Q. I was given a directed reassignment from Washington, D.C., to St. Louis, to be effective this July. At that time, I will have the age and 29 years and eight months of service (CSRS), four months shy of 30 years of service in a quasi-government agency. If I refuse the directed reassignment (paid for by the government) what penalties would be applied to my retirement, if any?
There is a catch: If I accept the directed reassignment, I will not be allowed to retire for two years from the effective date of the reassignment. If I accept and retire before the two-year period, I will have to repay all expenses associated with the direct reassignment. If I do not accept the reassignment I will have to choose from the following options:
Voluntary optional retirement
Discontinued service
Deferred annuity
Lump-sum payment of retirement contributions
Severance pay
Availability of other nonbargaining vacancies
Volunteering for a craft position, or
Resignation in lieu of involuntary separation.
A. If you are separated because you refused that directed reassignment, you would be involuntarily separated and eligible for discontinued service retirement. Because you were four months shy of 30 years, your annuity would be 2/3 of a percentage point less (1/6 of a percent per month) than it would be if you continued to work until you had 30 years.
