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Coffee Break – Salena Suede Caged Platform Pumps

Salena Suede Caged Platform PumpsTalbots has recently added a number of good-looking pumps to their sale section, and the prices are pretty good. I'm liking this slightly spicy “caged” platform pump, but there are a number of more conservative styles on sale as well. Most prices are under $100 — these are marked from $149 down to $44.39 (final sale, alas). Salena Suede Caged Platform Pumps (L-2)

Sales of note for 12.2.24 (Happy Cyber Monday!! See our full sale listing here!)

And some of our latest threadjacks here at Corporette (reader questions and commentary) — see more here!

Some of our latest threadjacks include:

99 Comments

  1. As mentioned in the resolutions thread, one of mine is to read 2 new books a month. So, book recommendations please?

    To whomever recommended the Hunger Games series, I love you. I finished the first two books in 24 hours this weekend and am starting on the 3rd tonight! They’re quick but engrossing reads and made me remember how much I love reading.

    1. I just finished reading “Freedom” by Jonathan Franzen, highly recommend.

      1. I also liked Freedom. Additional recs:
        – A Biography of Cancer
        – Brief Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
        – Haruki Murakami books .. currently reading IQ84, but I’d start with one of his older titles, Wild Sheep Chase maybe.

        2. Few more excellent nonfiction:
          -The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson
          -Citizens Of London: Americans Who Stood With Britian In It’s Darkest, Finest Hour By Lynne Olson
          -Hellhound on His Trail: The Stalking of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the International Hunt for His Assassin by Hampton Sides

        3. The biography of cancer is actually titled something like “The Emperor of Maladies.” Great book!

          1. Second Emperor of All Maladies. And if you like scientific/medical non-fiction, I also really enjoyed The Great Influenza by John M. Barry. Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond is another favorite non-fiction.

            For fiction: I’ve gotten into author Ha Jin recently. He’s published a few short story collections and several novels, all of which are beautifully written.

            Also, if you haven’t read it yet, Ender’s Game!

            (I read Hunger Games after the enthusiastic reccs on this blog several months ago. Love, love, love, and so excited to add all these new books to my list!)

    2. If you like surreal/fantasy: Jasper Fforde’s Thursday Next series (starting with “The Eyre Affair”). Gail Carriger’s “Souless” series – cheesy but fun.

      Also, get yourself a Book-A-Day calendar – I read a bunch of books last year that I found on the calendar.

      1. I really liked the Eyre Affair – I keeping forgetting there are more (and forgetting to read them)

        1. The Eyre Affair was great, but I thought they went slightly downhill after that (still fun, though)!

          1. Agreed – until the most recent (One of our Thursdays…) – reminded me why I fell in love with Fforde in the first place!

    3. A quick read that I absolutely adore (currently reading it for the 4th time): The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (by Mary Ann Shaffer). The kind of book that has you laughing one sentence and then tearing up in the next.

      Also, if you like historical fiction: Wolf Hall (by Hilary Mantel) and any of the Maisie Dobbs mysteries (by Jacqueline Winspear) are exceptional reads.

      1. Second The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I’m half way through and can’t put it down!

        1. I read it twice, and then got the audiobook from the library – it was like reading it for the first time all over again!

          1. Yes! The audio-book is fantastic! In all honesty, my most recent “read” was listening to it on audio.

    4. I just devoured four books over vacation and can heartily recommend them all:

      Chaim Potok, “My Name is Asher Lev”
      Chaim Potok, “The Gift of Asher Lev”
      Jeffrey Archer, “Kane and Abel”
      Jeffrey Archer, “Sons of Fortune”

    5. The Flying Troutmans, Miriam Toews. Loved it much more than her A Complicated Kindness, which made a bigger splash.

    6. I just finished Swamplandia! and I loved it. The NPR review said Tom Sawyer in the Everglades, if Tom was a girl. Also read the new Ann pachet book which I highly recommend.

