Employee Onboarding, Phase 2: Official Job Offer
Phase 2 Onboarding Notice
This second phase of onboarding may take 30 days or longer if you are moving.
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Official Job Offer Notice
You will receive the Official Job Offer, usually by email, from a Human Resources case manager. This notice will confirm your position title, series, pay grade, duty station, and salary. It will include your effective date designating the beginning of your appointment to the Forest Service, the date you report to work, which we call entry on duty (EOD), and your supervisor’s name and contact information.
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Tasks & Deadlines
The Official Job Offer will also include instructions for tasks and forms you must complete before you can begin your new job. Pay close attention to the deadlines to avoid delays starting your new job.
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Reporting & Support Contacts
Refer to your Official Job Offer for your reporting date and supervisor contact information. If you have not received instructions on where to report to work at least one week before your first day, please contact your supervisor. If you are unable to reach your supervisor, contact your case manager or the New Hire Help Desk.
Effective Date: Your Effective Date is usually the first day of a two-week pay period which falls on Sunday.
Entry on Duty Date (EOD): The EOD, also referred to as the reporting date, is your first day on the job and is often a Monday. For new employees who transfer from another federal agency with government-funded travel to the new job, your report date may be several days after the effective date.
Service Computation Date (SCD): The SCD is the first date of Federal employment or creditable military service. The SCD is used to calculate your retirement eligibility and available benefits.
Your Official Job Offer includes your pay grade and step. It's common for your pay rate to change a little based on your location. This is called Locality Pay and is to help with a high cost of living by certain areas. Most employees use the rates in the General Schedule and Locality Pay tables.
Review Pay Table Information on OPM.gov.
More than One Grade?
You may notice two or more pay grades in your Official Job Offer. This usually means that you have a career ladder position. The grades show how you may advance to reach the full-performance level, or top grade of the career ladder, of a particular occupation. For example, a GS-5 target GS-7 means that you begin the job at grade GS-5 and can receive a promotion to GS-7 when you meet requirements for the next grade, typically after a year with satisfactory performance and after you meet any specialized experience requirements. Some jobs may have promotions at one-grade intervals such as GS-5 to GS-6, while others at two-grade intervals like a GS-5 to GS-7.
Benefits and Work-Life Programs
Learn about benefits and work-life programs that may be available to you. Reach out to your supervisor to ask about any programs in which you're interested. Some programs have strict deadlines related to your entrance on duty date.
Health Insurance
The Federal Employee Health Benefits Program (FEHB) offers health insurance plans for eligible employees, their spouse, and any children under the age of twenty-six.
You have 60 days to enroll once you're hired. You can also enroll, cancel, or change coverage during the annual open season in November.
Visit the Health Insurance page and check out the following video.
Dental and Vision Insurance
The Federal Employees Dental and Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP) is a voluntary, enrollee-pay-all dental and vision insurance program available to employees and family members. Learn more about dental and vision plans.
Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
With a FSA, you set aside and use pre-tax dollars to pay for qualified out-of-pocket health care expenses. A Health Care Flexible Spending Account (HCFSA) and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (DCFSA) are pre-tax benefit accounts for eligible medical, dental, and vision care expenses not covered by your health care plan or elsewhere. With a FSA, you set aside and use pre-tax dollars to pay for qualified out-of-pocket health care expenses. Learn more at FSAFeds.com.
Life Insurance
The Federal Employee Group Life Insurance Program (FEGLI) is a benefit available to any employee covered by a retirement system. There is no regular open season for life insurance coverage. If you miss the 60-day enrollment period, you must wait until you experience a "qualifying life event" such as marriage, divorce, or birth of a child. The amount of your coverage varies based on your choice and on your salary. You can use the FEGLI Calculator at OPM to compare costs. Visit the Office of Personnel Management Life Insurance webpage for eligibility, enrollment, and beneficiary information.
Transfering from Another Agency
FEHB and FEGLI normally transfer automatically. Be sure to verify proper deductions on your Forest Service earnings and leave statement. Transferring is not a qualifying life event to change health enrollment unless you move, and your HMO benefits are not available in the new area. If you are enrolled in any of the following, you must contact the provider to transfer these benefits to the Forest Service (Payroll Office Number: 12400001).
Dental or Vision Plan
Flexible Spending Account
Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS)
FERS is a retirement plan that generates benefits from three sources:
The Basic Benefit Plan,
Social Security, and
The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP).
The cost of the Basic Benefit and Social Security will automatically come out of each paycheck, and the Forest Service will pay the agency part. Two of the three parts of FERS, Social Security and the TSP, can go with you to your next job if you leave the Federal Government before retirement. After you retire, you could receive annuity payments each month for the rest of your life plus potential income from your TSP investments.
Thrift Savings Plan
The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is a retirement savings and investment plan like a 401K. If you are a FERS employee who began Federal service after July 31, 2010, we will automatically enroll you. Three percent of your basic pay comes out of your paycheck each pay period and goes in the traditional balance of your TSP account unless you choose to change or stop your contributions. You can start, change, and stop your TSP contributions.
Learn more on the TSP website or review the following video.
Transfering from Another Agency
TSP elections normally transfer automatically. Be sure to verify proper deductions on your Forest Service earnings and leave statement.
Some positions are eligible for flexible work schedules. Reach out to your supervisor to figure out your scheduling flexibilities.
Leave
You can earn paid annual and sick leave. Visit these links to learn more:
Holidays
The Office of Personnel Management Federal Holidays Fact Sheet gives more information on the 11 paid holidays.
Key work-life programs offered to federal employees may include worksite health and wellness, and Employee Assistance Programs. All vary by location and position, so please check with your supervisor to learn what may be available to you. Visit the Employee Assistance Program webpage to learn more.
A subsidy for mass transit costs associated with your commute to work is available at some duty locations. Connect with your supervisor to learn more.
Housing: Government Quarters
Ask your supervisor if Forest Service housing is available for you in your area. If so, and you accept the options, your supervisor will send a request to human resources to start payroll deductions and explain your housing contract responsibilities for occupancy.
Check with your supervisor to figure out if your position qualifies you for a uniform allowance or a safety boot allowance. If you qualify for a boot allowance, you must submit your reimbursement request within 45 days of the purchase of your safety boots.
If your Official Job Offer includes an acceptance incentive or a Transfer of Station (TOS) offer, a TOS counselor will contact you within 72 hours of the Official Confirmation Letter. Coordinate closely with them to make sure you have permission to incur costs and understand how to track your expenses.
Help is Available
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1-877-372-7248, option 4