Browsing: temporary

Q. I came into federal service in 1995 with the Air Force (civilian). In May 2012, I began a Schedule A excepted service temporary appointment to the Army to serve in Afghanistan. The Air Force put me on leave without pay, and I have return rights and will return to my old position and location when this one-year assignment is done. I want to ensure that there is no break in service or other problem when it comes time to retire. Is there anything that I should do now to ensure that things don’t get messed up at retirement time?…

Q. I enrolled in Federal Employees Health Benefits on April 26, 1987. Resigned March 21, 1992. Temporary appointment Aug. 26, 2001, to Oct. 19, 2002. Re-enrolled Nov. 3, 2002. Resigned Sept. 27, 2008. Temporary appointment, not eligible to enroll Dec. 7, 2008, to July 3, 2010.  Re-enrolled July 18, 2010, until present. Had COBRA between enrollments. My human resources department says I should be able to continue health benefits into retirement if I work through June 20. I am planning on retiring in December. I know the Office of Personnel Management has the final say but wanted to know if this…

Q. I was told that federal employees are not covered under temporary disability insurance. I was directed to different offices with negative results. I asked our CIVPAY office and was told that I have mandatory payroll deduction for Old Age Survivors and Disability Insurance for the past 28 years meant for disability insurance. I have submitted my disability retirement application to our civilian personnel Office at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, since December. I have depleted my personal savings and am experiencing financial hardship and I need help. Please direct me to the right office to apply for this temporary disability insurance…

Q: I have worked for the federal government since February 2008 when I was hired as a temporary employee. In September 2009, the job converted to permanent. Is there any way to buy back my temporary time so that I could reach career status sooner? A: No, there isn’t. You can’t make a deposit to get credit for any period of non-deduction service occurring on or after Jan. 1, 1989.

Q: I need clarification of a fine point about calculating the amount of a service credit deposit for a four-month period of temporary service back in 1979 when no retirement deductions were withheld. I know that I would have to pay 1.3 percent of basic pay plus interest. My question relates to the definition of “basic pay.” Would basic pay be the pay I earned during the four months I was a temporary employee ($2,300), or would it be the annual pay rate for a person working at my grade in 1979 ($8,366)? A: The deposit would be 1.3 percent…