    7. Anything by David Sedaris is a quick and entertaining read. Also, on a more serious note, Dennis Lehane books (Mystic River, Shutter Island, etc.) are great but not light reading.

    8. They’re a little older, but I loved Bel Canto by Ann Panchet and The Alchemist (or anything) by Paulo Coleho.

    9. On the recommendation of some wise Corporette, I inhaled Richelle Mead’s Vampire Academy YA series over the holiday. Don’t be put off by the title – they’re awesome, with the sort of heroine I wish I could grow up to be.

      1. LOVE those books, and the new series she’s writing in the same world is pretty awesome too.

      2. Totally agree! I wrote off this series based on title alone (I know, I know) but read some of her other books and decided to give it a try. LOVED this series!

    10. “Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? (And Other Concerns)” by Mindy Kaling was a super fun book.

      Also, the chick-lit books by Meg Cabot:

      Queen of Babble (series)
      -Queen of Babble
      -Queen of Babble in the Big City
      -Queen of Babble Gets Hitched

      Heather Wells Mysteries (series)
      -Size 12 is Not Fat (Size Doesn’t Matter)
      -Size 14 is Not Fat Either
      -Big Boned

      “Boy” Collection (not a series, but has recurring characters)
      -The Boy Next Door (The Guy Next Door)
      -Boy Meets Girl
      -Every Boy’s Got One

      1. Listened to Queen of Babble on audio book – loved it! I will have to check out the sequels. Thanks!

    11. I’ve found it hard to keep up with reading books because I don’t usually have a good chunk of uninterrupted time to read, but I started reading the daily suggestions on Longform.org (a site which aggregates a selection of nonfiction long-form essays from all kinds of magazines and other sources). Using Readability, I can save them to read later or send them to my Kindle.

      I also suscribed on my Kindle to the New Yorker and the Atlantic.

      1. I find it hard to do, but I make sure to just keep the book with me when I’m out of the house. Soon you’ll see that you begin to “find” time (i.e. waiting in line at the bank).

    13. I have a similar resolution and have solicited suggestions here and from friends. Check out goodreads dot com and the free iPhone app. You can connect with people on there you know and see what they are reading/have read and keep track of what you’ve finished, are currently reading, and want to read. It also let’s you write reviews, so I’ve added books to my list based on reviews of friends I know have similar tastes.

    14. I’m reading the Robert Massie biography of Catherine the Great and it’s awesome! If you’re ok reading something a bit sad, “If This Is A Man” by Primo Levy is absolutely amazing. I realize this sounds sort of irreverent, but it’s not -it is *the* best Holocaust book I have ever read. And I have read a whole lot of them. It’s really, really moving and just beautifully written. Not overwrought or flowery, but still incredibly profound.

    15. I don’t think I was the first, but I certainly recommended The Hunger Games very enthusiastically. I loved the entire series. But if you’re looking for something else try the Game of Thrones series by George R.R. Martin. They’re on the long side but completely engrossing. It is like an rated-R Lord of the Rings.

      1. Try Game of Thrones! I mainlined the first four books over break, and am obsessively refreshing my order tracker for A Dance With Dragons.

    16. I read Shantaram (Gregory David Roberts) last year based on a Corporette recommendation and it was wonderful. Best book of 2011 by far, and I also read the Song of Fire and Ice series last year. I was spoiled.

    17. I’m reading Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. It’s long, about 600 pages, but I can’t put it down.

      1. I absolutely loved Cutting for Stone! I read it about 3 months ago and it’s one of the first books I recommend to people.

    18. My favorite book in recent years is probably The Book Thief… narrated by Death during the holocaust about a little girl who becomes a book thief.

      If you like dystopian YA fiction (which you might since you liked The Hunger Games), I’d recommend checking out the following: Divergent, Delirium, and Matched. All listed in my order of preference and all the first books of trilogies. The second books aren’t out yet for the Divergent / Delirium trilogies. Crossed is the second book in the Matched series; haven’t read it yet.

