HRPAY 18-05, Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) and Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Leave without Pay (LWOP) Counters
Published: October 16, 2018
Summary
This bulletin is being issued to provide information for tracking non-pay status, thereby improving the accuracy of Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) and Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) enrollment terminations, and assisting Agencies in identifying opportunities to reenroll in FEHB/FEGLI programs upon return to duty.
Civilian (e.g., non-military) non-pay time, such as Leave without Pay (LWOP), is documented on an employee's time and attendance report (T&A) or via a personnel action. Military furlough is always documented via a personnel action.
The Report field on the Reporting Center (RPCT) report, FEHB and FEGLI Counters (LWOP), is used to select the number of non-pay status days to be displayed on the report containing this information. This report is available under Workforce Reports. Agencies may make updates/corrections to this information in the TIME Inquiry-Leave Update System (TINQ).
Employees with Civilian Non-Pay Status Time
FEGLI and FEHB enrollments for employees with civilian non-pay time continues for up to 365 days of accumulated civilian non-pay time. Once the employee reaches 365 days of this non-pay status time, their FEHB enrollment is terminated. FEGLI enrollments are terminated when the Agency processes a personnel action with Nature of Action Code (NOAC) 881, Change in FEGLI. After an employee is in pay status for 120 consecutive days, the employee is entitled to a new 365-day period of continuous enrollment while in LWOP status.
Agencies are responsible for ensuring personnel actions and T&As are processed in a timely manner to ensure the non-pay and pay FEGLI and FEHB counters are updated accurately. When corrected or late personnel actions and/or T&As are submitted, the Agency must assess the impact of the action and adjust the non-pay and pay time for FEGLI and FEHB purposes as applicable.
Employees on Military Furlough
Employees coded as being on military furlough can continue FEGLI and FEHB enrollments for 24 months. Employees receive a new 24-month period of continued enrollment while in leave without pay status for each new set of military orders, which should then be documented by an additional personnel action with a newer effective date. The 24 months is continuous time in non-pay status (i.e., non-pay time continues to accrue regardless of whether or not employees receive sick, annual, military leave, or holiday pay while absent).
Agencies are responsible for ensuring personnel actions are processed in a timely manner to ensure the non-pay FEHB counter for military furlough is updated accurately. When corrected or late personnel actions are submitted for military furlough, the Agency must assess the impact of the action and adjust the non-pay time for FEHB on military furlough purposes as applicable.
Resources
The procedure manuals for these applications, which are available online at the National Finance Center (NFC) Web site, are being updated to include the information in this bulletin. To view and/or print these procedures, select HR and Payroll Clients from the MyNFC drop-down menu on the NFC homepage. At the HR and Payroll Clients page, select the Publications tab and select the applicable category to access the procedure manuals within the category.
Inquiries
For questions about NFC processing, authorized Servicing Personnel Office representatives should contact the NFC Contact Center at or via the customer service portal.