S. 727: U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Retirement Technical Corrections Act

This bill, known as the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer Retirement Technical Corrections Act, aims to address and correct certain retirement benefits for specific U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officers. Here’s a breakdown of its key provisions:

Eligibility Criteria

The bill defines "Eligible Individuals" as those who meet two specific conditions:

• They received a tentative job offer as a U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer before July 6, 2008.
• They began their duties as a CBP Officer after July 6, 2008, based on the earlier job offer.

Retirement Benefits Adjustment

Eligible Individuals are categorized as serving members as of July 6, 2008. This will allow them to:

• Receive the minimum required annuity amount as specified in a previous law (section 535(e) of the Department of Homeland Security Appropriations Act, 2008).
• Be exempted from the mandatory retirement age that is typically applied to federal employees.

Implementation Process

The Secretary of Homeland Security is required to:

• Create a list of all Eligible Individuals within 120 days of the bill's enactment.
• Notify each Eligible Individual about the adjustments to their annuity.
• Provide necessary information to the Director of the Office of Personnel Management to ensure the correct adjustments are made.

After receiving this information, the Office of Personnel Management will be responsible for making the necessary annuity corrections and providing retroactive adjustments for those who retired before the bill was enacted.

Waivers and Guidance

The Secretary of Homeland Security has the authority to waive certain age requirements to ensure that Eligible Individuals can take advantage of the retirement eligibility and annuity corrections described in the bill. Furthermore, the Director of the Office of Personnel Management will issue guidance to facilitate these processes.

Government Accountability Office Review

The bill mandates a review by the Comptroller General of the United States concerning the hiring policies of CBP related to retirement benefits. This review will include:

• Assessing the process used to determine an employee's eligibility for enhanced retirement benefits.
• Evaluating internal controls to ensure eligible employees receive the appropriate benefits.
• Examining policies regarding the use of personnel files related to retirement benefits.
• Reviewing training adequacy for CBP executives about human resources and hiring practices.

A report outlining the findings of this review must be submitted to relevant Senate and House committees within 18 months of the enactment of the bill.

Relevant Companies

None found.