Last week, the House approved a measure as part the 2010 Defense authorization bill that would allow workers in the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) to count unused sick leave toward their retirement annuities like their colleagues in the older Civil Retirement System (CRS) have always been able to do. Not to be outdone by their Congressional counterparts, this week the Senate introduced its own version of the defense bill without the FERS provision.
Supporters are hopeful that the sick leave amendment, as well as a provisions that would move employees in Alaska, Hawaii, and U.S. territories few know about into the locality pay system, will see new life during floor debate after the July 4 holiday or in conference committee.
Another provision that did not make it into the Senate bill was one that would allow retirees to be rehired on a part-time basis without taking a cut in their retirement benefits. While labor unions that represent federal employees strongly support the sick leave parity amendment, they have opposed provisions that would allow retirees to “double-dip” by receiving pay and retirement benefits simultaneously.
Both the Senate and House bills also contain language that would force the Defense Department to demonstrate that NSPS, its pay-for-performance system, could be reformed, or force it to be dismantled within one year.
Other legislative news
Rep. Danny K. Davis (D-Ill.) introduced a bill (H.R. 2978) that would raise the age limit for coverage of dependent children under the Federal Employees Health Benefit (FEHB) from 22 to 25. Davis introduced identical legislation in 2008, but it never made it out of committee. This is most likely due to the fact parents want their kids grown up and out of the house by 22.
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