Daily printout: Nov. 18

Amber F. McReynolds was unanimously re-elected chair of the USPS Board of Governors on Nov. 14, while Derek Kan was re-elected as vice chair.

This will be the second term for both.

McReynolds joined the board in May 2021 and is serving the remainder of a seven-year term that expires in December 2026. She previously served as vice chair and she also chairs the board’s Election Mail Committee.

Kan joined the board in May 2022 and is serving the remainder of a seven-year term that expires in December 2028. He currently serves on the board’s compensation and governance, and operations committees.

The Postal Service’s Nov. 14 news release has more information.

The Combined Federal Campaign offers current and retired federal employees the opportunity to contribute to thousands of charitable organizations locally, nationally and internationally.

Several general ethics rules apply to the campaign, also known as the CFC. Donations must be voluntary, all charities must be treated equally, and Postal Service employees may not endorse or give special treatment to any individual charity. (USPS can highlight CFC causes of the week, though).

There are also rules for CFC promotional events:

• Events must be organized in collaboration with a CFC coordinator and be approved by the USPS Ethics Office. Requests should be emailed to the ethics office at least two weeks in advance.

• Events must be open to everyone, regardless of whether or not they contribute to the campaign.

• No soliciting may take place.

• Gambling is not permitted, but raffles are allowed if there is no cost for entry, all postal employees may participate and the prize is modest.

• Postal funds can be used for CFC events if the funding is available and the use is approved. However, outside sources and businesses may not make contributions in support of CFC events and may not be solicited to do so.

For more information on the rules surrounding the CFC, email the ethics team.

Postal Service employees who want to save on future medical expenses have several options to choose from during this year’s open season, which is underway through Monday, Dec. 8.

Employees who enroll in a high-deductible health plan may be eligible to contribute to a health savings account (HSA).

An HSA allows an employee to pay for current medical expenses and save for future expenses on a tax deductible or pretax basis. An HSA belongs to the employee — even if they change health plans or leave the Postal Service.

Additionally, some plans offer health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), which are funds employees can use to help cover out-of-pocket medical expenses. HRAs are generally available to employees who enroll in a consumer-driven health plan.

Another option is a flexible spending account, which allows employees to set aside money on a pretax basis to pay for health and dependent care expenses.

The MyHR website’s open season page has more information to help employees evaluate their options and choose one that best fits their needs.