The following is a question submitted by a reader to Federal Times columnist Reg Jones, a charter member of the senior executive service and the resident expert on federal employee retirement issues.
A Fed Times reader asks:
“I work as an licensed practical nurse. I will be retiring next April with MRA +10. I will be 60 years old at that time, and 61 years old four months later in August.
My question is: I should have approximately 500 hours of sick leave, or maybe a little more, when I retire. Will it make any difference in my annuity amount?”
Reg’s Response:
Yes, your unused sick leave will have a positive affect.
Any days of actual service that don’t add up to a full month will be added to your unused sick leave and used to increase the amount of your annuity.
If the total amount of hours is fewer that 522, you’ll receive two months of additional credit in the computation of your annuity. If it is over 522 hours, you’ll receive credit for three months of service.
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Reg Jones, a charter member of the senior executive service, is our resident expert on retirement and the federal government. From 1979 to '95, he served as an assistant director of the Office of Personnel Management handling recruiting and examining, white and blue collar pay, retirement, insurance and other issues. Opinions expressed are his own.
