FERS Sick Leave Passes Congress, Awaits President

WASHINGTON, DC ---

FERS Sick Leave provisions, which would allow FERS employees to add unused sick leave hours to their annuity calculations, has passed its final hurdle in the Senate and now awaits a signature from President Obama before being enacted into law. Contained within the Defense Authorization Bill for 2010, the measure passed 68-29 on October 22, 2009.

The FERS Sick Leave provisions would add 3 months of service to the average FERS employee’s annuities, which would increase retirement checks by an average of $150 per year, according to the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office (CBO). Under the revised measure, passed by both chambers of Congress, the program would be implemented over 4 years. Until January 1, 2014, only half of an employee’s unused sick leave would be calculated. After that date, the full 100 percent would be counted.

Other provisions for federal employees included in the bill include:

• Provide locality pay for federal employees in Hawaii, Alaska and U.S. territories.

• Allow previously retired FERS employees returning to the federal government to redeposit their annuities to the civil service trust fund, permitting them to combine their past and new federal service for future retirement benefit calculations.

The passage of these provisions is a large victory for the NRLCA and federal employees. If you have any questions, please contact our Legislative Department at the National Office.