Elements Newsletter

Healthy New Year’s Resolutions You Can Keep

When it comes to New Year’s resolutions, it’s easy to aim high and fall short — especially when it comes to our health habits. By taking small steps, and making healthy choices each day, you’ll increase your chances of enjoying a healthy 2010. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Begin with breakfast: These days, with a wide variety of high fiber cereals and fruit and grain-based breakfast bars, you have plenty of options for a healthy morning meal, even if you’re on the go. Studies show that people who have breakfast each day are more apt to be healthy and manage their diets than those who don’t. So start your morning off right, with a good breakfast.
• Brown bag it at lunchtime: Taking a few minutes each morning, or the night before, to pack a healthy lunch is time well spent. A delicious sandwich on multi-grain bread, with fresh fruit or whole wheat fig bars, will keep you from heading for that drive through for a fast food, high calorie meal.
• Stock up on healthy snacks: When it’s 3:00 p.m., and your energy starts to lag, it’s tempting to reach for a candy bar or soda. Instead, bring some celery or carrot sticks, an apple or whole grain crackers to work for a quick and healthy energy boost.
• Cut the caffeine: Water is an easy, inexpensive and healthy alternative to coffee and colas. You’ll cut down on your caffeine intake and also save yourself from spending $3 or more each day on a morning “latte.”
• Get moving, even just a little: Making exercise a part of your day is easier than it sounds. Playing catch with your kids, walking the dog or biking on the weekends are simple ways to begin burning a few calories and adopting a more active lifestyle.
• Say “no” to tobacco: While breaking the tobacco habit can be a tough resolution to keep, you’ve got plenty of support, thanks to the Quit For Life^® Program. Available to Chevron Phillips Chemical employees and their spouses at no charge, the Quit For Life^® Program offers a step-by-step approach to quitting tobacco that’s customized to your lifestyle and pace. For more information on the Quit For Life^® Program, call 1-866-QUIT-4-LIFE (1-866-784-8454).
• Start that diet: Identical to the traditional Weight Watchers program, Chevron Phillips Chemical’s Weight Watchers at Work includes weekly lunch-hour meetings held at work and 50% off membership fees for employees. Participation is open to all Chevron Phillips Chemical employees at facilities with active site programs. If you don’t have a program at your site, it’s easy to get one started — see “Health Resources to Help You Start the Year Right.”

Health Resources to Help You Start the Year Right

Chevron Phillips Chemical offers a number of health resources to help you start the year right. These programs give you the support you need to be at your best physically, mentally and emotionally.

WEIGHT WATCHERS

The Chevron Phillips Chemical Weight Watchers at Work program offers all the advantages of the traditional Weight Watchers program, plus two added bonuses: 50% off membership fees for employees and weekly 30-minute meetings held at work. Onsite meetings are held for either 13 or 17 weeks, depending on the number of members. If you can’t make the at-work meetings, don’t worry. Just stop by any traditional Weight Watchers location for no additional fee.

Domestic employees at facilities with active site programs (currently Headquarters and Pasadena) are eligible to participate in the Weight Watchers at Work program. Starting an active program at your site is easy; all you need is 13 members. For expatriate employees, the Weight Watchers program is offered through Aetna Global Benefits (AGB). While onsite meetings are only available in the U.S., online and at-home program options are also available.

The Weight Watchers program and Chevron Phillips Chemical have been a winning combination for many years now. In fact, the Headquarters group lost 160 pounds during their last 17-week series — and they did it over the holidays! To access the Weight Watchers at Work program, contact:

• Weight Watchers at Work Program: Email April South, Wellness Coordination, at southal@cpchem.com, for program information and details about starting an active site program.
• Aetna Global Benefits Weight Watchers Program: Call 1-866-237-8020.

AETNA EAP

Need extra support to meet the demands of work and life? The Aetna Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can help. Available to Chevron Phillips Chemical employees and their dependents, Aetna EAP services offer confidential, round-the-clock assistance for a range of issues, including stress management, depression, addictions, personal finances, child care, adoption, parenting, elder care and academic services.

The Aetna EAP provides many avenues for support, such as counseling, online tools (including live and OnDemand webinars), referrals and resource assistance for a variety of needs. For expatriate employees located overseas, these services are provided through Aetna Global Benefits International EAP (IEAP).

To access Aetna EAP services, contact:

• Aetna EAP: This service is available to all employees and their dependents, even Expats while they, or their dependents, are in the U.S. Call 1-866-841-9377 or visit www.AetnaEAP.com and enter the Company ID: MYCPCEAP.
• International EAP: This service is available to all Expat employees and their dependents when outside the U.S. Call 1-800-231-7729 and ask to be transferred to IEAP; for calls outside the United States, call 1-813-775-0190 (collect calls are accepted); or visit www.AetnaEAP.com and enter the Company ID: MYINTEAP.

