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Federal Benefits Information

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 Medical Expenses Flexible Spending Account
Flexible Spending Accounts for Federal Employees (FSAFEDS).  A Flexible Spending Account (FSA) is a tax-favored program that allows employees to pay for eligible out-of-pocket health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars. By using pre-tax dollars to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses, an FSA gives you an immediate discount on these expenses that equals the taxes you would otherwise pay on that money.  For more info: https://www.fsafeds.com/fsafeds/SummaryofBenefits.asp#WhatIsFSA.
 Awards
The Corps of Engineers has an incentive program to encourage high productivity by acknowledging superior performance.  The recognition may be cash awards, special salary increases for performance, time-off awards for performance, and cash awards for suggestions.
 Flexible Work Schedules
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Louisville District, offers three different work schedules to most employees.  The basic work schedule is 8 hours per day, five days per week.  The most popular schedule is the Alternative Work Schedule, on which employees work 9 hours per day for eight days during a 2 week pay period, one 8-hour day, and get one day off every two weeks (e.g. week 1: M-Th 9 hrs/day, F: 8 hrs; week 2: M-Th 9 hrs/day, F: day off).  The third work schedule is even more flexible, allowing employees to start and end their work day at different times and earn credit hours that can be taken like vacation time.
 Free Commuting via Public Transportation
The government subsidizes the cost of commuting for employees who routinely commute to work using public transportation, including the cost of busses and vanpools
 Health Insurance

Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHB).  The government pays an average of 72% of employees’ health insurance premiums.  The employee’s portion of premiums can be deducted automatically from pre-tax wages, which reduces the amount of tax you pay.  You can choose between different types of insurance such as Fee-for-Service (with the option of a Preferred Provider Organization), Health Maintenance Organization, Point-of-Service plans, Consumer-Driven plans, or High Deductible Health Plans. There are numerous providers in these categories to choose from.  Long Term Care Insurance as well as supplemental dental and vision insurance are also available at reduced rates.  For more info: http://www.opm.gov/insure/07/guides/70-01/ or www.opm.gov/insure/health.


 Life Insurance
Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI).  FEGLI provides group term life insurance. It consists of Basic life insurance coverage and three options. You are automatically covered by Basic life insurance. The cost of Basic insurance is shared between you and the Government. You pay 2/3 of the total cost and the Government pays 1/3. Your age does not affect the cost of Basic insurance. You pay the full cost of Optional insurance, and the cost depends on your age.  For more info: http://www.opm.gov/insure/life/index.asp.
 Professional Development
Many opportunities for advancement exist in the Corps for employees who show the initiative, ability, and willingness to accept the responsibility of higher level positions. Advancement is competitive and based on performance and merit. Mobility within the Corps leads to additional advancement opportunities across organizational lines.
 Promotion Potential
The normal career progression for engineers at the Corps of Engineers starts with a Co-Op position, working either part-time throughout the year or, more commonly, full-time during one semester per year.  Upon graduation, you may be offered a position as a Department of the Army Intern.  Internships normally last 2 years, starting at the GS-7 level with annual promotions based upon good performance, ending at grade GS-11.  Interns potentially start at GS-09 if they have a master’s degree.  Upon graduation from the intern program, promotion opportunities are competitive.  Most engineers reach the GS-12 level within a few years of graduating from the intern program. 
 Retirement Benefits

Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) is a three-tiered retirement plan. The three components are: Social Security Benefits, Basic Benefit Plan, and the Thrift Savings Plan.  You pay normal Social Security taxes and a small contribution to the Basic Benefit Plan. The Basic plan essentially pays an annuity equal to 1% of the average of your highest 3 years salary, per year of service (e.g. if you retire with 30 years of service, you receive 30% of your highest salary per year) from the Basic plan.  In addition, the government puts an amount equal to 1% of your basic pay each pay period into your Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) account, similar to a 401(k) account. You may make tax-deferred contributions to the TSP up to 15% of your salary and a portion (up to 4%) is matched by the Government.  The three components of FERS work together to give you a strong financial foundation for your retirement years.   For more info: http://www.opm.gov/retire/index.htm or http://www.tsp.gov/.