      Also Anna Dressed in Blood (not dystopian, but still YA– I’ve been on a YA kick lately, seems like it’s easier to find really great YA fiction than grown-up fiction)– about a ghost hunter.

      Also second the rec for Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me? by Mindy Kaling. Bossypants by Tina Fey was a great, quick read, too.

  2. I mentioned this on another thread earlier this week: If you like Hunger Games I recommend Divergent by Veronica Roth. Only problem is it’s a trilogy and you have to wait until May for the next book to come out!

    2. Second the Divergent recommendation! I liked it less than The Hunger Games, more than Catching Fire / Mockingjay.

  3. I posted a few weeks ago asking if anyone has tried Vaniqa for unwanted facial hair. I just wanted to report back that I have been on it for 8 weeks or so and I have had great results. All the areas that I’ve used it on having significantly slowed growth, and some areas that I used to have to pluck every single day have now stopped growing completely. Seriously, it’s been amazing. The one downside is that it’s not cheap, but if you can afford it, I highly, highly recommend it. Not having to worry about this every day has been lifechanging.

      1. Yes, it’s a prescription cream (my gyno offered to write me a prescription last time I was in for my annual exam). You rub it on the area twice a day and after a few weeks the hair starts to come back waaay slower. I know it sounds kind of silly (I was very skeptical), but I really can’t say enough good things about it.

          1. I think my main change was how slowly it grows back in. My hair was already relatively light (kind of a reddish brown color…not blonde, but not super dark either) and I’d say it’s about the same. It’s hard to say about texture and thickness. The areas that used to be the coarsest and thickest and had to be dealt with every day are the areas that are now basically totally hair-free, so it’s hard to compare with how it used to be. The hair that does grow back is still noticeable, not light peach fuzz. But it comes back so much slower now that it’s totally manageable.

  4. Does anyone have a solution for securing the collars of button-down shirts? I’m wearing a necklace but it can’t be seen because the (unbuttoned) collar of my shirt keeps folding closed around my neck!

    1. The only thing I can think of doing is ironing and starching it to splay out. I can’t really picture garment tape or something working, because you don’t want the fabric totally folded over, right? Otherwise, I love the brooks brothers v neck button downs, they’re so much more flattering and comfortable, and non iron!

    2. Hollywood Fashion Tape. it’s an extra strong double sided tape, it’s great for sticking down the collar of a shirt or cardigan exactly where you want it, but then comes off easily at the end of the day. I get it on Amazon.

      1. Or Topstick, which is toupee tape but is cheaper, and also leaves no residue.

      2. Also good for securing a low-cut neckline to your skin for the evening, to avoid wardrobe malfunctions!

  5. Does anyone have suggestions for a heavy-duty facial moisturizer that won’t cause my acne-prone skin to break out? This winter has been unusually harsh on my face for some reason, and I keep getting dry patches that I can’t seem to get rid of. I’ve tried vaseline, the moisturizer my dermatologist recommended (cerave), running a humidifier at night, but nothing’s working. My dermatologist switched me to a strong topical for my acne right before the weather started getting really cold, but even reducing that to every three or four days isn’t helping. I’ve got an appointment to see the dermatologist in about two weeks, but before then, help!

    1. Argan oil. It’s amazing. And no resulting breakouts. It’s actually supposed to help with acne, I think. I use it for everything from sunburn peeling to dry patches.

        1. Honestly, I’m not even sure. I’ll try to find out when I get home. It’s a little clear jar that’s lasted forever. I have heard good things about Josie Moran Argan Oil and if I can’t find the one I originally bought, that was my plan for refill. But I think you can get it for less at Whole Foods and various organic markets. Just make sure it’s 100% natural argan oil (not a product containing same).

          I just dab it on my fingertips and apply where needed. Sometimes under moisturizer, sometimes throughout the day (e.g., if my nose is sore from blowing it during a cold).

