JOURNAL

November, 2013 www.feaonline.org Vol. 57 No. 2

INSIDE:

FEA ELECTION 2014Find information about the upcoming election of FEA Area Directors, including Nomination Forms and general information for candidates, on pages 5-7 of this newsletter.

Nomination forms and other election information have also been sent by FEA to our FRS in each school.

You can also find the information online at www.feaonline.org

In order to preserve members’ rights and protect the quality of education in our schools, FEA is pursuing legal action and other alternatives to compel DoDEA to meet its legal obligations to negotiate and consult with the Association before making changes to existing programs or implementing new initiatives/policies. With increasing frequency, the non-educators at DoDEA headquarters – taking advantage of the transfer of leadership within the agency – have been attempting to force questionable education programs and policies upon the school system. The attempt by DoDEA to mandate the use of the Benchmark Assessment System (BAS - see article, page 4) is just one of many recent examples of management officials willfully ignoring their legal obligations to negotiate. “FEA remains committed to working within the bargaining process to resolve issues,” says Executive Director/General Counsel H.T. Nguyen, “but that does not work if only one side agrees to play by the rules.” In addition to violating the laws regarding bargaining, management is also ignoring an Executive Order issued by President Obama in December 2009, requiring government agencies to engage in “Pre-Decisional Involvement” (PDI) with employee unions. Under PDI, management is to work jointly with FEA to resolve issues,

rather than attempt to impose pre-determined policies and then engage in bargaining over how those decisions – made with no effective input from the classroom educators who are the real education experts – will be implemented. The use of PDI had never been fully embraced by management. Recently, however, management has attempted to shirk even more of its legal obligations, frequently attempting to declare issues to be non-negotiable under any of three possible reasons:

• Retained right: Management claims it has the right to conduct certain actions.• De minimis: Management claims the action it wishes to take is too small or insignificant to warrant negotiation.• Permissive subject matter: Management claims it is not obligated to bargain an action unless it chooses to do so.

FEA has filed multiple Unfair Labor Practices over management actions recently and, with the help of NEA, is requesting that the Pentagon and White House enforce DoDEA’s obligations to negotiate and follow PDI. “We will not stand by and let management staff who have not set foot in a classroom for years, if ever, steer us down a course that is harmful to students and education,” Nguyen says. “If management will not agree to meet its legal obligations, we will require them to do so.”

Holding Management AccountableDoDEA’s Refusal To Negotiate Prompts FEA Legal Action

Page 2 FEA Journal

FEA President’s CornerChuck McCarter

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Teamwork: Not Just a Buzzword For MembersThe word “team” has been used so poorly by DoDEA management recently that we must sometimes remind ourselves of the true value of teamwork and strive to continue practicing these ideals in our daily lives. Fortunately, both our work environment and our professional association provide many opportunities for and examples of teamwork on a daily basis. Think of all the teamwork examples you see and participate in daily. Faculty and staff function as a team with the shared goal of advancing student learning. This goal is not something you need dictated to you from DoDEA headquarters: It is the reason you come to work each day and the reason you chose your profession in the first place. Similarly, parents, students and staff, especially classroom teachers, form a team with the same goal. Education professionals know that success can only come when all three parts of this team work together and share the responsibility (and the credit) for achieving their goal of seeing students learn and prepare themselves for the future. Every action, from driving the school buses, to

preparing lesson plans to making sure kids do their homework, is an important part of a larger whole. Such teamwork extends to FEA. Your FRS and other building representatives work collaboratively with the members they represent. In turn, these building-level representatives work with other association leaders at the district, complex, country, area and worldwide levels. Being part of the NEA team is also a huge asset to our members. (see HT’s article, page 3) FEA works because information and ideas flow both ways – from the classroom level towards FEA headquarters, and back along the same path. We recognize that the real experts are in our classrooms and we listen to your input and your concerns. In turn, we use that information to advocate for your concerns and priorities. FEA succeeds because our members know our shared values and priorities outweigh any differences we may have. Furthermore, we know that, as part of a team, we will never be abandoned and expected to “go it alone.” Achieving this success is not easy,

