Q. My first federal employment was in 1/17/1983 as a temporary worker (NTE one year, 40 hour week). Since it was a temp position. only Social Security was assessed. I left for the private sector 9/21/1983 due to an impending RIF knowing full well we were the first to go. I then received and accepted an offer from the Postal Service and started 10/13/1984 ; I am still there. I was informed that there will be a new retirement system, but no one has any information on the details, so I was placed as CSRS Interim. FERS then became law…
Q. I am retired for nine years now and working in private industry. I will be 65 soon and would like to know if there really is any benefit in applying for Medicare. I have read every article in Social Security Administration, OPM and Medicare and they all say it is up to you. I have Blue Cross as an annuitant and don’t see any advantage to me in making the claim. What is your opinion? A. They all say that it’s up to you because it is up to you. No two situations are the same. You’ll need to…
Q: I am a National Guard technician. I am older than 50 but not at my MRA with almost 30 of service under FERS. If I am found medically unfit to stay in the National Guard, would I retire with a medical under federal service or would I receive regular retirement as if I were involuntary separated because of my age and years of service? A: If you are separated because of a disability that disqualifies you from membership in the National Guard or from holding your military grade, you would be eligible for disability retirement. This assumes, among other…
Q: I medically retired from a dual-status military technician position two years ago. I receive a disability retirement. I have been working part time for a nonprofit civilian company. I have recently been asked to increase my hours to full time. When I out-processed for my disability retirement, I was told that if my salary reached over 80 percent of my salary at the time of discharge (with adjustments over time) I could lose my disability annuity. Does this amount reflect earnings at my job alone, or do I need to bring in less than 80 percent of my former…
Q: What happens if you’re in a covered position (6c) for eight years and move into a noncovered position? How does that work for retirement? A: When you retire, you’ll receive credit for that period of service; however, your annuity will be calculated using the standard formula, not the enhanced one used for law enforcement officers, firefighters or air traffic controllers who complete 20 years of covered service. The additional contributions you made to the retirement fund when you were in a 6(c) position won’t be refunded to you.
Q: I am retired military and receiving retired military pay. I am a service academy graduate; that four years is not included in my military retirement. I just started working as a civil service employee. Can I receive creditable time for my four years at the academy for civil service retirement since it is not part of my military retirement pay? A: You can if you make a deposit to the civilian retirement system for that time. Talk to someone in your personnel office to find out how to do that.
Q: I am a civilian pharmacist in a term position with the Army. I plan on taking a permanent position with the Army within the next year. However, I would like to take two months off from the time I leave my current job to the time I start my new job. Will I retain my annual leave and sick leave that I have accrued or will this be forfeited due to the break in service? A: Your sick leave balance would be reinstated when you are once again employed. However, any unused annual leave will be cashed out and…
Q: I have been retired (CSRS) for more than 15 years. Because I had enough quarters from moonlighting as a teacher, I also collect Social Security with the windfall reduction. Since retirement I have worked as an educator and may soon reach 30 years of substantial contributions to Social Security. What impact, if any, will this have on my CSRS retirement payments? What impact, if any, will it have on the Social Security payments made to me? How will this impact survivor benefits? A: The fact that you’ve continued to earn Social Security credits after retirement won’t have any effect…
Q: My supervisor pulled me from the leave donor program. I still have hours in there. I have brain cancer and still have appointments, treatments and surgery. He wants a note from my doctor saying he can ask questions about my cancer. Can he do that? A: Cutting you off from the leave donor program doesn’t sound appropriate. You’ll need to talk to your HR contact about this. I checked with OPM and to their knowledge, a supervisor cannot inquire into an employee’s medical information without your explicit permission.
Q: My job is under BRAC and is scheduled to move by September 2011. Once the move has taken place I would expect the position would not be considered under BRAC. Since I have more than 100 hours of BRAC leave on the books, what will happen with that leave? Will I keep the leave on the books while I’m still in my same unit? Will they pay out the BRAC leave in one lump sum because the unit is no longer considered under BRAC? A: A lump sum payment of restored annual leave is paid out when a BRAC-affected…