INFORMED HEALTH LINE (IHL)

Aetna Informed Health Line (IHL) offers Chevron Phillips Chemical employees and their dependents 24-hour access to valuable health care information and support from qualified, U.S.-based registered nurses. For expatriate employees, IHL services are provided through Aetna Global Benefits.

While Informed Health Line nurses cannot diagnose, prescribe or give medical advice, they can:

• Answer questions about health concerns;
• Provide current information regarding a wide range of health issues, including common prevention strategies, chronic conditions and complex medical situations;
• Review options for seeking medical attention; and
• Help you prepare for doctor appointments.

To access IHL services, contact:

• Domestic program: Call 1-800-556-1555 or log onto Aetna Navigator^® at www.aetna.com and click “Benefits>Health Programs.”
• International program: Call the AGB International Service Center at 1-800-231-7729 and ask to be transferred to an Informed Health Line Nurse; for calls outside the United States, call 1-813-775-0190 (collect calls are accepted); or log onto Aetna Navigator^® at www.aetna.com and click “Benefits>Health Programs.”

Preventive Screenings — Small Investment, Large Payoff

Preventing disease and detecting disease early, if it occurs, are important to living a healthy life. And the better your health, the lower your health care costs are likely to be. Following the recommended guidelines for immunizations and screenings, along with the advice of your doctor, can help you stay healthy. Talk to your doctor about your specific health questions and concerns, and follow his or her recommendations. If you’d like more information on preventive care, visit www.preventiveservices.ahrq.gov.

And remember, both our domestic and international medical plan options offer coverage for a wide array of preventive screenings, including:

• Routine physical examinations;
• Vision screenings;
• Hearing screenings;
• Pap smears;
• Pelvic and breast examinations;
• Mammograms; and
• Well-baby care.

Business Travel Assistance — Protection on the Road

When you’re on the road, especially in a foreign country, the last thing you want to worry about is coping with an emergency. With MetLife Business Travel Assistance, you and your dependents can access medical, travel, legal and financial assistance services anywhere, anytime. Provided by AXA Assistance USA, Inc. (AXA) through a marketing arrangement with MetLife, this service is available as part of your Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage.

Program services are available for emergencies while you’re traveling internationally or domestically (when you’re more than 100 miles away from home). You and your dependents (traveling together or separately) have access to:

• Over 600,000 pre-qualified providers in more than 238 countries and jurisdictions;
• Air and ground ambulance service; and
• Trained multilingual personnel who can advise and assist you quickly and professionally in a travel emergency.

MetLife Business Travel Assistance offers general travel information and lost document/luggage assistance, as well as a range of other services, including:

• Medical referrals and appointments;
• Guaranteed hospital admission;
• Emergency evacuation;
• Critical care monitoring;
• Medically supervised repatriation;
• Dispatch of prescription medication;
• Identity theft solutions;
• Emergency message transmission;
• Return of mortal remains; and
• Emergency cash/bail assistance.

To access Business Travel Assistance services:

• Within the United States: Call 1-800-454-3679.
• Outside the United States: Call collect 1-312-935-3783.

MetLife End-of-Life Services: Expert Support When You Need It

While nobody likes to think about preparing a will or estate planning, these tasks are important, and need to be performed with great care and attention to detail. As part of your Supplemental Life Insurance coverage, Chevron Phillips Chemical offers valuable end-of-life services — MetLife Will Preparation and Estate Resolution Services — at no cost to you. Provided through Hyatt Legal Plans, a MetLife company, these services offer you and your family expert support when it comes to protecting your assets and estate.

WILL PREPARATION SERVICES

With Will Preparation Services, a Hyatt Legal Plan attorney will consult with you and your spouse by telephone or in person regarding preparing or updating your respective wills. Services include:

• End-to-end support: You work with a plan attorney through the entire process.
• Convenience: You’re matched to a participating attorney within your geographic area.
• Full service for creating or updating wills: Services include preparing complex wills and codicils, for both you and your spouse.
• Cost-free calls: You receive toll-free customer service from Hyatt Legal Plans.

Your MetLife coverage is flexible. You also have the option of using an attorney who is not participating in the Hyatt Legal Plans’ network and being reimbursed for covered services according to a set fee schedule. In that case, you are responsible for any attorney’s fees that exceed the reimbursed amount.

ESTATE RESOLUTION SERVICES

With Estate Resolution Services, a Hyatt Legal Plan attorney will consult your beneficiaries by telephone or in person regarding the probate process for your estate. Services include:

• Preparation of documents and court representation needed to transfer probate assets to your heirs;
• Assistance with correspondence necessary to transfer non-probate assets, such as proceeds from insurance policies, joint bank accounts, stock accounts or a house; and
• Associated tax filings.