          1. It is expensive but Decleor Night Balm with Ylang Ylang is great for dry skin and acne.

      3. Thanks, everyone. I’ll see if I can find some argan or jojoba oil, if not I’ll try cetaphil. I checked the organic grocery store close to work and couldn’t find any–I’ll stop by whole foods tomorrow. What aisle are they usually on?

    2. I use Kiehl’s Ultra Facial Cream — my skin is pretty picky, both with breakouts and with getting ridiculously dry in the winter — and I’ve had good luck with it. Although, AIMS, I have some argan oil at home that I haven’t been quite sure what to do with, so I may try switching to that myself!

      1. It’s also great on split ends and on cuticles. I am convinced there’s not much it cannot do :)

      2. I used to use this but I think it still causes breakouts. I just ordered some of the new oil-free ultra facial products and that has been much better for my acne, though it’s definitely not as moisture-rich as the regular kind. For me it’s worth it to not break out, even if I occasionally have to put on a second coat.

    3. I’ve used Eucerin when my skin is particularly bad – it would just take FOREVER to rub in. Also important is how you moisturize – your skin should still be a little damp when you smear moisturizer on it so that you trap water on your skin. Look for humectants in the moisturizers – they draw water into your skin, I think glycerin is one of them.

      After I gave up on acne medicines and my skin calmed down, I found I still get dry patches in the winter. I use the Olay Regenerist line – the red jar and white cylindrical pump. Very thick and keep my face super-moisturized and best of all, they dry in a matte finish.

      1. Agree. Eucerin Aquaphor at night. Cetaphil cream by day. Nothing even comes close.

    4. Eucerin’s Aquafor is what I used when I was taking Accutane and getting very dry patches.

      1. I used cortisone cream (1%) on the really dry flaky patches while I was on accutane. Sounds odd, but my derm suggested it and it totally worked.

    5. I use Cetaphil cream for my flaky dry face in wintertime. I find it to be less greasy than Eucerin/Aquafor.

    6. I get dry patches, particularly around my chin. I have noticed that the problem is not helped strictly by moisturizer. My skin needs to be well exfoliated before I moisturize. Last night, I mixed a small amount of baking soda with my regular cleanser and massaged gently for several minutes. Then I applied a topical chemical exfoliant (Paula Begone’s Weekly Resurfacing Treatment), and after letting the exfoliant sit for 15 minutes, I wiped it off and spot-treated my blemishes. Only then did I apply a very thick layer of cerave. Today, my foundation slipped over my skin like a dream, and I’m still feeling moisturized half-way through the day.

    8. I have very acne-prone skin – I use Clinique Solarsmart Face Cream with SPF 30 during the day and either Neutrogena Oil Free Moisture for Sensitive Skin or Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Gel Moisturizer at night. None make me break up. The Paula’s Choice one isn’t really sufficient in cold weather, but the Neutrogena one is.

    9. A friend just let me try her Vivierskin Lexxel Redness Relief Moisturing Cream, and I ordered some online yesterday after using it for several days. I have adult acne and some of the products I use to try to control it dry me out. This Vivierskin stuff is suppsoed to inhibit the growth of bacteria, so it purportedly will improve my acne and calm my dry skin. I can’t say that it will make my acne any better since I have only used it for a short time so far, but I love, love, love the way it made my face feel for the four days I used it. I’ve never paid this much for moisturizer before (I usually top out at $15 a bottle), so I hope it’s worth the $60 I shelled out for it!

    10. Ren ClearCalm. Sephora has a day and night cream trial pack (with a little clay cleanser). DOn’t love/Don’t hate the cleanser but love the night Clear Calm. It’s lasted me for ages. Highly recommend. I have the same skin as you…dry but also acne-prone. So annoying this time of year!

    11. My dermatologist rec’d CeraVe, which is packaged very much like Cetaphil. I’ve found it works better for me. (I like it so much that I now use it in the shower as well. And it’s incredibly cheap compared to some of the things I’ve tried in the past for acne/dry skin.)