especially in stressful times like ours. It requires all of us to be patient with people who have opinions different from ours. It requires us to do our part and share the burden of responsibility, instead of sitting back and waiting to assign blame. In other words, it requires teamwork. You can play an active role on the FEA team. Whether you run for office yourself or offer to help your local building representative with a task as simple as stuffing mailboxes or decorating a bulletin board, I encourage you to find a way to actively contribute to your association. No entity, including FEA, is perfect. At times we become frustrated with the apparent lack of progress on an issue important to us or lash out because things did not go as we wished. This is a natural part of any team. However, our common goals far outweigh our differences. And, because we are truly a team, we remain committed to the shared goal of advancing our students and our profession, and working to boost the odds of success for ourselves and our teammates. That’s what teamwork is all about.

November, 2013 Page 3

Association BusinessH.T. Nguyen

FEA Executive Director

Anyone who doubts the value of a unified and strong professional association having your back should reflect upon all that’s happened in just the past few months. This past summer, it appeared certain DoDEA schools would lose a week of classroom learning time to employee furloughs. Most civilian federal employees were victims of furloughs, but nearly all FEA members emerged unscathed by them (the exception being our ESP members in DDESS schools – FEA continues to fight to have them reimbursed for being illegally furloughed). DoDEA schools were able to open on time and stay open, without losing a single day of classroom learning time to furloughs. More recently, large portions of the federal workforce were sent home during the government shutdown. DoDEA schools remained open because the government recognized their value and importance to military families. Once the shutdown ended, back pay was approved for all feds who had been victims of the shutdown. More pertinent to our members, pay was approved for employees who had taken

leave for medical or other reasons during the shutdown, and for employees who had been told by management not to utilize their “official time” as association representatives during the shutdown. How did these things happen? In part, it’s because FEA and NEA are here to fight for these and other causes. You may recall statements from DoDEA management prior to the furlough cancellation that essentially said one week of lost classroom time could be made up. FEA members knew better, and we (with a LOT of help from NEA) kept the fight up; educating decision makers in DC about how even a single day of education lost to furloughs was too much. Sure enough, when the Pentagon announced this summer it was able to reduce furloughs for most employees to “just” five or six days, it included a special exemption for DoDEA schools so that no days of classroom instruction would be missed. Likewise, when the government shutdown ended last month, FEA/NEA and other associations representing federal employees made sure not only that the

federal workers who suffered under the shutdown would be paid as normal, but that DoDEA educators and other DOD civilian workers who were working during the shutdown would not have their pay interrupted at all. Similarly, we made sure members who had to take time off during the shutdown for medical leave, and other justifiable absences, were not penalized by having that leave treated as non-pay status. These things don’t just happen on their own. They happen because you have a voice in Washington DC to represent your interests and those of your students. The reason you have that voice is because you choose to support your professional association. By doing so, you are taking responsibility for your profession and making it clear that you, as an education professional, want to be heard and have your opinions matter. We won’t win every fight – no one does – but when you support FEA/NEA, you are making sure you have a fighting chance. As the last few months have shown us, that fighting chance can make a lot of difference in how things turn out.

Get all the latest news on issues affecting FEA members by regularly visiting FEA’s Web site atwww.feaonline.org

Furloughs, Shutdown Show Unity Works

Page 4 FEA Journal

45x18

13.5

average number of minutes teachers say it takes to administer the BAS to a single student

minimum number of students in most K-3 classes

classroom learning hours consumed by a single administration of the BAS, on average

x2

27number of times DoDEA wants to conduct BAS each year

Minimum hours of classroom learning time, on average, that would be lost to BAS each year – That’s More Than One Entire Week of Classroom Learning!

BAS

Consider

the Numbers

Regardless their opinion of the quality of the BAS as an assessment tool, most FEA members think administering it takes too much time away from classroom learning. FEA has filed an Association Grievance over DODDS’s illegal implementation of the BAS. The agency did not engage in good-faith bargaining over the implementation of the assessment, as required by law. Instead, it broke off negotiations and illegally mandated the use of BAS with no interest in or regard to input from the classroom educators who would be using it. FEA has also filed a waste, fraud and abuse complaint with the DOD Inspector General’s office, citing the high cost of the BAS and the availability of other assessment tools that can provide the necessary assessment data at a lower cost to the system. FEA DODDS members being required to administer the BAS this school year are being asked to keep a log of the time you are directed by management to spend working on this assessment. A log sheet you can fill out and detailed legal update on this issue can be found at www.feaonline.org

November, 2013 Page 5

ATTENTION FRSs, LOCAL PRESIDENTS AND OTHER SCHOOL

LEADERS:Please remember that FEA Election Guidelines require you to post and/or distrib-ute all campaign materials received in the exact same manner for each and every candidate.

