Q. My previous and current employers added seven years to my service computation date for my work at USDA from April 1, 1981, through March 31, 1988.
The credit is documented in SF-50-B forms from these agencies dated Oct. 15, 1994, and Feb. 19, 1995. My current employer’s Employee Self Service website also incorporates this seven-year credit in calculating my estimated monthly annuity. My current employer’s HR unit, however, will give me only one year and two months’ credit under FERS for my work at USDA because the work was part time.
Since more than five years of my service at USDA took place before FERS started, am I entitled to an annuity calculated under CSRS rather than FERS rules?
A. Ask your HR to go to www.opm.gov/feddata/gppa/gppa06.pdf and scroll to Section 1-5b, which says this about annual leave accrual: “In general, employees get a day of credit for each day of full-time or part-time service.” Then ask them to go to www.opm.gov/retirement-services/publications-forms/csrsfers-handbook/c055.pdf and scroll to Part 55A2, which explains that full credit is given for part-time service. It’s only the annuity that is prorated to account for part-time service.
