROCESSING PROCEDURES FOR ALL CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES SEPARATING FROM PETERSON AFB Whether retiring, transferring within the Air Force or to another agency, going on leave without pay or resigning, all civilian employees that are leaving the Peterson Complex are required to follow the same outprocessing procedures. In order to give yourself and our staff enough time to prepare for your leaving please contact Civilian Personnel least two weeks before your anticipated last duty day to schedule your initial appointment. Clearing procedures, paperwork and any other pertinent information will be discussed at that time. Please contact petersonstaffing@peterson.af.mil to go over clearance procedures.

4 MILITARY SERVICE CREDITABLE FOR RETIREMENT A period of military service may be creditable for civilian retirement purposes if all the following conditions are met: The military service is performed before the date of separation from civilian employment upon which title to a retirement annuity is based; It was honorable, active duty; It was not included in the computation of military retired pay or, if it was included in military retired pay, the retired pay was awarded based on disability incurred in combat with an enemy of the U.S. or caused by an instrumentality of war and incurred in the line of duty during a period of war or granted under the provisions of Chapter 1223, Title 10 U.S.C, Sections (Reserve retirement); and A deposit is made for military service (when applicable). A deposit is not required if the military service was performed prior to 1 Jan 57. For service performed after 31 Dec 56, deposit rules differ, depending on whether you are covered under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS or CSRS Offset) or the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). If you are retired military, you may combine your military service with your Federal civilian service for one retirement if you pay the military deposit. However, you will be required to waive your military retired pay when you retire from civilian service. If you have military service (such as academy service) that was not used in computation of your military retired pay, it may be creditable for civilian retirement purposes. Deposit rules apply. If your military retirement orders do not show which periods of military service were used to compute your military retired pay, you will need to contact your branch of service to verify this. For more details on the definition of military service, information on when a deposit is required, and instructions on how to pay deposits, see BEST s brochure, Military Deposit. There are separate brochures for CSRS and FERS; they are available at: You may contact a BEST counselor if you have questions or need assistance with your military deposit. UPDATING CIVILIAN CAREER BRIEF Air Force employees who have been on board for at least 90 days should access AFPC Secure Website and log on, on the next page click on Civilian Career Brief. The career brief will give you information on your work history, training and education, awards, service computation date, etc. LICENSE, LANGUAGE AND OCC CERTIFICATION CODING Submit license, language, and occupational certification update requests using Optional Application for Federal Employment (OF 612). Please fax your request to AFPC/DPCL at DSN or Commercial (210) EDUCATION CODING You can now update your education level in My Biz please follow instructions in My Biz. You will still be required to submit your official transcripts via fax to AFPC/DPCL at DSN or Commercial (210) so they may be scanned into your official personnel file (OPF).

5 TRAINING CODING All training claimed on your resume should be coded by AFPC. Employees should contact Randy at 21FSS/FSDE at for procedures for updating training that has occurred since your appointment action. AWARDS Rosemarie at 21FSS/FSMPS, updates all civilian awards. If you have any questions about awards that should be on your Career Brief, please contact her: EXPERIENCE CODING Depending on the nature of the changes you are requesting, there are specific steps you will need to follow. Complete OF 612 and bring to the Civilian Personnel Section. Please call ahead for instructions: Civilians Civilian employees will continue to inform the Civilian Personnel Section that they are leaving the Peterson Complex and upon this notification, will receive the Base Clearance Sheet and appropriate attachments. The NSPS Out-processing Checklist will also accompany the out-processing package. Employees will need to complete the form according to the personal obligations identified by the NSPS Program Office. The departing employee will bring all completed forms to the final out-processing appointment. MY BIZ Randolph Air Force Base, Texas Air Force civilian employees who wish to update education information in their civilian personnel records have a new, easier way to do so: through the My Biz web site. My Biz is the self-service module in the Defense Civilian Personnel Data System. Instead of faxing their transcripts and waiting for someone to update their record, employees can now do it themselves. The Air Force, in conjunction with the Department of Defense, has been working to streamline and automate the manual processes of updating education, training and special qualifications (certifications and professional licenses) into a web-based self-service capability, said Kathryn Houston from the Civilian Future Operations Branch at the Air Force Personnel Center. Now, in addition to updating work and home telephone numbers, addresses, handicap codes, ethnicity and national origin, and language, employees can update their education through My Biz and it is immediately reflected in their personnel record. In the future, My Biz will provide even more update capabilities. The goal is to provide faster and smarter service to employees by giving them the ability to go in and update their important career information themselves, so it can be immediately reflected in their personnel record. Prior to this change, employees could update some personal information, but not education. They had to follow a process that included completing sections of an OF 612 and faxing copies of transcripts to the Air Force Manpower Agency who then put the information into the system. Now employees can update their own education information. They will only be required to provide personnel a transcript if personnel have a legal or regulatory requirement to verify the education entry, for example, based on the qualification standards, a position requires a degree or a specified number of course hours (this is often referred to as a positive education requirement). This procedural change will enable civilian employees to update their education information directly by assessing My Biz < For more information, visit AFPC s Ask web site and search for Education Updates or call the 24-hour Air Force Contact Center at (800)

