HR NOTES

Montgomery’s Best Honor Awards

The County Executive and Chief Administrative Officer will host the fifth annual Montgomery’s Best Honor Awards on March 11 at the new Bethesda North Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. County employees, volunteers, residents, and private organizations are eligible for these prestigious awards. Recipients of the County’s 17 NACo (National Association of Counties) Achievement Awards for 2004 will also be recognized at the ceremony. Forty awards will be presented to a total of 261 recipients, including employees from 15 different County departments.

New OHR Customer Service Survey

OHR is committed to providing excellent customer service. We encourage employees to give us feedback regarding the quality of our customer service so that we can continue to make improvements to better meet employees’ needs. You can provide confidential feedback at http://websurveyor.net/wsb.dll/14596/OHRsurvey.htm or by following links to the Customer Service Survey from the OHR web pages.

March 31 Deadline for Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts

If you participate in the County’s health or dependent care flexible spending accounts, you have until March 31 to file for reimbursement of eligible health and dependent care expenses incurred in 2004. FlexAmerica claim forms are available online in the HR Resource Library and on the 7th floor of the Executive Office Building. Please remember that any unclaimed amounts in your health or dependent care account will be forfeited.

Verification of Student Status

In February, OHR will send letters to employees asking them to verify the full-time student status for the Spring 2005 semester for their dependents aged 19-25 who are enrolled in County group insurance plans. To respond, please send documentation WITH the OHR letter you received so we can match the student to the correct employee. The processing of your coverage continuation may be delayed without the OHR letter. Please write your SSN on all documents submitted. If you do not provide verification by the March 31deadline, OHR will terminate your dependent’s insurance coverage effective March 31, 2005. Our vendor, CONEXIS, will then send a COBRA (continuation coverage) notice to your home.

Injury Prevention Awareness Day

On February 16, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the EOB Auditorium, there will be free screenings, vendors, and door prizes pertaining to injury prevention, ergonomics, and exercise. Drop by and learn how to prevent injuries at work and home. Also, get started on those New Year resolutions to get in shape and learn how to fit exercise into your daily routine.