Test Your Knowledge

General

1.    Which items should be included in your Service Computation Date (SCD)?

• Temporary time
• Intermittent time
• Seasonal time
• Part time
• Term time
• 6 months per calendar year of Leave Without Pay
• Unlimited Leave Without Pay under Uniformed Services Enlistment/Re-Enlistment Act.
• OWCP  (Workers' Compensation) time beyond 45 days COP.
• If retired military, a 2 for 1 credit for active duty time covered by an       Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
• Career conditional time
• Career Appointed time 

 2.   Is actual base pay always the same as salary?
 

 3.   Is un-scheduled overtime, shift differential, cash/incentive awards, Non-Foreign - OCONUS COLA        part of “Base Pay”?

 4.   Do the following contributions as a percentage relate to Gross or Base pay?

       TSP Retirement contributions Federal Employees Group Life & associated benefit amounts.

5   Are employee contributions to retirement “pre” or “post” tax?

6.  Does the employees’ total contribution to retirement define a “tax free” portion of their
     retirement annuity?

7.  Is it possible that the current total employee retirement contributions may be incorrect
     on the Leave & Earnings Statement?

8.  What are the maximum contributions (deferral limits) to TSP that an employee can make
     prior to and after age 50?

9.  Does non-deposit time such as Temporary, Seasonal, Intermittent, Part-time count as
     creditable service towards meeting minimum years of service for retirement eligibility?

10. Is COLA (for international & non-CONUS) personnel included in actual Base Pay?

11. Is Locality Pay included in actual Base Pay?

12. At what age can I take TSP monies without the 10% pre-age 59 1/2 penalty?

13. An SF-50/NPA has a retirement code in section 30.  There are (11) different codes that
     an employee can be placed into.  Is yours correct?

14. Is there a "Special Extra Earnings" from Social Security at age 62 if you had active duty military
     time (including active duty training), prior to 2002? 

Non-Special Category Employees CSRS/CSRS Offset

1. What are minimum requirements for age and service to be eligible for an immediate
         retirement Annuity?

2. Is un-used sick leave added to years of service at retirement which would enhance the retirement     Annuity?
    

3. Can un-used sick leave be used as creditable service time to meet minimum eligibility?
    

4. What is the maximum percentage you can have of your high 3 average salary to compute your     retirement annuity, excluding and including un-used sick leave?

5. Is it possible to have the minimum of 40 quarters with Social Security, and are you familiar

6. with the Windfall Elimination Provision related to Social Security retirement benefits?

7. With regard to “Catch 62”, how does this effect CSRS employees that began civilian service prior to     1 October 1982?
    

8. Can active duty military time be utilized to meet minimum years of civilian service?
    

9. What defines CSRS Offset status, and what is the relationship with Social Security?

FERS/FERS Changeover
 

1. What are minimum requirements for age and service to be eligible for an immediate
    retirement Annuity?
 

2. Is un-used sick leave added to years of service at retirement which would enhance
    the retirement Annuity?

3. Can un-used sick leave be used as creditable service time to meet minimum eligibility?
 

4. What are the new rules regarding credit for un-used sick leave beginning in 2010?
 

5. Can active duty military time be utilized to meet minimum years of civilian service?
 

6. If you are a FERS Changeover from CSRS, is your retirement Annuity include the
    higher computation for the CSRS component.
 

7. As a FERS Changeover, does your Leave & Earnings Statement indicate the credit for
    un-used sick leave under CSRS at time of conversion to FERS?
 

8. A FERS employee retiring time & age eligible from any job Series is entitled to a
    benefit that mimics a percentage of the persons Social Security benefit at age 62.
    What is the correct name for this benefit?

               A. Social Security Offset
               B. Social Security Supplement

               C.FERS Retirement Supplement

                As an employee under FERS, did you fund the benefit directly?
 

                Prior to age 62, is this benefit paid to you by FERS or Social Security?
 

 9. What is the value of making a deposit for (buying) military time?

Special Category (General)

1. What are the (3) specific features that define Special Category in any job Series?
 

2. For Special Category retirement eligibility, does all creditable service have to be
    completed in the same job Series?
 

3. Does active duty military time count towards the minimum years of service for
    retirement eligibility?
 

4. What is the mandatory separation age from each of the Special Category job Series?  
    Also, are you required to leave the job Series or retire overall from the Federal Government?

5. Are some employees allowed to stay in the Special Category service beyond the
    mandatory separation age for their job Series?  If so, what would be the different circumstances?

6. Are all Federal Law Enforcement positions considered Special Category

7. Are all Air Traffic Control support positions considered Special Category?

8. If you make a deposit for active duty military time (if you are FERS/FERS Changeover), which 2     features of your retirement are enhanced? 

GS-0081 Firefighters

1. What is the difference between a Primary/Rigorous & Secondary/Non-Rigorous position?
 

2. What are “Transfer” requirements from Primary/Rigorous to Secondary/Non-Rigorous positions?

3. How is salary computed for the following:

           A. 40 hours

           B. 56 hours

           C. 60 hours

           D. 72 hours

4. How is actual “Base Pay” computed for the following:

            A. 40 hours

            B. 56 hours

            C. 60 hours

            D. 72 hours

5. In the 5 following scenarios, will the individual be eligible to retire under “Special Category”     retirement provisions?

           A. Firefighter works 11 Years in a PRIMARY POSITION Then moves directly to a  SECONDARY                POSITION that is Classified as a COVERED POSITION.

          B. Firefighter works 2 Years, 11 Months & 16 Days in a PRIMARY POSITION then moves directly               to a “Covered” SECONDARY POSITION.

          C. Firefighter enters GS-0081 Series at age 25 and works in a PRIMARY POSITION for 11 years,                then leaves the GS-0081 Series/Federal Government For 18 months. Later returns to the GS-                0081 Series directly into a SECONDARY POSITION.

          D. Firefighter enters the GS-0081 Series at age 28 and works in a PRIMARY POSITION for 16               years. Then for whatever reason can no longer meet the “rigorous” requirements for the GS-               0081 Series. This individual can meet the requirements & training for a position in a               Covered/SPECIAL CATEGORY” position in  Law Enforcement or Air Traffic Control and can               complete a minimum of 20 years paid into “SPECIAL CATEGORY” retirement by “Mandatory               Separation” age.

         E. Firefighter enters the GS-0081 Series at age 25 works in a PRIMARY POSITION for 11 years.              Then moves directly to a “Covered” SECONDARY POSITION. Then leaves the GS-0081              Series and/or Federal Government For 18 months.  Later returns to the GS-0081 Series             directly into a SECONDARY POSITION.

 6. Are all persons in a Secondary/Non-Rigorous position in the GS-0081 Series eligible
    Special Category retirement?

7. Can an individual be hired directly into a Secondary/Non-Rigorous position after age 37?  
    If so, are they exempt from the mandatory separation age?

8. How is leave converted when you change from a 72 hour schedule to a 60, 56, or
    40 hour position?