1. Candidates are prohibited from using the FREE MPS for the mailing of campaign materials. DOD POSTAL REGULATIONS DO NOT AUTHORIZE THE USE OF MPS FOR MAILING FLYERS EVEN WHEN POSTAGE IS ATTACHED. Please do not use MPS. It is recommended that candidates mail their flyers through friends/family who reside in the United States. 2. Candidates will be provided with two sets of membership labels and two sets of leadership labels to be used to mail campaign literature to members/leaders. 3. Membership and leadership labels that are not used by the candidate must be returned to the FEA Washington office. Candidates may, at

their option, decline one or more sets of labels by notifying the FEA Washington office in writing. 4. All candidates must sign a statement agreeing to use the labels provided by the FEA Washington office only for purposes of their own campaign. Please see Official Acceptance and Biographic Information/Mailing Labels and Mail Restrictions Form for more details. 5. All candidates must sign a statement agreeing that, if elected, they will not accept any DoDEA position outside of the bargaining unit within three years of their leaving the FEA Board of Directors.

Important Information for Candidates

FEA ELECTION 2014Nominate Yourself or Someone Else for Office – Here’s How1. Determine the office for which you want to run, or think of a fellow FEA Active Member you’d like to nominate

2. Fill out the appropriate nomination form from page 7. There are separate forms for self-nomination and nomi-nating another member

3. Mail the nomination form (or forms, if you wish to make more than one nomination) to the Nominations Chairper-son at the address on the form

NOTICE OF ELECTIONFor Election of Officers in Spring 2014

In accordance with the provisions of the Department of Labor Rules and Regulations governing elections, notice is hereby given to all reported members that an election for the purpose of electing Executive Officers of the Federal Education Association is to be conducted in a secret ballot election by the members. Balloting will be done by mail during the months of March and April and received by the Washington office not later than April 22, 2014.

The officers to be elected to the following positions shall be elected to serve a three-year term of office commencing on August 2, 2014, as stipulated by the FEA Constitution and Bylaws:

• Europe North Area Director (representing the Isles and Kaiserslautern 2 Divisions)

• Europe South Area Director (representing the Bavaria, Kaiserslautern 1 and Mediterranean Divisions)

• Pacific Area Director

• FEA Director for DDESS

These officers shall be elected by the membership of the geographical area each represents.

FEA ELECTION 20142013-2014 FEA ELECTION SCHEDULEDecember 19, 2013

Deadline for postmark on Nomination Forms.

By January 14, 2014Deadline for receipt of Official Acceptance and Biographical/Mailing Label and Mail Restrictions Form.

By January 15, 2014FEA Director of Administration sends the list of candidates to the BOD, FRSs, and all candidates. Candidate list posted on FEA Web site.

FEA Administrative Office sends all candidates notice of certification of their candidacy and election information.

January 23, 2014Deadline for receipt in FEA Washington office of Candidate Picture

Deadline for withdrawal of nomination if candidates do not wish to have their name printed on the ballot.

By January 28, 2014FEA Administrative Office sends all candidates two sets of mailing labels for appropriate leaders and two sets for the appropriate membership and guidelines for mailing campaign materials.

By February 28, 2014FEA Administrative Office mails Sample Ballot Packet to FRSs, Local Presidents and Area Directors.

February 28, 2014FEA Administrative Office mails Ballot Packets to active membership.

March 18, 2014Local Presidents, FRSs and Area Directors may reproduce ballots for those members who have not received theirs.

April 22, 2014Deadline for receipt of ballots.

April 23 and 24, 2014 Votes tallied

April 25, 2014Election results posted on FEA Web site within 24 hours of tally.

