Q: I am a CSRS employee with 32 years of service and have held a full-time billet my entire career. After the birth of my second child, for six months I worked 20 hours a week and took LWOP on my timecard. This was an approved action by my supervisor and everything was in writing. My question, could this affect my retirement calculations? I was not officially part time, but when using the FedCalc there is a section to enter part-time hours and when I do, my final reports are definitely different.
A: The combination of reduced hours and leave without pay means that the six month period will be treated as if you were a full time employee. If the LWOP lasted more than six months in a calendar year, you would receive no credit for that time and your shortened workweek would be treated as part-time.