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…
Q: I have 12 years of legislative work experience (working for Congress) and 10 years of administration work experience. I’m in Federal Employees Retirement System. My question is, for FERS retirement formula, is it high 3 X 1.7% X 12 and then high 3 X 1.0% X 10? Are my 12 years of legislative experience treated with a different rate multiplier than administrative years? A: Yes, your time as a Hill staffer will be computed using the 0.017 multiplier; all additional years of service will be multiplied by 0.01.
Q: I was a GS-12, and when my organization reorganized, I was assigned to a different YA-02 position and not my original position, which was converted to a YC-02 position. I was told this was not a downgrade since I lost no pay or benefits. Now that the National Security Personnel System is ending, I understand that they must return me to my original grade and pay. The YA-02 position they assigned me to was a GS-10 before being converted to NSPS. Will they have to put me in another position that is a GS-12 since the NSPS YA-02 position…
Q: I started my federal career Oct. 16, 1983, and had a break in service of three months in 1987, which caused me to have a new service comp date of Jan. 21, 1984. However, I remained a Civil Service Retirement System employee until voluntarily changing to Federal Employees Retirement System in May 1998. I resigned from federal service in June 2004. I left my retirement money in, but withdrew all my Thrift Savings Plan money, which I rolled into an IRA. In reading through all the literature available, it is my best reasoning that I will be entitled to…
Q: I was a government employee for just over three years (2000-2003) and had accumulated a considerable amount of sick leave during that period. After five years in the private sector, I am now back with the government. Did I forfeit all of the sick leave that I had on the books when I separated in 2003, or is that sick leave transferable to my current balance? A: Your previous unused sick leave balance should be recredited to you. — Reg Jones
Q: Your recent article on the Personal Advisor in the Nov. 2 issue of Federal Times described retirement benefits. You note that in 1983, “Those already covered by [Civil Service Retirement System] had the option of electing full coverage under both CSRS and Social Security …” However, your description doesn’t seem to recognize the Windfall Elimination Provision, such that those who elected to be covered by both get the severe reduction on their Social Security from the WEP. Is my understanding correct, or is something on WEP changed? I understand that I will get the WEP reduction on my Social…