Re: our government raises

Real Estate Contracting Officer
FAA
Did I read your post incorrectly? It appears you are basing your high three on your net pay and not your gross? You also get a SS supplement until you reach 62 at which time you may start to draw ss and the supplement stops. If you retire at 62 your percentage is 1.1% times your creditable service and not 1%. Also for a FERS retiree you do not get a COLA until you reach 62. So if you are 57 y.o. and retire your COLA will not kick in for several years. So depending on the COLA's given you may be 15-20% behind when you reach 62. Last, you do not have to withdraw/"cash in" your TSP until about 70 y.o.a. In this current market you may want to wait or consider seeing a financial adviser to pull out your TSP and privately invest it.

Re: our government raises

Did you contribute 5% per year to TSP? Did you get the 5% match? This should have made up much of the difference between CSRS and FERS. Of course the problem is that the stock market drop may have hurt your TSP. If that is the case, you may have to work longer for the market to recover and maximize your pension to about 40% of your top 3 salaries minus survivor benefit.

Re: They have finally seen the light!

It was done by Ronald Reagan and his cronies. Unfortunately, it was passed by Congress.

Re: Sick Leave

You want "selfless over selfish?" Let those employees with their hands out for more birth/adoption pay lead the way!

Re: Sick Leave

NO!!!!

Re: Sick Leave

tsk. and you're in HR. Apparently you don't live in the affected areas or don't care. That fed employees that live and work in particular areas should be treated differently than the rest of us is ridiculous. Especially when it can affect your entire life after retirement. The senate needs to step up and pass it so Alaska and the Islands employees are treated the same regarding locality pay.

Re: Sick Leave

WELL - WE know that this HR person is a CSRS person, and
NOT a FERS person.

Let us be honest.

Otherwise this HR personnel would NOT be saying anything.

This HRO person is saying loud and clear:
YA - it is okay -- not to pay (give credit towards retirement) to FERS employees for sick leave,
BUT
YES - COntinue to give pay(Give credit towards retirement) to CSRS employees for sick leave.

No one is stupid.

IF a FERS person in the past did not use their sick leave they lost it at there retirement (OH they say the retirement stays in the goverment for when you come back in to work for the goverment, BUT - I know thousands of FERS personnel with over 1000 hours on the books that have retired and they NEVER come back into the governement - so it is called highway robber -- when the government keeps FERS sick leave) HR should get with the program and stop support the problem.

Re: Sick Leave

I agree with the others and not with HR. By allowing sick leave credit we can reduce the FERS flu. It also increases morale. Stop with the name calling HR. You have not case.
I am a CSRS person and will not benefit from this action.

Re: Sick Leave

I am an HR Specialist also, and I have worked in the Benefits arena for over 25 years. I think that it is high time that the FERS employees received the same benefit as the CSRS employees when it comes to their sick leave. I have instructed many Leave courses and tell employees constantly that their sick leave is an insurance, but when you have been able to save it up so that you have hours when retirement eligible, why should you not get credit for it? In the long run it will cost the government less if they use it in the retirement computation as opposed to the FERS employee being out sick for most of their final days with the agency. And I do not believe that is selfish, they have worked hard for many years and have the leave accumulated because they were dedicated to the agency.

Re: Sick Leave

I didn't hear you complaining when you received credit for your sick leave and start receiving locality pay. But in case I was paying attention and you don't want locality pay nor receive credit for you sick leave, just make you checks payable to the US Treasury and mail them in. And you can deduct the cost of the envelope and stamp.

Re: Locality Pay for Alaska and Hawaii

We lose folks all the time going down south to get their "high three", after that they usually come back. It is the only way for us to receive the same retirement benefits as those in the lower 48 states. How much does this cost the gov in relocation costs I wonder....same goes for Hawaii. The COLA here in Ak is based on Alaska being OCONUS....is it?