Q: Are federal employees authorized to use compensatory leave when they are performing military duty either on active duty orders or on military training status? National Guard Technicians routinely use compensatory leave for military duty when they have exhausted their military leave. A: I haven’t found anything that says you can’t use compensatory time in lieu of annual leave while on active duty.
Q: I plan to retire on Dec. 31 under FERS. I will have 320 hours of annual leave at that date. I have been asked to come back to work on Jan. 11, 2011 in a temporary appointment. I know if I get paid for my annual leave I would have to pay back the value of the leave if I return before the 320 hours would have been used. Can payroll withhold payment of the annual leave until I return and recredit it to me? Since it is more than 240 hours (use or lose), will I lose any of…
Q: In May of 2002 I retired from the U.S. Army Reserves. At that time I had 29 years of military service, almost five of which was spent on active duty from 1972 -1977 and the remainder was in the Active Reserves. I will collect my military reserve pay in two years at age 60. I have just recently taken a job with the Department of Justice and am in FERS. My question is: If I buy back my active duty military time within FERS (approximately five years) will these same five years be factored into my Reserve Retirement Pay calculation…
I’ve been a FERS disability retiree since 2004. I’m writing because I’m trying to decide if it’s safe to re-enter federal service and not lose my annuity. I still have good skills and would like to do something productive if given the opportunity. My understanding is that under FERS disability I can return to federal service and not have my annuity terminated under certain conditions. Q1: I need to make sure (1) I don’t exceed 80 percent of my outgoing basic pay and (2) avoid accepting a job similar to the one I left. Is this correct? Example, my 80 percent ceiling is…
Q: Can you explain CSRS Offset to me. In January 2011, I’ll have 25 years in civil service and I am thinking about retiring next year at age 63. I have paid in a lot of social security over the years and very little civil service retirement. A: CSRS Offset employees are covered by CSRS and Social Security. When you retire, your CSRS annuity will be offset by the amount of Social Security benefit you earned while covered by CSRS Offset. The amount you receive will be the same; however, it will come from two different places, OPM and the…
Q: I am 60 and will retire Nov. 3 with 37 years under CSRS. My wife is 59 and we are covered under Federal Employees Health Benefits. She is disabled and receiving Social Security benefits. My question is, when will she have to sign up for Medicare Part B and which insurance will be primary? A: According to the Social Security Administration, because she is under 65 and disabled, she’ll automatically get Part B. She’ll get her Medicare card in the mail about 3 months before her 65th birthday or after her 25th month of disability. Because she is unemployed, Medicare…
Q: I am a CSRS federal retiree with 35 years of service who will turn 65 in late December. Will I automatically receive Medicare Part A and Part B or will I have to sign up for Part B? If not, can I apply for Part B before I receive Part A? I am not due to receive Part A until December 1. I am currently covered by Anthem Federal Blue Cross in New Hampshire. I retired from federal service in 2005. A: You don’t automatically get either Medicare Part A or Part B. You have to apply for them.…
Q: I served a little more than 29 years of military service. Part of this time was on active duty and about 24 years of it was as a member of the U.S. Army Reserves. I have recently taken a position with the Department of Justice and am accruing six hours of annual leave per pay period. I am questioning whether this should be eight hours per pay period rather than the six. I have been inquiring regarding this matter for the past 10 months and have yet to receive an answer regarding this matter. I was of the impression…
Q: RE: Your article of Nov. 5 titled, “Re-entering Federal Service.” In this message you state that under the MRA+10 provision the annuity will be reduced by 5 percent for every year you are under age 60. I thought the age reduction penalty was 5 percent for every year under age 62? This is regardless if one has at least 20 years of service at their MRA (FERS Section 42A3.1-1A, Annuity Reduction For Age). I understand that if you postpone receiving the annuity until age 60, you can avoid the age reduction penalty altogether, but I’m referring to taking an…
Q: I am receiving disability from FERS. The dates of service are incorrect and I should have 13.5 years of federal service instead of the 5 years OPM has listed. I’m in the process of appealing Social Security disability. If I don’t get the dates of service issue rectified prior to receiving the SS disability award, will the proceeds be comingled and therefore more difficult to determine the appropriate award? If I should get to a point where I am able to go back to work, how will this affect retirement disability? Thank You! A: Under FERS during the first…