Health Benefits Open Season is Open

You can manage your benefits on the LiteBlue open season site.

Open season — your once-a-year opportunity to make changes to your health coverage or choose a new plan — begins Nov. 9.
Experts encourage you to evaluate your options each year to ensure you have the coverage you need without paying for services you don’t.
Plans include the Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB), USPS Health Benefits Plan (USPSHB), Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) and flexible spending accounts (FSAs).
Log onto the LiteBlue open season site to review your health plan and explore your options. The site features benefits information, FAQs and a video overview.
The site also links to the Office of Personnel Management’s online plan comparison tool, which allows you to compare several plans at once.
Open season ends Dec. 14.
To enroll or change coverage in FEHB, USPSHB or FSAs, go to PostalEASE on the open season site or call 877-477-3273 (select option 1). Some facilities also offer self-service kiosks that allow you to change your coverage.
To enroll or make changes to your FEDVIP coverage, visit the Benefeds site.
For assistance, call the HR Shared Service Center at 877-477-3273 (select option 5). The TTY number is 866-260-7507.

That's the Ticket! WPB MO Employees Earn Perfect Passport Score

West Palm Beach, FL, Postmaster Richard Fermo and West Palm Beach, FL, Main Office Manager, Customer Services Pablo Estupinan awarded gift certificates to the Main Office Team for obtaining a perfect score from the U.S. Department of State Passport Agency. The West Palm Beach, FL, Main Office was part of a small group of Passport Application Acceptance Facilities throughout Florida, Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin Islands to receive a perfect score on the Acceptance Facility Oversight Program.

Employees recognized include West Palm Beach, FL, Main Office Supervisor, Customer Services Marlene Findlay; Retail Associates Lawrence Battle, Thomas Costello, Christene Glover, Patricia Moody, Nancy Rankins; and Postal Support Employee (PSE) Sales and Service Distribution Associate Dianelis Perez.

 

Pictured First Row, from left: West Palm Beach, FL, Manager, Customer Services Pablo Estupinan, Retail Associate Christene Glover, Postal Support Employee (PSE) Sales and Service Distribution Associate Dianelis Perez, West Palm Beach, FL, Postmaster Richard Fermo, West Palm Beach, FL, Main Office Supervisor, Customer Services Marlene Findlay. Pictured Second Row, from left: Retail Associates Patricia Moody, Nancy Rankins, Thomas Costello, and Lawrence Battle. Photo: Curlita Rogers-Saunders

West Palm Beach MO Passport Fair: Saturday, November 14

Planning a vacation? Make the West Palm Beach Main Office the first stop of your journey.

West Palm Beach Postmaster Richard Fermo invites employees to the Passport Fair at the West Palm Beach Main Office, 3200 Summit Blvd, West Palm Beach, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 14. No appointment required. (Employees are reminded that this is an off-the-clock activity.)

How to Prepare for the Passport Application Process:

A completed application (form is available at usps.com/passport; but do not sign it until the passport clerk instructs you to do so).  

Remember that everyone, including newborn infants, is required to obtain a passport in his or her own name. For children under age 16, the consent of both parents/ guardians is required. 

Proof of identity (a valid permanent state driver’s license, a government ID or military ID, previous passport, Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization Certificate)

Proof of U.S. citizenship (previous passport, original or certified birth certificate issued from the state with a raised, embossed, impressed, or multi-colored seal and the registrar’s  signature and date of certificate filing)

Two official passport photos (available at the Passport Fair for $15)

Social Security Number

The U.S. Department of State fees vary according to age and type. The fee(s) must be made by money order, check, bank draft, or cashier’s check made payable to the U.S. Department of State; debit and credit card payment is not available. The Passport Book fee for under age 16 is $80; for age 16 and older is $110. The Passport Card fee for under age 16 is $15, and for age 16 and older is $30. In addition, all acceptance agencies, including the Postal Service, charge a processing fee of $25 per application. A debit or credit card may be used in addition to cash, money order, or check made payable to the Postal Service.

Milam Dairy Branch Employees Earn Service Awards for Career Milestones

Milam Dairy Branch Manager, Customer Services Ozzie Taboada recognized employees who achieved career milestones. Each employee received a Service Award and pin for their achievement. Taboada is pictured below with his employees. Photos: Mirtha Uriarte

Letter Carrier Felice Golden (left) reaches her 35-year career milestone.

Retail Associate Anita Williams (left) earns her Service Award and pin for 30 years.

Letter Carrier Bruce Valenzano earns recognition for 30 years of service.

Retail Associate Richard Rivero (right) earns his 25-year Service Award and pin.

Retail Associate Henry Serra receives a Service Award and pin for 25 years.

'A Star is Born' in Fort Lauderdale

Fort Lauderdale City Carrier Assistant Willy Ocasio scans a package in a new holiday television commercial.

The Postal Service’s first two holiday television commercials hit the airwaves this week, and Fort Lauderdale City Carrier Assistant Willy Ocasio plays a starring role in one of them.

Each ad is 15 seconds long and highlights real-time delivery notifications, a new service that alerts customers when their packages arrive. The theme of the ads is “Count on Us.”

Two ads debuted Nov. 2. A third commercial will begin airing Nov. 9. All three spots featuring employees will be shown on multiple channels throughout November and December. The ads can be viewed on Blue and the Postal Service’s YouTube channel.

This week, the ads will air during NBC’s “Mysteries of Laura” (Nov. 4), CBS’s “The Big Bang Theory” and Fox’s “Sleepy Hollow” (Nov. 5), ABC’s “Good Morning America” (Nov. 6) and NBC’s “Saturday Today” (Nov. 7).

Open Season Info at Your Fingertips

USPS employees will find information about open season online.

Postal Service employees can go online to manage their benefits during this year’s open season.
The open season site on LiteBlue offers brochures, references, plan selection resources and instructions on updating benefits elections.
The site also offers archived guides to benefits. (The Postal Service won’t publish new guides this year.)
Open season, the annual period when employees can change their health coverage or choose a new plan, begins Nov. 9.
For additional information, call the HR Shared Service Center at 877-477-3273 and select option 5, or TTY 866-260-7507.

Miami Blue Lagoon Employees Earn 'Excellence Certificates' for Service

Manager, Customer Service Operations Rosalyn Bell-Mosley; Blue Lagoon Branch Manager, Customer Services Dorothy Rhodes and Supervisor, Customer Services Amy Edge recognized several employees with an “Excellence Certificate” for overall outstanding performance in FY15. Employees recognized were Retail Associate Dareck Johnson, Jr.; Letter Carrier Eddie Kimbrough, Jr.; Distribution Clerk Christine Law; and Retail Associate Jose Rojas (not pictured).

Blue Lagoon Branch Retail Associate Dareck C. Johnson, Jr. (center), receives recognition award from Supervisor, Customer Services Amy Edge (left) and Manager, Customer Services Dorothy Rhodes (right). Photo: Mirtha Uriarte

Blue Lagoon Branch Distribution Clerk Christine Law (center) receives recognition award from Manager, Customer Services Dorothy Rhodes (left); Manager, Customer Service Operations Rosalyn Bell-Mosley (right); and Supervisor, Customer Services Amy Edge (back).  Photo: Mirtha Uriarte

Blue Lagoon Branch Letter Carrier Eddie Kimbrough, Jr. (second to left), receives recognition award from A/Supervisor, Customer Services Nadine Harris (left); Manager, Customer Services Dorothy Rhodes (second from right); and Manager, Customer Service Operations Rosalyn Bell-Mosley (right). Supervisor, Customer Services Amy Edge is in the back. Photo: Mirtha Uriarte