Employee Benefits

Description: Knowledge of HR concepts, principles, and practices related to retirement, insurance, injury compensation, and other employee benefits programs.

Core Intermediate Level Basic Competency Model
OPM Employee Benefits Competency Model
DOW Employee Benefits Competency Model

Learning Topics:

  • Federal Benefits Programs (i.e., CSRS/FERS & Non-Appropriated Fund (NAF) retirement, Thrift Savings Plan, health, life, vision, dental, and long-term care insurance, Flexible Spending Account Program)
  • Federal Erroneous Retirement Coverage Correction Act (FERCCA)
  • Injury Compensation
  • Federal Work-Life Balance Programs
  • Contracting Officer Technical Representative Agency Policies and Procedures
  • Mentoring Employees
  • Improving Employee Performance and Productivity

Sample Job Duties:

  • Counsel employees on the portability of benefits (e.g., health, life, retirement) and potential impacts of moving between Appropriated Fund (APF) and Non-Appropriated Fund (NAF) positions.
  • Process time-sensitive and irrevocable retirement and benefits elections/corrections for employees with prior NAF service or who are moving to NAF positions.
  • Direct employees to appropriate sources of information about benefits and/or work-life programs.
  • Assist new employees with completing various benefits forms.
  • Review worker’s compensation claims to determine if additional documentation is required.
  • Assist with planning informational events related to work-life balance.
  • Interpret, apply, and explain retirement and insurance regulations to employees (e.g., retirement eligibility and computations, benefit programs and insurance eligibility, and qualifying life event changes).
  • Work through Contracting Officer to contract for services related to work-life balance programs (e.g., day care, gym memberships, health and wellness programs, and health screenings).
  • Prepare benefits forms and ensures that they are appropriately processed.
  • Compute employee annuity and survivor benefit estimates.
  • Identify and utilize the appropriate resources (e.g., OPM’s website, specific manuals) to locate policies and procedures for standard benefits.