Q: I was told by my physician that I will probably have to go on temporary disability. Is this allowed as a Federal Employees Retirement System employee? If this happens, will I have to use leave during this time, and if not, would I still get my regular wage? A: The federal government doesn’t have a short-term disability benefit. To be eligible for disability retirement, you would need to have a disabling condition that 1) prevented you from performing useful and efficient service in your current position or another position at the same pay level in your commuting area, and…
Q: I am a federal employee covered under the Federal Employees Retirement System, and at age 49 will have just over 30 years of service with my military time that I bought back. Can I retire without penalty by postponing or deferring my annuity until my minimum retirement age of 56 years and 2 months, and reapply for the Federal Employees Health Benefits plan for my spouse, and draw on my Thrift Savings Plan, as well? Do I defer my annuity or postpone my annuity under this scenario? What is the better of the two options, or should I not…
Q: Please clarify/elaborate on your response concerning a lifetime limit of 3,120 hours for rehired annuitants working without an offset in annuity payments. I am employed by the Defense Intelligence Agency, under the Federal Employees Retirement System as a contract specialist (GG-1102). DIA’s human resources department has informed me that I can continue to work as a rehired annuitant for up to five years without any offset in my annuity. I have had this same information provided by the Air Force human resources department. Is there a special exemption for GG-1102 positions, given that there is an accurate shortage of…
Q: I’m 48 years old, with prior active-duty military service of six years, as well as 7.5 years of prior FLES Federal Employees Retirement System service. I have been out of the federal workforce for several years and have a recent offer to return to the federal government. The personnel specialist at the VA facility, where the job offer has been extended, could not tell me if my prior 7.5 years of federal LE retirement service would be credited at the special LE calculation rate (1.7%) per year (x high 3) in the event of my future retirement from said…
Q: I retired on Federal Employees Retirement System disability about 5 years ago. I then went to work part-time for a private company and have been there for 3 years. I have ALS, a neurological disease that is progressive, and I will die from it within the next couple of years. I can no longer work at my private company. My private company is encouraging me to use their long-term disability insurance and retire. I feel a bit strange about taking advantage of the private insurance when I already receive FERS disability. Is there anything illegal about taking two disability…
Q: I plan on retiring on Jan. 1, 2011. I am eligible to retire on Oct. 1, 2010. I am a Civil Service Retirement System Offset employee. I will have 30 years, 3 months of civil service and will be 60 years, 3 months of age. I have 240 hours of use-or-lose annual leave, and I will also have gained another 200 hours for the year. If I retire on Jan. 1, 2011, can I receive payment for my unused annual leave? I believe by doing this, I will receive a large lump sum payment and won’t be taxed until…
Q: I am a federal employee under the Civil Service Retirement System. My wife was a Federal Employees Retirement System employee who left the government after 10 years (1985 to 1995). Is she eligible for a pension, and, if so, at what age? Should I leave her contributions in the retirement system or withdraw them? A: Because your wife had at least five years of creditable service and left her contributions in the retirement fund, she will be eligible for a deferred annuity at age 62. That annuity will be based on her length of service and her highest three…
Q: Is there a cap on how much sick leave can be applied to calculating a pension? Is there a 2,087-hour limit? A: No, there isn’t any cap on how many hours of unused sick leave can be applied when calculating an annuity. However, for the time being, Federal Employees Retirement System employees will only get credit for one-half of their total hours, while Civil Service Retirement System employees will continue to get full credit.
Q. In 2005, I resigned from my position as a civil servant. At the time I was 51 and had 24 years of service. It was not explained to me that I could retire and defer. I am now 55, and since I am under 30 years of service still could not withdraw without a penalty. Do I have any options in order to still receive a retirement that I earned via 24 years of service? A. As a FERS employee with at least 10 years of service, the earliest age at which you could have retired was 56, your…
Q. I plan on retiring on the close of business, Friday, Dec. 31,2010. I am a FERS employee. Since that day is the New Year holiday, I will have completed my 80-hour work week. But I will retire prior to the end of the leave period, which is Saturday. Will I accrue the eight hours of annual leave and the four hours of sick leave for that pay period, or will I forfeit it because I did not remain an employee for the entire pay period? A: According to OPM, you only need to complete your 80-hour work week to…