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H.R. 1522: Federal Retirement Fairness Act

This bill, known as the Federal Retirement Fairness Act, seeks to amend the United States Code related to the crediting of service time for federal employees, specifically focusing on temporary positions. Here are the key components of the bill:

Purpose of the Bill

The main goal of the bill is to allow certain periods of service in temporary positions after December 31, 1988, to count as creditable service towards the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). This change aims to recognize the contributions of temporary employees who have served in the federal government since that time.

Key Provisions

Removal of Date Restriction: The bill proposes to eliminate the existing requirement that only service performed before January 1, 1989, can be counted as creditable. This means that service in temporary roles after that date could now be credited for retirement calculations.
Application to Employees: The amendment will apply to individuals categorized as employees under the defined sections of the U.S. Code. This includes temporary employees of the United States Postal Service and Members of Congress.
Notification of Eligible Employees: The bill mandates that the Director of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) must inform the appropriate agency officials about the changes. This is intended to ensure that eligible employees are made aware of their ability to make a deposit for the creditable service recognized by this amendment.
Regulation Authority: The bill directs the OPM to create necessary regulations to implement the changes established in the Act.

Potential Impact

By allowing credit for temporary service post-1988, the bill could potentially enhance retirement benefits for many current and former federal employees, encouraging a more equitable treatment of temporary roles within the federal workforce.