CLEVELAND, November 11 — Members of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen will keep their Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) through 2015 thanks to the level of participation in the money-saving plan.
A negotiated benefit obtained in the 2012 national contract, the FSA allows members to use pretax dollars to pay for certain medical expenses that are not covered under any health plan (including a railroad health & welfare plan) or any other source. The plan could allow members to save hundreds of dollars per year in taxes.
The 2012 contract stipulates that at least 7.5% of eligible engineers must participate in the FSA in the 2015 Plan Year or the Carriers would have the right to terminate the plan. Following the conclusion of the Open Enrollment for 2015, 7.9% of eligible BLET members had enrolled in the program. This number is down from last year’s participation number of 8.6% but still above the 7.5% threshold to keep the plan. All future Plan Years, from 2015 forward, have to have a minimum of a 7.5% participation level in order to avoid possible cancellation of the FSA plan.
Except as noted at the end of this paragraph, members eligible for the plan include locomotive engineers and Tex-Mex train service employees covered by the Health & Welfare portion of the most recent National Agreement, dated January 5, 2012. The national FSA is distinct and separate from the on-property BNSF FSA plan. The participation rates identified in this News Flash do not apply to BNSF engineers.
BLET National President Dennis R. Pierce thanked all BLET members who are participating in the plan and credited the efforts of the BLET’s National Mobilization network and the grass-roots approach of our local officers for helping the Organization to reach the necessary participation level this year. He also encouraged more members to sign up for the 2016 Plan Year and beyond.
“This is a good program that will help members save money,” President Pierce said. “I am optimistic that participation levels will increase as members spread the word about its benefits and become more familiar with the positive aspects of the plan.”
Any members with questions regarding the FSA should call United Healthcare at (877) 311-7849 or visit www.yourtracktohealth.com/.