Q. I have worked under a term appointment for more than 20 years. Will it be possible for me to qualify for Voluntary Early Retirement Authority once I have 25 years of service?
A. This guidance from the Office of Personnel Management was all I could find on VERA eligibility:
Voluntary early retirement offers apply to employees covered under both CSRS and FERS. When an agency has received VERA approval from OPM, an employee who meets the general eligibility requirements may be eligible to retire early. The employee must:
1. Meet the minimum age and service requirements — at least age 50 with at least 20 years of creditable federal service, or any age with at least 25 years of creditable federal service;
2. Have served in a position covered by the OPM authorization for the minimum time specified by OPM (usually 30 days prior to the date of the agency request);
3. Serve in a position covered by the agency’s VERA plan; and
4. Separate by the close of the early-out period.
To find out if there are any restrictions applying to someone on a term appointment, you’ll have to check with your personnel office.
