Proposed rule would protect feds’ health benefits during a shutdown – By Jessie Bur (Federal Times) / July 20 2020
Federal employees might soon have greater protections against a loss in health benefits by designating them as “emergency services” during a lapse in appropriations, based on a proposed rule change.
The proposed rule, published by the Office of Personnel Management in the Federal Register July 20, would ensure that federal employees remain in “pay status” during a shutdown for the purposes of calculating Federal Employee Health Benefit and Federal Employees’ Group Life Insurance eligibility.
FEHB and FEGLI coverage is already maintained during a lapse in appropriations for at most 365 days while an employee is in nonpay status. For health insurance, that period may be broken up by periods of less than four consecutive months of pay status.
Continue to article: https://www.federaltimes.com/management/pay-benefits/2020/07/20/proposed-rule-would-protect-feds-health-benefits-during-a-shutdown/