Realignments in Europe Affect FEA Area Director Election Nominations, Voting

Newly Aligned FEA Divisions and Areas Within Europeschools in Europe are now assigned to the following FEA Areas and Divisions

The ongoing drawdown and realignment of troops in Europe has resulted in some changes to how FEA organizes itself on the continent as well.

For the most part, these changes will be transparent to FEA members. However, because this year’s Area Director elections are based upon geography, it is

important to understand in which FEA Division/Area your school is located. Consult the table below to see which FEA Europe Area Director represents you.

Page 6 FEA Journal

FEA EUROPE NORTH AREA FEA EUROPE SOUTH AREA*Division I: Isles

Division II:Kaiserslautern 2

Division I: Kaiserslautern 1

Division II: Bavaria

AFNORTH ESAFNORTH M/HSAlconbury ESAlconbury M/HSBrussels E/MSCroughton ESFeltwell ESKleine Brogel ESLakenheath ESLakenheath HSLakenheath MSLiberty ISMenwith Hill E/MSSHAPE ESSHAPE M/HSWT Sampson ES/HS

Aukamm ESBaumholder M/HSBitburg ESBitburg HSBoeblingen E/MSHainerberg ESPatch ESPatch HSRobinson Barracks E/MSSmith ESSpangdahlem ESSpangdahlem MSWiesbaden HSWiesbaden MSWetzel ES

Kaiserslautern ESKaiserslautern HSKaiserslautern MSLandstuhl E/MSRamstein ESRamstein HSRamstein ISRamstein MSSembach ESSembach MSVogelweh ES

Ansbach ESAnsbach M/HSBamberg ESBamberg M/HSGarmisch ESGrafenwoehr ESHohenfels ESHohenfels M/HSIllesheim ESNetzaberg ESNetzaberg MSRainbow ESSchweinfurt ESSchweinfurt M/HSVilseck ESVilseck HS

*any member located in the Mediterranean is also represented by the Europe South Area Director

November, 2013 Page 7

OFFICIAL OPEN NOMINATION FORM B(Nomination of Another FEA Active Member)

I, ___________________________________________, do hereby nominate

_________________________________________________ for the office of:

___ Europe North Area Director (representing the Isles and Kaiserslautern 2 Divisions)

___ Europe South Area Director (representing the Bavaria, Kaiserslautern 1 and Mediterranean Divisions)

___ Pacific Area Director

___ FEA Director for DDESS

______________________________ _____________________________ Signature Date

Nominee’s Mailing Address _____________________________________

_____________________________________

Nominee’s Home Phone ______________________________

Nominee’s Personal (Non-DoDEA) E-mail Address _______________________

Requirements set forth for BOD officers: Must be an Active member of FEA (full-time, half-time or part-time). Thus, each candidate must fulfill the requirements of unified membership in the United Education Profession.

MAIL THIS FORM TO: WILHELMENA H. SAPP NOMINATIONS CHAIRPERSON 420 SHORELINE DR. FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28311-1280

A backup copy may also be mailed to FEA at: Federal Education Association; ATTN: Elections; 1201 16th Street, NW; Suite 117; Washington, DC 20036. Forms may also be faxed by the deadline to the FEA Washington office at 202-822-7867.

FORMS MUST BE POSTMARKED BY DECEMBER 19, 2013.

OFFICIAL OPEN NOMINATION FORM A(Self-Nomination)

I, _____________________________________, do hereby nominate myself for the office of:

___ Europe North Area Director (representing the Isles and Kaiserslautern 2 Divisions)

___ Europe South Area Director (representing the Bavaria, Kaiserslautern 1 and Mediterranean Divisions)

___ Pacific Area Director

___ FEA Director for DDESS

______________________________ _____________________________ Signature Date

Mailing Address _____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Home Phone ______________________________

Personal (Non-DoDEA) E-mail Address ___________________________

Requirements set forth for BOD officers: Must be an Active member of FEA (full-time, half-time or part-time). Thus, each candidate must fulfill the requirements of unified membership in the United Education Profession.

