Q: In the Federal Employees Retirement System, when can we take sick-leave cash? Only at retirement or before? A: Regardless of whether you are covered by the Civil Service Retirement System or FERS, you can never cash in your sick leave. It has no cash value.
Author Reg Jones
Reg Jones
Reg Jones was head of retirement and insurance policy at the Office of Personnel Management. Email your retirement-related questions to fedexperts@federaltimes.com.
Q: This regards the recently enacted legislation that allows retirees to return to work on a part-time, limited basis. I noticed in a recent inquiry regarding annual leave, the following statement was made: “When you retire, unused annual leave is projected forward as if you were still on the agency’s rolls. If you were to return to work for the government after retiring, you would have to refund the money for any days that have not gone by.” My agency is considering hiring me back for two weeks after I retire to clean up some leftover work, but as a…
Q: I’m 58 and have planned on retiring at the end of the year with 40 years and a Civil Service Retirement System annuity. I’ve saved all my annual leave and compensation time, and plan to bank the maximum credit hours to create a significant nest egg (new kitchen). I intended to keep working after retirement, and now they have passed what once was Senate Bill 629- Part-Time Reemployment of Annuitants Act. Sounds like my wish came true and nobody is laughing when I say I want to come back, but I’d like to only work half as many hours…
Q: I recently heard that if you were eligible for Civil Service Retirement System retirement and retired, receiving your retired pay, you could return as a FERS employee for a period of time and not effect your CSRS retired pay. Could you elaborate on this program or provide information where I could find out more about it? A: As you described it, no, it isn’t true. As a rule, if you retire and return to work for the government, the salary of your new position — it will be offset by the amount of your annuity. It doesn’t make any…
Q: I am retired from the Army and receive retired pay and disability pay. I am also a civilian employee under the Federal Employees Retirement System. When I am eligible to retire, will I be paid my military retired pay, disability pay, retirement pay as a civilian employee and also receive my Social Security? Would it be advantageous to sell back my military time to incorporate it into my civilian time under FERS? If I do sell back my military time, do I forfeit continuance of my military retired pay? A: If you retire without making a deposit to the…
Q: I did not check the appropriate box for Superior Academic Achievement when I applied for my current position and was hired as a GS-05 instead of a GS-07 even though I am qualified as a GS-07. Is there any way around the bureaucracy to get my paygrade corrected? A: The matter rests exclusively between you and your agency. You’ll have to discuss the matter with your supervisor and someone in you personnel office.
Q: I reside in Hawaii and I’m a Civil Service Retirement System employee with the U.S. Postal Service. I’m eligible for full retirement. The recent Defense Authorization Act has an amendment concerning Territorial Cost of Living Allowance/Locality pay for civil servants in non-foreign areas outside the continental U.S. I have spent many hours researching this, but I cannot find an answer to the question of USPS/locality pay/TCola. How will this affect USPS employees in Hawaii? I understand some of it, but the key question is — since we will remain under the Tcola program, will it be included in calculations…
Q. In preparation for my projected retirement as a Civil Service Retirement System employee from the Defense Department on Jan. 2, 2010, I would like to confirm when I will receive any payments due to me. Since Jan. 2, 2010, is not only the end of the pay period but the last day in which any accrued leave can be paid out, can I expect to see not only my regular pay but my accrued leave included on the next scheduled pay date, estimated to be Jan. 8, 2010. After this, my annuity would then arrive the first week of…
Q. I am retired under the Civil Service Retirement System Offset. I left the government in 1982 after 10 years of service and withdrew my pension. I returned to work in 1985 under the offset pension and retired in 2000 after a total of 25 years of service. I am now working under Social Security in the private sector, and will have 15 years of Social Security not counting federal work at age 62 when it will be mandatory for me to collect Social Security because of early federal retirement. How will this affect my pension/Social Security? Will it be…
Q. I would like a clarification. Would I receive separate payments for my Federal Employees Retirement System retirement, military retired pay, military disability and Social Security? Or will some or all potentially be offset? This is with the scenario that I do not sell back my military time and waive retired pay. Reading the below, I believe the answer is yes, but I just want to make sure for my long-range planning. Selling back military time Question: I am retired from the Army and receive both retired pay and disability pay. I am also a civilian employee under the Federal…