Q: I am 58 years old and left the Postal Service in 1999. I have 10 years of credited service under FERS. Am I eligible for retirement benefits now or must I wait until normal retirement age? A: If you didn’t take a refund of your retirement contributions when you left, you’ll be eligible for a deferred annuity at age 62.
Q: Do you know where and who can be contacted to determine time in service BEFORE you retire? I just received a 20-year federal service award dated March 31, 2011. My pay slip states my service computation date as 5/31/1991. What is the difference? How can I find out exactly the amount of time I currently have that will be used for my pension calculations? A: Your service computation date (SCD) is the one that will be used to determine your years of service. You’ll have to check with your personnel office to find out why they selected the earlier…
Q: Is the Veterans Administration having any early out/buyout in the near future? A: Not there we’re aware of.
Q: I have just been offered a GS job that I plan to start in a couple of months. However, I have a unique situation. I have the opportunity to retire in September and start receiving my retirement pay immediately because I will have obtained more than 20 years of total combined active-duty time during my 29+ years of active duty and reserve service. So, basically I can begin receiving my retirement immediately beginning in October 2011 even though I have not reached the 60 years of age that is normally required for reservist retirement because of the “sanctuary” provision…
Q: If a CSRS Offset employee with 19 years, five months of service had seven months of unused sick leave, could that sick leave count toward attaining the 20 years of service the employee would need to retire early/now? Or does the employee need to have a minimum 20 years comp. service without any sick or vacation leave? Are there different rules for sick leave credit than the FERS? A: You must have enough years of actual service to be eligible to retire. Sick leave may only be added after you have met the age and service requirements.
Q: Is there any regulation that prevents a BRAC-affected activity from offering Voluntary Early Retirement Authorities or buyouts? A: No, there isn’t any regulation that would prevent the offer of early retirement or buyouts; nor is there any requirement that they be offered.
Q: I’m in CSRS and I’m 55 with 27-and-a-half years service. I’m considering getting married and would like to know if my future spouse can be covered under my FEHB enrollment if I get married and retire within two years of retirement or, if I wait to get married until after I retire would he eligible for FEHBP? Also, he is a FERS employee but he isn’t eligible for FEHB if he retires early with me. A: I’m not sure I understand the scenarios you presented. Fortunately, that doesn’t matter. If you get married, you can switch your enrollment from…
Q: I read your column faithfully in Fed Times and I have some questions concerning the special retirement supplement I am receiving along with my FERS annuity. I retired under the special 6(c) law enforcement retirement (I had reached the age of 57) on Dec 31, 2009. I just received a 2010 Annuity Supplement Earnings Report from OPM today in the mail. Your May 16th column suggests that I may fall under one of the exceptions. I did begin working again in 2010 for the state police, which does not participate or deduct Social Security. Can you provide some guidance…
Q: I read on Fed Weekly that some congressional discussions occurred on the subject of allowing federal workers to transfer all or part of their unused sick and annual leave into their Thrift Savings Plan accounts. Are there any discussions on this topic and if so, do you know the status and if and when this would be implemented? A: While there may have been discussions, none of them have resulted in a legislative proposal being introduced in either chamber of Congress.
Q: Can external hires actually negotiate salary when most (if not all) federal vacancies state a fairly wide pay range? I’ve heard different things, but wish to know from you what the real answer is. A: Agencies have the authority to negotiate the starting pay of an external hire within the pay range for a position. Whether they are willing to do so, and to what extent, depends on the skills and abilities the candidate brings to the table, his current salary, and how critical the agency’s needs are.