MAIL THIS FORM TO: WILHELMENA H. SAPP NOMINATIONS CHAIRPERSON 420 SHORELINE DR. FAYETTEVILLE, NC 28311-1280

A backup copy may also be mailed to FEA at: Federal Education Association; ATTN: Elections; 1201 16th Street, NW; Suite 117; Washington, DC 20036. Forms may also be faxed by the deadline to the FEA Washington office at 202-822-7867.

FORMS MUST BE POSTMARKED BY DECEMBER 19, 2013.

NOMINATION FORMS FOR FEA AREA DIRECTOR BOARD SEATSAny FEA Active Member may use these forms to nominate herself/himself or another Active Member for office. Simply clip along the dotted line, fill out the necessary information, and mail your form. Be sure to use the appropriate form and mail it to the Nominations Chairperson at the address below, prior to the December 19 deadline.

Page 8 FEA Journal

Ensuring Fair and Equal Treatment for AllFEA protects bargaining unit members against attacks on their rights and against discrimination or other unfair treatment. As the nationally-recognized labor organization for DoDEA employees, it is not FEA’s role to determine guilt or innocence. Our role is to see that due process and fair treatment, including the presumption of innocence until proven guilty, is afforded to everyone we represent. Opponents of employee rights sometimes attempt to twist the protection of rights by FEA/NEA into an argument that we purposefully protect bad teachers, or even worse, child abusers. This is a perversion of logic and an insult to supporters of our system of laws. Need an example? Ask your friends and coworkers. Chances are someone will know a fellow educator who has been falsely accused of child abuse. The majority – the vast majority – of such allegations prove to be false. In many instances, such allegations are made up by

students to get back at a teacher who disciplined them or did not give them the grade they felt they deserved. If the accused in such a case is not given the fair hearing he or she deserves, it would be human nature to react solely to the heinous accusation and demand severe punishment. Emotions would trump the truth. One of FEA/NEA’s primary reasons for existing is to be sure those who are falsely accused of any act receive their fair hearing. Neither FEA nor its members want bad teachers in our schools, and we certainly do not want child abuse in our schools. But neither do we want innocent educators punished or disciplined unjustly because no one would stand up for their rights. We are fortunate to be protected by a system of laws designed to see that the guilty are punished and the innocent are vindicated. FEA/NEA’s role is to make sure that system is not forgotten.

What is a Grievance? Simply stated, a grievance is a complaint concerning any matter related to the employment of a DoDEA employee in FEA’s bargaining unit. A grievance may also deal with matters such as a violation of our collective bargaining agreement, or any other violation of regulations or laws governing employment conditions.

Who May File a Grievance? Any individual in FEA’s bargaining unit may file a grievance. Normally, individual bargaining unit members write and document their own grievances. You may also obtain advice and/or assistance from your Faculty Representative Spokesperson (FRS), who in turn can get help from FEA’s legal staff or leaders.

What is a Group Grievance? As its name implies, a group grievance is filed on behalf of multiple bargaining unit members who share a common complaint. The group can select a single person (typically, the FRS) to be the lead grievant, but all members of the group must be identified in the grievance.

What is an Association Grievance? An Association Grievance is filed by FEA on behalf of the entire bargaining unit. They are similar in many ways to a class-action lawsuit. Most Association Grievances involve conflicting interpretations of laws, regulations or the Negotiated Agreement covering bargaining unit members.

What is the Typical Format for a Grievance Filing? Contact your FRS for a sample grievance letter you can use to model your complaint.

Are There Deadlines for Filing a Grievance? In DoDDS, grievances resulting from a specific action or incident must be filed within 15 calendar days. Grievances from ongoing situations, such as a problem with your pay that recurs every pay period, are considered to be continuous and are generally not subject to a deadline for filing. When in doubt, consult your FRS immediately as to whether your situation falls under the 15 calendar day deadline for filing. It is better to file quickly than to miss a deadline.

What Are the Typical Steps in a Grievance Procedure? Grievances usually begin with an informal discussion between yourself, your FRS and an administrator. If no resolution can be reached informally, you should submit your written grievance to the administrator. The administrator should respond within the appropriate time limit. Often this response amounts to the administrator’s rebuttal to your complaint. If you are not satisfied with the administrator’s response, you can request (in writing) elevation of the grievance to the next level. Be sure to consult your FRS and send a copy of your complete grievance packet to your FEA Area Director and UniServ Attorney. They can advise you on further options.

