Employee Benefits
Reclamation's greatest resource is its people. To help employees experience a challenging career while balancing their personal life, we offer comprehensive, competitive, and flexible benefits. Reclamation strives to take care of employees' short- and long-term needs.
Benefits Include:
- Scheduled Holidays
- Annual Leave
- Sick Leave
- Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) Retirement Plan
- Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
- Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB)
- Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI)
- Designation of Beneficiary Forms
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FLMA)
There are eleven Federal Holidays recognized by the United States Government (5 U.S.C. 6103). On these days, all non-essential government employees are off work, and most government offices (including post offices) are closed.
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An employee may request annual leave, subject to the right of the supervisor, for vacations, rest, relaxation, emergencies, and for personal business. Should an employee leave federal service, annual leave is paid out in one lumpsum.
Sick leave is a paid absence from duty and can be used for personal medical needs, family care or bereavement, care of a family member with a serious health condition, and adoption-related purposes. A ½ day off for sick leave is accrued each pay period (4 hours every 2 weeks), totaling about 13 days off every year, or 104 hours.
Resignation or Termination: Should an employee resign or be terminated from federal service, the leave is documents in the employees’ records and when the employee returns to work for the Federal Government is entitled to the recredit of his or her sick leave, regardless of the length of the break in service.
Retirement: Unused sick leave will be used in the calculation of an employee's or survivor's annuity based on retirement with an immediate annuity or on a death in service.
Family and Medical Leave Act (FLMA)
Under the Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993 (FMLA), most Federal employees are entitled to a total of up to 12 workweeks of unpaid leave during any 12-month period for the following purposes:
- the birth of a son or daughter of the employee and the care of such son or daughter.
- the placement of a son or daughter with the employee for adoption or foster care.
- the care of spouse, son, daughter, or parent of the employee who has a serious health condition; or
- a serious health condition of the employee that makes the employee unable to perform the essential functions of his or her positions.
- any qualifying exigency arising out of the fact that the spouse, or a son, daughter, or parent of the employee is on covered active duty (or has been notified of an impending call or order to covered active duty) in the Armed Forces.
Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS) Retirement Plan
On January 1, 1987, Congress created the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). FERS is a retirement plan that provides benefits from three different sources: a Basic Benefit Plan, Social Security, and the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). The Basic Benefit and Social Security parts of FERS require you to pay your share each pay period. Your agency withholds the cost of the Basic Benefit and Social Security from your pay as payroll deductions. Your agency pays its part too. Then, after you retire, you receive annuity payments each month for the rest of your life.
Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)
The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a tax-deferred retirement savings and investment plan that offers Federal employees the same type of savings and tax benefits that many private corporations offer their employees under 401(k) plans. By participating in the TSP, Federal employees can save part of their income for retirement, receive matching agency contributions, and reduce their current taxes.
New employees are automatically enrolled at 5% of their basic pay going into TSP, and this can be increased or decreased at any time. The TSP elective deferral limit for 2023 is $22,500
Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB)
The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) Program is an optional program that can help you and your family meet your health care needs. You can choose from among Consumer-Driven and High Deductible plans that offer catastrophic risk protection with higher deductibles, health savings/reimbursable accounts and lower premiums, or Fee-for-Service (FFS) plans, and their Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO), or Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO) if you live (or sometimes if you work) within the area serviced by the plan
Premiums and the Government contribution change yearly. You share the cost of your health benefits coverage with the Government. Most full-time employees pay only 25% of the total premium.
Employees can change their FEHB plan during the Federal Annual Open Season, or within 60 days of a qualifying life event, such as a marriage, birth of a child, divorce, etc.
For further information, please visit the below link.
Link - Healthcare (opm.gov)
FEHB Comparison Tool Link - Healthcare : Compare 2023 Plans - OPM.gov
Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI)
The Federal Government established the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Program on August 29, 1954. It is the largest group life insurance program in the world.
Unless they waive coverage, most Federal employees have Basic Life Insurance. Some employees also may have FEGLI optional insurance coverage. Optional coverage for employees may be $10,000 (Option A - Standard, which doubles in case of accidental death), and/or one to five multiples of pay (Option B - Additional). Option C - Family, insures an employee's eligible family members from one to five multiples of coverage, with each multiple equal to $5,000 upon the death of a spouse and $2,500 upon the death of an eligible child.
These rates were effective on the first pay period that started on or after October 1, 2021, through present. All FEGLI rates may change in the future.
Rates for FEGLI
| Basic Life Insurance (per thousand dollar) | ||
Rates for Option A - Standard |
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1 Multiple = $5,000 For A Spouse 1 Multiple = $2,500 For Each Eligible Dependent Child |
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For further information, please visit the below link.
Link - Life Insurance (opm.gov)
Designation of Beneficiary Forms
Employees can complete Designation of Beneficiary forms to designate who should receive the benefits upon death. Designation Beneficiary forms are required and if there are none on file, the order of precedence will apply.
First, to the designated beneficiary |
Second, if none designated, to the surviving spouse |
Third, if none of the above, to the child or children and descendants of deceased children, by representation |
Fourth, if none of the above, to any surviving parents |
Fifth, if none of the above, to the duly appointed executor or administrator of the estate |
Sixth, if none of the above, to the next of kin as determined by the laws of the state where retiree lived. |