6 RETIRMENT PROCEDURES FOR EMPLOYEES AND SUPERVISORS EMPLOYEE: 1. Set Your Retirement Date. If doing a voluntary retirement, this is the date of your choosing however it is important to keep in mind which retirement system you fall under in order to make sure you get paid correctly and in a timely manner. FERS set your date at the end of a pay period or the end of the month. CSRS set your date prior to the 4 th of the month. 2. Contact the Benefits and Entitlements Team (BEST) approximately 90 days prior to your desired retirement date. Contact them at to: Get your retirement estimate Identify the forms that you will need to submit in your retirement package Find out what option is best for you Have any questions answered 3. As Instructed by BEST, Mail the Retirement Package to BEST. BEST requests that all packages are sent at least 90 days prior because of the high volume of requests. The address to mail your package to is: HQ AFPC/DPSOC, 550 C Street West Ste 57, Randolph AFB TX SF-52. Coordinate with your supervisor to have an electronic SF-52 submitted to 21 FSS/FSMC (still shows as DPCE) via DPCDS your unit s civilian personnel liaison can give you guidance on this process. This should be submitted should done NLT 90 days prior to retirement date. 5. Contact Civilian Personnel to Make Out-processing Appointment. This should be done AFTER you have contacted BEST and approximately 30 days prior to your retirement date. *Note: Everything is now done between the employee, BEST, and the organization. The only Civilian Personnel Section involvement is processing the electronic SF-52 and out-processing the employee. SUPERVISOR/ORGANIZATION: 1. Submit Electronic SF-52 to the Civilian Personnel Section. This should be sent approximately days prior to the retirement date. 2. Request Presidential Letter. ONLY if a person has 30+ years of service. This can include military time. The form must be submitted 60 days prior to the employee s retirement date. If it is received later than 60 days prior, there is a possibility the letter may not be received in time. Contact petersonstaffing@peterson.af.mil or fax to Obtain Retirement Certificate from Graphics. You will need to know the number of years the employee has worked. This does NOT include military service. Employee s organization will submit AF IMT 833 Multimedia Work Order to graphics. The form can either be faxed to or hand carried to building 418. If the employee is married, you can also use the same form to obtain a Certificate of Appreciation for the spouse. This must be done NLT 5 days prior to ceremony. USE OR LOSE ANNUAL LEAVE FOR CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES Civilian employees are reminded that generally the maximum amount of annual leave they may carry forward from one leave year to the next is 240 hours. Current law requires forfeiture of annual leave, in excess of the ceiling limitation, at the end of the leave year (02 Jan 10). The provisions for restoring forfeited leave are strictly enforced. For this reason, employees are encouraged to take appropriate action to prevent the forfeiture of their annual leave. If leave is forfeited, it may be possible to request restoration. The first requirement for restoration is that the leave must have been originally requested, approved, and scheduled in writing prior to the start of the third biweekly pay period before the end of the leave year. Thus, all use-or-lose