      I also use a toner (YSL, which I first started using after it was bundled with the clarisonic), which has been helping a lot this winter.

      Every few days, I use La Mer (the serum and the regular cream).

    12. My derm recommended Moisturel, and I love it. Not all drugstores seem to carry it, but I can usually find it at CVS.

  7. I’m hoping to draw on the experience of the community:

    Does anyone have experience changing jobs, and changing health insurance, while you are pregnant? Or know where I could information on this? Right now I am the primary in my employer-offered group plan. I would be switching to another group plan in another state through a different employer, while I am anywhere from 0-6 months pregnant. We are actively trying now – personally this is the ideal time because my husband is leaving his job at the end of the summer and we’d both love him to stay home the first year while he’s working on his master’s degree. I can only seem to find vague answers about HIPAA and COBRA online – some seem to suggest there will be no problem with coverage; some seem to suggest massive loopholes that might leave me hanging. I’ve read the excellent corporette post on the ethical and professional considerations of changing jobs while pregnant, but I’m wondering if anyone has experience in the insurance realm of changing jobs while pregnant.

    1. It depends on the coverage situation at your next job and whether you’d transition between jobs without a break. Most position, in my experience, offer some sort of basic plan for the initial 3 months or so, then after your probationary period you can elect the plan you want. Assuming you transitioned directly between jobs, you may have higher deductibles or copays, but no actual lapse in coverage. While apparently plans without maternity coverage are still out there, I’ve never personally seen one as part of an employee plan.

      I am the primary for our family’s insurance. I was laid off right after my first daughter was born. (The entire team was laid off – it was not selective, and I knew months in advance). We transitioned to COBRA in the flood of post-partum and well-baby visits. There was no actual lapse in coverage, but there was a temporary bureaucratic appearance of one for the first month. It meant extra paperwork at the clinics to assume responsibility to pay out of pocket and then to get reimbursement from the insurance company once I was in their system. It was a pain, but fine. At any other time we wouldn’t have noticed, since everything worked smoothly after. We transitioned to new plan a few months later, when I found a job, and it was completely smooth. We went from COBRA to basic plan to elective plan, without any actual or bureaucratic lags.

      At that stage in pregnancy, you’re likely only going to have one visit per month, potentially some labs and an ultrasound. If you knew there was going to be a lapse or lag, you may be able to adjust the labs and u/s (depending on timing) and only have to pay OOP and get reimbursed for one clinic visit.

      Obviously, it would mean changing providers during the pregnancy, which can feel stressful but ultimately is not a big deal. In most cases, clinics do an on-call rotation for deliveries, so you’d likely not have your OB/MW at the birth anyway if you’d stayed with your first plan. And if you’re still in the 0-6 month range, you will have plenty of opportunity to do so with your new provider, since visit frequency increases in the third trimester.

    2. It may be plan-specific… when we switched to my husband’s insurance I was just a few weeks pregnant, and I remember calling to make sure it didn’t count as a pre-existing condition. (It didn’t.)

      1. I was going to add- I know a lot of women whose pregnancies were considered pre-existing conditions and were not covered through the new insurer. I would double-check with that.

        And unrelated, just remember that you won’t be eligible for FMLA leave (assuming your employer is large enough to qualify) until you have been there for 12 months. The employer may or may not offer maternity leave, period, or offer leave to employees who have been there less than a year.

    3. A friend of mine switched from a private job to a government job while pregnant, and she didn’t have any problems with getting the insurance to cover her pregnancy and delivery, but the gyno and midwife she’d been seeing were not in her new insurance plan’s network so she had to change providers mid-pregnancy. She had planned to use a birthing center, but her new insurance wouldn’t cover it so she had to give birth in a hospital instead. So if you have a strong attachment to your medical provider or to your birth plan, you should make sure it would be covered by your new insurance.

