Q. I’m a FERS employee covered by the special retirement rules for law enforcement. I had made a deposit for the nine years of active duty I did before working for the Bureau of Prisons. Will the nine years I paid a deposit for be figured into the formula for the supplemental Social Security I receive till age 62? I plan on retiring at age 55 with 22 years of bureau service and nine years’ military. A. No. By law, only actual FERS service is used to calculate the special retirement supplement.
Monthly Archives: September, 2012
Q. I resigned at the beginning of a pay period from my position with the Department of Defense due to a hostile work environment. When I received my leave and earnings statement, I noticed I was coded as being AWOL for the balance of hours remaining in the pay period, after I had actually resigned. When I inquired about this, I was told that if leave is not requested, then it is coded as AWOL. I replied by essentially asking, how could I have been AWOL if I had already resigned? I did not receive a reply. Is it possible…
Q. I am a postal worker and an APWU member under FERS. I belong to the APWU health plan. I plan to keep this plan when I retire as a supplement of Medicare Part B. Since this plan is offered under FEHB, do I now and will I then have to be and continue to be a member of the APWU? Their union dues continue to increase, and I don’t want to continue if I don’t have to, but I also don’t want to be dropped from the plan if I discontinue my membership. A. No, you won’t have to…
Q. I am a FERS employee. Under VERA/VSIP, does my sick leave contribute toward my length of service computation? A. No. It is added only after you meet the age and service requirements to retire; and, if you retire before Jan. 1, 2014, only half credit is given for it.
Q. I retired from the Department of Justice in 2007. I received a $25,000 VSIP. I returned to work before the five-year waiting period and repaid the entire $25,000. I am employed by a different agency and am now thinking about going out after only two years. Am I eligible for a new VSIP? A. Absolutely not. By law, payment of a VSIP is a one-time, non-repeatable event.
Q. I retired in July 2011 as a FERS employee with the Federal Bureau of Prisons with more than 21 years of service. Can I work for another government agency as a GS employee full time? Will it affect my pension? A. Unless you are hired into one of those rare positions that allows you to receive both your annuity and the full salary of your new position, your salary will be reduced by the amount of your annuity.
Q. I retired on disability in 1997 and was covered by FEHB Blue Cross Blue Shield. I stopped the insurance because I went to work and was afraid I would lose my disability at the time. I lost my disability, but it was reinstated within a year, then converted to a regular retirement. Can I get FEHB reinstated? A. No.
Q. I’m a FERS employee. I’d like assistance in computing how much federal service I have so I can determine how much more I need to qualify for a federal service pension. I have about nine years in the U.S. Army, as well as about five years in the U.S. Naval Reserve. My understanding is that both periods of service count toward federal service for pension purposes — but I need the totals so I can use that for a basis for moving forward. Which agency should I contact, and how should I make sure all of the federal service…
Q. I am working under a non-6c-covered law enforcement position and will turn 37 at the end of this year. I am working on finishing my degree and would like to move into an 1811 position, but the timing will not permit my movement directly into that series. If I move into a 6c position before my 37th birthday, will I be eligible to transfer into an 1811 position (FBI)? I have been looking for an answer for a few days and haven’t had much luck. HR folks at FBI were not sure but did say my SF-50 would have…
Q. I work for USPS. I have 27 years and am 59. If I switch to a 30-hour-a-week job, how will it affect my retirement at age 62 under Social Security or sooner if the agency offers VERA? I am under FERS and have all my quarters in Social Security. A. Switching to part time would affect your annuity and your eventual Social Security benefit. The amount of the reduction would depend on how long you worked part time. Because both calculations would be based on your total years of coverage, the reduction in benefits would likely range from infinitesimal…