To access MetLife Will Preparation or Estate Resolution Services, contact Hyatt Legal Plans, 1-800-821-6400. The representative will assist you in locating a participating plan attorney in your area, and provide you with an authorization number you’ll need when you or your spouse makes an appointment.

Keep Your Beneficiary Information Up-to-Date

In addition to taking advantage of MetLife’s Will Preparation and Estate Resolution Services, be sure to keep your beneficiary information up-to-date, especially after certain life events, such as a marriage, divorce or the birth of a child.

The beneficiaries you designate will receive payment of benefits provided under the plan in the event of your death. Taking a few minutes to ensure your beneficiary information is current will help ensure that your plan assets are distributed according to your wishes.

To review and update your beneficiary information:

• Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) and Business Travel Accident Insurance coverage: Log on to the Chevron Phillips Chemical Benefits Service Center at cpchembenefits.mercerhrs.com.
• 401(k) Savings Plan, Retirement Plan, Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan and Deferred Compensation Plan: Chevron Phillips Chemical Company LP is making it easier than ever to designate a beneficiary through a new feature on NetBenefits^® that will allow you to do it all online. Online beneficiary designations will replace the hard copy beneficiary forms for the 401(k) Savings Plan, Retirement Plan, Supplemental Executive Retirement Plan and Deferred Compensation Plan currently on file. If you take no action, your current election on file will remain in effect.

Taking a few minutes now to go online and name your beneficiaries will help to ensure that your plan assets will be distributed according to your wishes, quickly and efficiently.

Log on to NetBenefits^® at www.netbenefits.com, click Your Profile and then click the Beneficiaries link in the About You section. If you need assistance or can’t access the online feature, contact the Chevron Phillips Chemical Company Pension & Savings Service Center at 1-866-771-5225 to speak with a representative.

Making the Most of Your Health Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

Even though it’s January, it’s never too early to take advantage of your Health Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA). You can use the money in your Health Care FSA to help pay for certain medical, dental, vision and hearing expenses not reimbursed by other health plans.

In general, expenses eligible for reimbursement from Health Care FSAs include your health plan’s annual deductibles, copayments and coinsurance, as well as a range of other health-related items, including:

• Over-the-counter drugs, such as antacids, cough and cold medicines and pain and allergy medications;
• Prescription glasses or sunglasses;
• Contact lenses and related products, such as cleaning solutions;
• Birth control pills, as well as over-the-counter contraceptives;
• Therapy for speech problems or learning disabilities; and
• Counseling sessions for children with Attention Deficit Disorder.

To review a complete list of eligible expenses under Health Care FSAs, see Publication 502, available on the Internal Revenue Service’s website at www.irs.gov.

You have through December 31, 2010 to incur eligible expenses against your Health Care FSA. While it may seem like you have plenty of time to use your funds, don’t let too much time go by before spending your pre-tax contributions. To keep track of the money in your account during the year, just call Aetna at (888) 238-6226 or log on to Aetna Navigator at www.aetna.com.

Paystubs and W-2s Going Paperless

Looking for a way to help the Company go green? You can choose to stop receiving mailed copies of your paystubs and 2010 W-2 and access this information online instead.

When you log on to the ADP website to view and print your 2009 W-2, you will be offered a new option for 2010: “Change Your Paperless Options.” If you select this option, you will still be able to view your W-2 online and print a copy to your local printer but will not receive a mailed copy in 2010. Going paperless helps the Company cut back on paper and postage costs, not to mention saving some of our planet’s vital resources. And you won’t have to worry about your W-2 getting lost in the mail or ending up in someone else’s mailbox!

If you choose the paperless option, your statements will remain on ADP’s secure website for three years. Need to save this information longer? You can just print or save an electronic copy for your files. Please note that if you choose this option, it will go into effect for the 2010 W-2 statement, not 2009. All employees will still receive a mailed copy of their 2009 W-2s.

And if while you’re reviewing your 2009 W-2 you realize that your filing status or number of withholding allowances will change for 2010, don’t forget to file an updated W-4. You can visit ESS to create, change and display your new W-4 withholding amounts.

Finally, don’t forget that through ESS you can also choose to opt-out of receiving your paystub by mail. Over a year, the cost of printing and mailing a paycheck stub averages $20 per employee. Since April 2009, 13% of Chevron Phillips Chemical employees have opted out of receiving a mailed paystub, which equates to a $10,500 saving. If all direct depositors opted out, it could potentially save upwards of $80,000!

To stop receiving paystubs by mail, visit nSight and log onto ESS. Click the Employee Self Service tab at the top of the page. Next, click the Benefits and Payments tab. Then, select the Print Payslip Option and follow the instructions to opt-out.

Even if you choose to opt-out of receiving a mailed paystub, you can still keep a paper copy for your files. Simply log on to ESS and print out your current and last paystub to a local printer.

For questions, contact the HR Service Center. They will be happy to help you make any changes!

Important Dates