You Are Not Alone When you have a question or concern about your rights or your working conditions, don’t hesitate to draw upon the expertise of your nearby FEA representatives. One of the most important services FEA provides its members is making sure there is an association representative – an FR, FRS, Local President, etc. – in your school or complex who can provide information and advice when you need it. These local association reps are trained on the applicable contract and legal agreements between FEA and DoDEA. Furthermore, they know how to work within FEA’s network of resources to quickly get your questions answered or to draw upon the assistance – legal or otherwise – you may need from FEA. Do not hesitate to utilize your local association representatives when you have questions/concerns related to your rights and working conditions. They are an incredibly valuable resource available to you as a member.

The InformaTIon Below applIes specIfIcally To fea DoDDs memBers. DDess memBers shoulD consulT TheIr BuIlDIng represenTaTIve/local presIDenT for InformaTIon aBouT grIevance DeaDlInes anD proceDures.

FEA members at Andersen Middle School, located on Guam, celebrate achieving 100 percent membership in the association for school year 2013-2014. Andersen MS has a long history of being at or near the 100 percent level every year. Congratulations and thank you for your support of FEA!

November, 2013 Page 9

NEA Magazine Highlights FEA MemberFEA members reading the Fall 2013 NEA Today magazine may have come across a familiar face, and even more familiar story, on page 37. FEA member Jennifer Loftus, who teaches at Hainerberg Elementary School in Germany, was spotlighted in the magazine’s “Why I’m A Member” section. In the article, Loftus shares her story about DFAS falsely claiming she owed the government money for housing, and the efforts of FEA UniServ Attorney Bill Freeman to successfully defend her and 14 other educators who were part of the same legal case. The government claimed Loftus and the other educators collectively owed over a quarter million dollars. In the end, Freeman not only succesfully defended Loftus and the others against the false debt charge, but the government ended up owing money to Loftus. “I am definitely proud to be a member,” Loftus told NEA Today. You can view the NEA Today article by going to http://feaonline.org/media/journal/neatoday.pdf

BULLY FREE: IT STARTS WITH ME

Ramstein Intermediate School in Germany (pictured, third grade teacher Terese Sarno and members of her class) observed National Bullying Prevention Month in October. An assembly was held for the entire school in which students read an anti-bullying pledge and sang songs with an anti-bullying theme. Sarno’s class continued the activities by discussing different types of bullying and how individuals can help others who are victims of bullying by their peers. NEA provides a number of resources to help prevent and deal with bullying at its “Bully Free: It Starts With Me” site, available at www.nea.org/bullyfree

Page 10 FEA Journal

Know the Facts to Make the Most of Health Benefits Open Seasonby Paula S. Jakub, RHUExecutive Vice President, American Foreign Service Protective Association*Federal Employees Benefits Open Season is upon us and it is especially important to review your coverage to make sure it will meet your needs in 2013. The average premium increase in 2014 for employees and retirees is 3.7% , with the employee share increasing by 4.4%. The new FEHB premiums will take effect for most federal employees on January 12, 2014. Each year the individual plans of the FEHB Program offer enrollees a benefit package with comprehensive coverage at a reasonable premium. Since plans vary in their changes, it is important to know what your particular plan is doing. We encourage you to read carefully Section 2 Changes for 2014 in your 2014 plan brochure. The PDF can be viewed and downloaded from your plan’s website.

Do not rely on premium costs alone to make your health plan decision. Things like extra deductibles and plan allowances for services, especially overseas, could end up costing you money. Customer service, Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) for claims reimbursement and internet claims submission can be very important for employees serving both stateside and abroad.

