News & Events

October is Open Enrollment for Healthcare

  Employees have a number of options to consider as it relates to insurance benefits.  The following changes may be made on a voluntary basis during the enrollment period of October 19, 2009 through November 13, 2009.  Keep in mind that the effective date of these changes will be January 1, 2009:

1) Change health plan coverage (ie, from Option A to Option B or Option B to Option A);
2) Add or drop your Health and/or Dental coverages;
3) Add or drop family members from your Health and/or Dental coverages;
4) Enroll or re-enroll the Flex Spending Pre-Tax Medical Spending Account*; and/or
5) Enroll or re-enroll the Flex Spending Pre-Tax Dependent Care Account*.
(*Flex Spending Pre-tax Accounts are not an automatic re-enrollment.  Per IRS regulations, employees interested in continuing with these Accounts must re-enroll each year).

In addition to the changes above, Colonial Life will be offering the following products for interested employees: Colonial Life’s Accident Insurance, Cancer Insurance, and/or Hospital Indemnity Insurance.

If, during the enrollment of April/May 2009, you enrolled in Colonial Life’s Accident Insurance, Cancer Insurance, and/or Hospital Indemnity Insurance, you may change your deductions from post-tax to pre-tax premiums.

If there are any questions or concerns, please call Natasha Taylor, HR Benefits Administrator, at 545-3007 or email her at ndtaylor@columbiasc.net.

32 Hours of Holiday Time Restored

  The pay stubs for the checks that are being issued today show the 32 hours of accrued holiday time, or the combination of holiday time and annual leave, that is owed from the two furloughed holidays in the spring.  If you have scheduled holidays between now and December 31, and enough hours to use them without going below zero, you may take the time off.  Remember that time may be taken only after it is accrued. 

Please note that the time sheets for next pay period were printed before the 32 hours was added and do not show this additional time yet.  Also, the HR Department indicates that it might not have finished keying the time for everyone yet, but in checking this morning it appears that the time was restored to all personnel.  If your added time is not showing on this pay stub, please look for it in the next pay cycle. 

Assistant Chief Tinsley is coordinating with the Staffing Office, Division Chiefs and Battalion Chiefs in seeking everyone’s input to determine how to manage the holiday time in the coming year. 

Fire Prevention month -

Fire Prevention Week October 4-11 2009

 PROMOTION ANNOUNCEMENT:

Congratulations to the Firefighter Michael Ritter on his promotions to Senior Firefighter. 

 RETIREMENT ANNOUNCEMENT:

Captain Tommy Brown’s days at the Columbia Fire Department are coming to an end. His retirement date is effective September 25, 2009 after over 20 years of service and three knee surgeries and on the advice of his physician he will no longer don the equipment of a firefighter. He is now and will always remain our brother. So on October 16, 2009 at 18:30 we will gather at Carolina Wings in the banquet room 2347 Augusta Road West Columbia to honor his service. This will be a buffet style meal at a cost of $10.00 per person. Please RSVP to Brian Wingard station 14 or to Eddie Baughman  station 22. cfdbwingard@columbiasc.net   cfdfbaughman@columbiasc.net