7 annual leave for year 2009 must be requested, approved, and scheduled before 22 Nov 09, to be eligible for restoration should it be forfeited. Before forfeited annual leave may be restored there must also be a determination that either an exigency of major importance occurred or sickness of the employee caused the forfeiture. As soon as a supervisor learns that leave subject to forfeiture must be canceled due to an exigency, he or she must initiate 21 SW Form 298 (Request for Approval of Exigency) to the appropriate official requesting approval to cancel the scheduled leave. At a minimum, the request should include a description of the exigency, which shows that it is of such importance that the employee could not be excused from duty. If appropriate, an employee then initiates a written request for restoration within 30 calendar days after the end of the leave year. Leave restorations are coordinated with the Civilian Personnel Section to ensure that the conditions for restoration in governing directives are met, and that submitted documentation supports the requests. Restoration of forfeited annual leave is addressed in AFI , Absence and Leave, Chapter 2, Paragraph BEST SUBSCRIPTION SERVICE & NEWSLETTER OPPORTUNITY The AFPC Benefits team encourages all employees to sign up for their subscription service on their web page. Please go to the link to register. Select the link titled "Newsletter Subscription service". Follow the guidance listed on how to subscribe or unsubscribe. The current BEST Newsletter for April 2009 is also found on the link titled "Newsletters and Bulletins". Lastly, pay attention to the section titled "Spotlight" since that is where BEST will post current changes or information regarding benefits. HARD COPY LEAVE AND EARNINGS STATEMENTS (LESs) SHUT OFF FOR AIR FORCE CIVILIANS In accordance with the Department of Air Force policy, effective pay date May 15, 2009 hard copy Leave and Earnings Statements (LESs) were turned off. LESs will continue to be available electronically on my Pay at Questions should be referred to AFAFO at arpc.afafo-workflow@arpc.denver.af.mil Air Force Accounting and Finance Office SAF/FMP (AFAFO) ANTITERRORISM AWARENESS (LEVEL 1) TRAINING (MANDATORY) All new civilian employees are required to attend this training. If you are prior military and have separated within the last year, you do not need to attend. Training is held the first and third Friday of the month (excluding Federal Holidays) at 10:00 AM in building 350, room 1047 on Peterson AFB. Please contact Earl at if you have questions about eligibility or course content. NEW ONLINE RETIREMENT PLANNING COURSES OFFERED TO CIVILIAN EMPLOYEES RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas Three new online courses for federal civilian employees offer training in the benefit-related areas of retirement, financial planning, and new employee orientation. The training is available on the automated Employee Benefits Information System (EBIS) web program under eseminars and it will be a benefit to all Air Force-serviced civilian employees at all stages of their careers. To take the eseminars, civilian employees need access to EBIS via the Air Force Portal: or the Air Force Personnel Center Ask web site Once logged into EBIS, click on the eseminars icon at the top of the screen to see the list of courses available. Employees with questions about the eseminars or EBIS can also contact BEST, the 24-hour Air Force Contact Center, at (800)

8 ALL TIME-OFF/PERFORMANCE AWARDS AND APPRAISALS FOR LEGACY HAS PROCESSED All Legacy Civilian Appraisals that will transfer to Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System (DCIPS) were effective on 2 Aug 09 and Time-Off Awards (TOA) were effective on 3 Aug 09 for the 2009 rating period. Employees will receive their performance cash awards and TOAs NTL 21 Aug 09. As a reminder, TOAs cannot be used until they appear on an employee s leave and earnings statement and are forfeited if they are not used within 1 year of the effective date. The CPS does not mail out hard copies of award Notifications of Personnel Action (SF-50). To obtain a copy, employees must log into the Air Force Personnel Center s Secure Login and retrieve a copy from their Civilian Electronic Official Personnel Folder (OPF). Procedures to do this are available using the attached link below. POC is 21 FSS/FSMC, your servicing Human Resources Specialist. CIVILIAN ADVANCED SICK LEAVE PROCEDURES Advance sick leave is a privilege which may be extended to an employee in cases of serious disability or illness. Up to 240 hours (30 workdays) of leave may be approved by a supervisor; however the actual amount of hours will be determined by your retirement balance. Requests for advance sick leave may be made before or during the period of absence but no later than the employee s return to duty The request for advance sick leave should be made in writing and include: SW Form 322, Request for Advance Sick Leave. 2. A statement of intent to return to duty long enough to earn the advance leave and to refund the amount still owed if unforeseen circumstances result in separation before the leave is paid back. 3. An OPM Form 71, Request for Leave or Approved Absence, reflecting the dates and number of hours requested. 4. A physician s statement. 5. Latest Leave and Earning Statement. The employee submits a completed 21 SW Form 322, Request for Advance Sick Leave, form to his or her supervisor along with an OPM-71 (Request for Leave or Approved Absence), medical documentation/physician statement and Leave and Earning Statement for approval or disapproval. When the supervisor receives the request for advance sick leave, he or she coordinates with 21 FSS/FSMC before making a decision. The supervisor notifies the employee in writing if the request is disapproved and when. If the request is approved, the supervisor endorses 21 SW Form 322 under Supervisor s Endorsement and submits to 21 FSS/FSMC for Approving Official s (CPF) Endorsement. In granting advance sick leave the following will be carefully considered: 1. Employee s past sick leave history (e.g., evidence of previous sick leave abuse). 2. Annual leave versus sick leave balance history. 3. Length of continuous employment. 4. Whether all accumulated sick leave has been exhausted. Advance sick leave is not considered a routine or standard procedure and will be granted only after all circumstances have been carefully weighed. Advance sick leave is not granted if: 1. It is likely that the employee will not return to duty for a sufficient period to repay the advanced leave or 2. There are insufficient funds in the retirement account to liquidate the indebtedness. Specific questions relating to advance sick leave can be addressed by your servicing Human Resources Specialist.

9 VOLUNTARY CIVILIAN ANNUAL LEAVE DONATIONS REQUESTED Voluntary Leave Transfer Program (VLTP) - Donations Requested: Civilian annual leave donations are needed for current civil service employees. If you have questions about the program, who has requested donations, or would like to donate annual leave, please contact PetersonStaffing@peterson.af.mil.