      Also keep in mind that if you start a new plan, you’ll have a new deductible. If you start your new plan mid-year, you may end up paying two deductibles that year, which could make things significantly more expensive for you.

    4. Also, check out the insurance offered from the university your husband will be attending.

    5. I would confirm, of course, but I’m fairly certain that there are laws against treating pregnancy as a pre-existing condition. In the case of employer-based insurance, I would think that pre-existing condition terms don’t apply. Also, if I remember correctly, the ACA ban on pre-existing clauses goes into effect in 2013. If you end up not getting pregnant until after March, I don’t think you’ll have an issue (I’m not, however, suggesting that you wait to try).

      I can’t speak to how it will impact your job search, but I don’t think it should impact your ability to be covered (assuming your new plan covers it).

  8. I’m also hoping for some advice:

    I changed my last name recently after getting married, but the state bars to which I am licensed haven’t yet approved my request to change my name. When applying for a job, should I use my maiden name? My new name? Both? If I do use both, how (if at all) should I address this in the cover letter? Alternatively, even though I’ve completely dropped my maiden name, should I include it as my middle name on the resume/cover letter in an effort to cover this issue w/o taking the time to do so in the cover letter?

    Any advice is much-appreciated!

      1. I’d do your alternate suggestion: First Maiden Last. That’s how I’ve chosen to practice, because there are people in the legal community who didn’t know me well enough to pay attention when I married, but who would never know who I was if I’d dropped my maiden name entirely.

    2. This was me several years ago – use your new name for all your applications. The bar will approve the name change request, and it was never a hassle. If you dropped your maiden name, I wouldn’t use it as a middle name, although you may want to put it paranthetically after your new name.
      Although I’m wondering if my situation was a little different from yours? I never had to submit a bar card or anything with my applications. At the time we were moving, I was applying for jobs, and it seemed like all the paperwork as in limbo. I found that if I consistently used my married name, nobody worried when they saw my maiden name.

      1. Thanks for the info!

        GreenTea: You are absolutely right – I’m sure they won’t be asking for my bar card w/ my application. I was wondering about this, though, because the position is w/ the govt, and I figured it could be a possibility that they check this info to determinate whether I am qualified. I would hate to be disqualified because I was unclear.

    3. I would include your maiden name in some form on your resume or cover letter. First Maiden Last or First Last (Maiden) or First Last nee Maiden. Before each interview is scheduled, we check the state bar website and patent office website to verify that the applicant is able to practice. If it doesn’t show up, we don’t schedule the interview.

      Once your name shows up, you can drop the Maiden name from your materials.

    4. I’d apply using your preferred name (so your married name), but on the section of your resume where you list your bar admissions you could note that you’re registered under your maiden name.
      e.g. New York Bar, 2008 (registered as Jane Smith)

      If you apply using your maiden name or both, you run the risk of having all of your accounts set up with the wrong name, which has happened to me at two jobs and is a PITA to correct.

  9. I was on vacation last week and thought I saw Kat, and boy was I excited. I don’t think it was actually her, but I definitely stalked her for a while to make sure. So Kat, if a stranger ever comes up and gives you a hug, it’s probably one of your loyal readers. Because I would have hugged you had it been you.

    And, by the way, you weren’t on vacation last week, were you???

  10. Thank you to those who read and responded to my comment last week asking for recommendations to help separate friend groups have fun together at my NYE party! The party ended up being super fun. After reflecting on your collective input, I decided to put celebrity / politician / etc names on name tags, which each guest got attached to their back when they came in. Instructions were simply to ask other guests yes / no questions until you could figure out whose name was on your name tag. It gave everyone a starting point for conversation with people they didn’t know, and was just fun without dominating the whole night. In the end, of course, folks hung out with their closest friends most, but I do think this little activity sparked more engagement across groups than there otherwise would have been.

  11. For KC – i posted this late in the other thread and I don’t know if you saw it, in response to your Q about your DC Metro SmartTrip card.

