Q. Our agency is offering VERA, closing at the end of the month. My husband has 20 years of service and will be 50 years old two weeks later. Is there way for the agency to allow him to use leave or leave without pay to reach eligibility? Or would they have to extend the closing date for all employees? He’s also subject to involuntary relocation due to transfer of function if he isn’t able to do the VERA? A. VERAs have a fixed beginning date and, while they can be terminated earlier than the announced closing date, they can’t be…
Browsing: Leave without pay
Q. I was hired as a federal employee in 1971 (my service computation date is March 12, 1971.) In 1976, I enlisted in the Air Force Reserve and attended basic training and technical school from April 1977 to September 1977. To attend this training, I used a combination of leave and leave without pay. During the next 30 years, I was either a member of the Reserve or National Guard, and I performed annual military training and/or periods of active duty using annual or military leave and LWOP (never in excess of six months.) I was never in the active-duty military…
Q. My spouse is dealing with health issues that may require a disability retirement under FERS. He has 4½ years of actual service with four years of additional military academy time which he bought back. First, would this time count toward the five-year minimum retirement requirement? If not, and he is running out of leave, would he be allowed under the Office of Personnel Management to enter a “leave without pay” status in order to meet the mandatory five-year requirement prior to retirement. A. To be eligible for disability retirement, a FERS employee only needs to have been employed for…
Q. I am on my last three years before my retirement under FERS. I am planning to take five months of leave without pay on each of these three years. Will my LWOP affect my high-3 average? In other words, is my high-3 based on my income as if I had not taken LWOP for five months each of those years? A. If — and I repeat if — your management is willing to let you take five months of LWOP in each of three years, that time would be creditable in determining your length of service and in your annuity…
Q. I am a Postal Service employee (regular rural carrier). Some time back, I sustained a back injury on the job. It was approved through the Office of Workers’ Compensation Programs for necessary treatments and I eventually had surgery on my back. I subsequently returned to my job and began having back problems again. OWCP approved treatment/office visits again. I received some shots into my back to try to relieve the pain. How do I get paid for the time off I have to take for doctor’s visits and treatments when they occur periodically (as needed) and are often for one day?…
Q. I worked for the Defense Department in Germany. When my husband was given a permanent change of station, I was granted terminal leave without pay for one year from my job. I started working again for the federal government one month after my terminal leave ran out. How is this terminal leave time counted toward my retirement? I am under FERS. A. There is no provision for terminal leave in the federal civilian government. Therefore, unless DoD has a special provision of which I’m unaware, you were on leave without pay. If that’s the case, you would get credit for six months…
Q. Several years ago, I was granted 16 months of leave without pay for a medical condition. While I was on LWOP, I made no contributions to FERS so I assume I should notify my Human Resources Office to buy back this time. Is this correct? If so, is there a specific form to complete? I recently bought back 25 months of active-duty military service so I assume LWOP would be handled in a similar manner. A. An aggregate nonpay status of six months in any calendar year is creditable service. Coverage continues at no cost to you while in…
Q. Does leave without pay status affect the possibility for buyout? Does LWOP status affect retirement calculations? A. Buyouts are targeted at positions or units where an agency wants to encourage employees to leave. If one were offered to you, the fact that you are on LWOP wouldn’t affect your ability to accept it. LWOP only affects your retirement calculation if it exceeds six months in any calendar year. No credit is given for LWOP in excess of six months.
Q. I am CSRS employee with 31 years of service and I am 61 years old. I just went on leave without pay because of extended health problems. Would that cause problem if my agency offers buyouts? Also, can I ask for retirement figures without submitting retirement papers and would that cause problem if buyout is offers? A. The fact that you are on leave without pay would not prevent you from being offered a buyout if your position was among those that your agency wanted vacated. Neither would asking for an estimate of what your annuity would be. You…
Q. I retired from Army in 1998 after 20 years. I was hired by civil service in 1999 and am now on leave without pay because of service-connected disabilities. I have 90 percent disability, according to the Veterans Affairs Department and was just approved for Social Security Disability Insurance on July 29. Should I resign from my government job for health reasons or file for disability under Federal Employees Retirement System? I have been LWOP since Feb. 10. A. It would make sense for you to apply for disability retirement. Simply resigning from the government would gain you nothing.