 Salary
Salaries are comparable to private industry in the area. District employees paid under the General Schedule are paid the basic Federal salary rate, as well as a locality adjustment. Trades and labor positions are paid under various wage schedules based on the Department of Labor's wage area structure. Certainpositions, primarily engineers, are paid from a special rate schedule.
 Vacation and Sick Leave

Employees earn approximately 13 days of sick leave per year, which do not expire.  Vacation is earned on a progressive schedule:  approximately 13 days per year for the first 3 years of employment, approximately 20 days per year for the next 12 years of employment, and approximately 26 days per year after 15 years employment. Employees may roll over up to 240 hours of vacation time. Federal employees also get 10 paid holidays each year.


 Worker's Compensation
Employees injured on the job are entitled to medical care.  If a disabling, traumatic, job-related injury is sustained, employees may receive their regular pay for a period of time.  If still disabled, they are entitled to disability compensation.

Local District Office Specific Benefits

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 Disaster Duty Opportunities

Opportunity to temporarily deploy to areas affected by natural disasters such as hurricanes, flooding, and tornadoes.  Assist local, state, and federal government agencies in cleanup and disaster recovery efforts.

 Friendly Office Environment
With such a large organization, there’s always something to celebrate, retirements, promotions, birthdays, holidays, etc.  While this varies widely by branch or section, some offer a monthly birthday pitch-in lunch, ice cream socials, holiday breakfast feasts, and other special occasion luncheons, get-togethers, and occasional after-hours gatherings.  There’s always something going on and these informal events offer a chance to get to know folks around the office that you might not work with regularly.
 Multi-tiered Leadership Development Program
Available to GS-12 (GS-11 and -13 with exceptions), this program is custom developed for each district by an outside organizational leadership consultant.  The program consists of structured monthly meetings over the course of 12 months.  It offers a chance for students to learn about themselves and others, leadership styles, and tools as they ascend to leading positions. 
 On Site Gym
On site and FREE!  Promotes healthy habits and keeps your wallet slim too!
 On Site Occupational Health Unit

The Louisville District office has a health unit consisting of a full time nurse, two contracted part-time nurses and one part-time contracted doctor.  It offers free basic care such as check-ups, consultations and referrals, immunizations (flu & tetanus), periodic comprehensive physicals, ongoing shot administration such as allergy injections, first aid, and over the counter drugs.

 STEM and Community Involvement
The district participates in many STEM and other community development activities.  Limited opportunities may be performed while on the clock or offer other compensation.  The Louisville District has an internal website dedicated to volunteer and community activities, making it easy to get involved.
 Subsidized On-Site Child Care
The federal workplace is family-friendly.  To enhance employees’ quality of life, child care is offered at our location in the Romano Mazzoli Federal Building in Louisville.  Employees pay directly for this service at a reduced rate available to DoD employees.
 Training Potential
The Corps offers a diverse array of occupations across a wide area.  There are often opportunities to cross train and move into to other positions internally on a temporary basis (often 2-6 months and sometimes up to 2 years) to acquire new skills and a wider experience base as a foundation for future career development.  In addition to cross training assignments, engineering division adequately budgets for formal classroom type training as well, typically a one week conference annually on a wide variety of subjects.
 Voluntary Leave Donor Program
For approved recipients affected by significant medical conditions, this program pools unused, donated leave and makes it available for those that have exhausted their accumulated leave enabling recovery and maintaining pay for those afflicted with chronic, debilitating, or life threatening conditions.
 Widely Diverse Workload
The Louisville district is one of the larger districts within the Great Lakes and Ohio River Division and has a diverse workload with primary mission of military construction and civil works.  Of the roughly one billion dollar workload annually, the military mission (~65%) may include projects such as office buildings, laboratories, medical facilities, museums, schools, hangars, air fields, renovation and repair, and more.  The civil works mission (~25%) may include dams and levees construction, lock and dam construction and operation projects, municipal flood protection construction, lift stations, ecosystem restoration, and much more.  The Louisville District also has a strong environmental mission (~10%) with projects including environmental restoration on Formerly Used Defense Sites (FUDS) and environment service contract administration for numerous federal agencies.
 Worldwide Travel Opportunities
USACE is a worldwide organization and operates district offices around the globe.  Occasionally these offices have temporary and short term program needs for certain positions and opportunities may be available.  There are operating districts in Japan, Korea, Europe, and the Middle East.

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