    —

    There were some changes to the program. You had to register your card and use it once in the second half of December. I assume you’ve done this, since your January money loaded automatically.

    Whether or not your money rolls over month to month is up to your employer. If your employer puts the money in for you, then most likely they have decided to take the money back at the end of each month. That’s what seems to have happened in your case. If they deduct the money from your paycheck (as opposed to giving you free money for transit) then you should be getting it back. If anything isn’t clear, you should talk to your company’s benefits coordinator, because the rollover is up to your company, not Metro.

    I got all this info via an email from Metro after I registered my card. I will copy and paste it in a reply, to avoid moderation.

    1. 38 Lawyer Bird 01/03/2012 at 5:07 pm

      Here’s the info Metro sent me:

      SmartBenefits Autoload Begins January 1, 2012

      Metro’s SmartBenefits program is taking steps to comply with the IRS requirement to separate parking and transit benefits to restrict comingled use. (Internal Revenue bulletin Rev. Rul. 2006-57)

      Claiming your SmartBenefits

      Beginning with January’s benefits, you will no longer need to load your SmartBenefits onto your SmarTrip card at a Farecards and Passes machine. With Autoload, your benefit will remain in an account. And like a debit card, your SmarTrip card will access the account and deduct the fare or parking fee when you tap your card to a Metrorail faregate, bus farebox or Metro parking target.

      Preparing your card to access your account

      To access your account beginning in January, you must use your SmarTrip card at least once in the last two weeks of this month (December 16 -31). This action prepares your card to access the account. This is only important if you HAD NOT planned on using your card in the last two weeks of the month. If you’re a regular commuter, it’s not an issue. You must repeat this step if you replace your SmarTrip card or make any changes to your benefits.
      Autoload works on Metrorail, as well as Metrobus and these regional bus systems: ART, CUE, DASH, DC Circulator, Fairfax Connector, Loudoun County Transit, PRTC OmniRide, Ride On and TheBus. It does not work on the MTA bus and rail systems.

      Changes to SmartBenefits

      Beginning in January, your employer will determine what happens to any unused benefits. They may either be credited back to your employer’s account or rolled over to your account for future use (maximum of $4,045 for transit and $4,045 for parking).

      Also beginning in January, transit funds will not be transferrable from one purse to another. Transit benefits will not pay for parking and parking benefits will not pay for transit. Nor will funds be able to transfer into your personal stored value purse.

      Your personal stored value purse allows you to load additional amounts to cover either transit or parking. Transit and parking payments will be deducted from your transit and parking benefits purses first. If and when those funds are exhausted, payments will be deducted from your personal stored value purse.

      Any funds on your card prior to January 1, 2012 will move into your personal stored value purse.

      Transit benefits are limited for use on bus and rail, however, transit benefits may be reallocated for MetroAccess, MARC, VRE, MTA commuter buses, registered vanpools and independent bus services.

      Immediately notify your program administrator if you replace your registered SmarTrip card. Register your replacement card immediately at smartrip.com. Please allow at least 24 hours for registration to occur.

      SmartBenefits cannot be assigned to unregistered cards.

      You can view:

      . Personal stored value balance at any Farecards and Passes machine.

      . Transit purse at any faregate or farebox.*

      . Parking purse at any Metrorail parking target.*

      . All balances # plus all transactions # by creating an online SmarTrip account. Go to smartrip.com and click on Manage your Account Online.

      * If a portion of your fare or parking fee comes from your personal stored value purse (due to insufficient funds in your transit or parking purses), the amount displayed will be the balance from your personal stored value purse.

      For additional information, visit:
      http://www.wmata.com/business/employer_fare_program/

      1. I had a similar problem yesterday with my parking and commuter fsa. I can’t use as the card of record on my parkmobile account anymore. I use parkmobile to park at the T station. Now I have to charge the parking to my credit card and submit forms to get it reimbursed. Apparently, this is due to changes by the IRS.

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