Improving Delivery of Prescription Drugs• Generics – offering generics and some preferred brands through some step therapy benefit design• Specialty – help control trend on these high cost drugs through management and support

programs or some step therapy benefit design Advancing Quality of Care

• Reduce emergency room use and hospital readmissions - i.e., reaching out through case management and support programs

• Wellness compliance incentives for certain diseases• Choosing Wisely Campaign- encouraging providers to avoid unnecessary/costly/ ineffective/

invasive procedures or treatmentEnhancing Wellness Benefits

• Assessment and Screening by offering Health Risk Assessment (HRA)• Behavior change intervention through health coaching benefits• Enhanced biometric screening benefits

2014 FEHB Program Emphasis and Plans’ Response Examples:2014 Premiums (bi-weekly)

for Selected Plans

Health Plan2014 Bi-Weekly

Employee Premium

Self Only Self and Family

BCBS Standard $87.82 $204.98

BCBS Basic $60.96 $142.75

Foreign Service $57.85 $142.55

GEHA High $93.77 $222.97

GEHA Standard $48.08 $109.34

Mail Handlers Standard $96.52 $233.38

*publication of this article does not constitute an endorsement by FEA of the American Foreign Service Protective Association or its products

A word about FSAFEDS: The program allows pre-tax reimbursement for eligible costs not covered by your health plan, such as copays, deductibles, dental, eyeglass, etc. Over-the-counter (OTC) drugs must have a doctor’s prescription for reimbursement. The maximum amount you can contribute to your HCFSA for 2014 is $2,500. Many plans offer paperless reimbursement to FSAFEDS, meaning the plan will send the information on to the FSAFEDS vendor after they process the claim. Be aware that you must re-enroll each year, which occurs during Open Season. For more information, go to www.FSAFEDS.com or call 1-888-372-3337.

And don’t forget about FEDVIP. Open Season applies to the Federal Employees Dental and Vision Program (FEDVIP) too. This is your opportunity to enroll, disenroll or change your plan for the next year. The participating plans have been expanded to six nationwide and four regional that offer dental coverage and four plans that offer vision coverage. Remember, transferring from a stateside post to an overseas post is NOT considered a Qualifying Life Event (QLE) under FEDVIP, so take the time to make a correct choice for next year. For more information, go to www.BENEFEDS.com or call 1-877-888-3337.

Federal Employees Benefits Open Season dates are November 11 through December 9, 2013. Employees can make selections/changes in their FEHBP, FSAFEDS and/or FEDVIP.

Get more FEHB information at www.opm.gov/insure/health/

November, 2013 Page 11

Rely on us for money-saving offers, member-only discounts and expert advice on

what maters most to you. You’ll find everything from a credit card that gives you

extra cash back to resources that help you move up the pay scale at work.

NEA, NEA Member Benefts and the NEA Member Benefts logo are registered service marks of NEA’s Member Benefts Corporation.

Explore your benefits at neamb.com/learnmore

your personal and professional life with NEA Member Benefits.

Enrich

Turn to our Programs & Services Brochure to see all

we offer in one place. Go to neamb.com/learnmore

for your personal copy. And if you have any questions

about your benefits, please call 1-800-637-4636.

The NEA Member Benefits Programs & Services Brochure is packed with more than 50 benefits.

Discoverall the ways NEA Member Benefits

supports you.

September 2013

CO681213

Questions About NEA Member Benefits? Call or Go Online!The NEA Member Benefits program provides many programs and services to FEA members. Please contact Member Benefits with questions about any of their ser-vices using the following toll-free numbers in applicable areas:

Stateside 1-800-637-4636

OverseasFirst dial the AT&T Direct Access Code In Germany and UK In Japan 0800-2255288 00539-111Then dial Member Benefits at 800-893-0396

And don’t forget the Member Benefits Web site. You can access information on all of NEA-MB’s programs, get current rates on CDs and investment funds, and sign up for other services.

www.neamb.com

The JOURNAL is a quarterly publication of the Federal Education As-sociation. Contributions, letters, photographs and other submissions to the JOURNAL are welcome and should be sent to the address below.

Gary Hritz, Editor H.T. Nguyen, Executive Director Chuck McCarter, President Michael Priser Vice President Anita Lang, Secretary/Treasurer Brian Chance, NEA Director Mimi Cuadrado, HCR Coordinator Alex Veto, Europe Area Director Lisa Garmon Ali, Europe Area Director Debra Degalis, Pacific Area Director Terry Arvidson, FEA Director for DDESS

Federal Education Association • 1201 16th St. NW, Suite 117 • Washington, DC 20036 • 202-822-7850 • Fax: 202-822-7867

fea@feaonline.org • www.feaonline.org

Page 12 FEA Journal

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