Information for Employees
What is FERS?
FERS is the retirement system for Federal employees
established by the Federal Employees’ Retirement System
(FERS) Act of 1986. FERS has three parts: the basic benefit,
social security, and the savings plan.
The FERS Transfer Handbook (available through your
employing office) is the best source of information about
FERS.
Before making an election, you should read this handbook.
Consider your decision carefully--an election of FERS
coverage is irrevocable. Complete SF 3109 only if you wish to
elect FERS coverage. If you wish your current coverage to
continue, take no action.
Who may elect FERS coverage
Generally, employees covered by the Civil Service Retirement
System (CSRS) may elect to transfer to FERS within 6 months
after they are reemployed following a break in service of more
than 3 days or after they are converted from an excluded
appointment. However, some individuals now covered by
CSRS are ineligible for FERS coverage (for example, D.C.
Government employees).
Certain employees who are excluded from CSRS because of
their type of appointment (such as term appointments) are not
excluded from FERS and may elect FERS coverage if they do
not have automatic coverage.
When may FERS election be made
Employees hired (or converted from an excluded appointment
to one that is not excluded) on or after July 1, 1987, may elect
FERS coverage within 6 months after they were hired (or
converted) if they do not have automatic coverage.
Condition for making an election
Your spouse’s consent is not needed to elect FERS coverage.
However, if a qualifying court order is on file at the Office of
Personnel Management and it grants either a CSRS survivor
benefit to a former spouse who has not remarried before
reaching age 55 or a portion of your future CSRS annuity to a
former spouse, you cannot elect FERS unless that former
spouse consents to the election. OPM can grant you an
extension of time to make your election if you need extra time to
obtain a modification of the court order. You may also request a
waiver of the consent requirement if you can’t locate your
former spouse. If you need to request an extension of time or a
waiver of the consent requirement, ask your employing office
how your request should be submitted.
It is important that you answer Section 5 accurately. If you are
unsure, mark the "I don’t know..." box. If you answer "No" and
OPM later finds that a court order was on file with OPM on the
date of your election and your former spouse does not consent
to your election, your election of FERS coverage will be void.
When FERS coverage begins
Your election of FERS coverage is effective on the first day of
the pay period after it is received at the location your employing
office has designated to receive it, unless there is a court order
on file at OPM as described earlier and your former spouse
does not consent to your election or you ask OPM to determine
whether or not it has such a court order on file.
If you ask for a waiver of the consent requirement and OPM
grants it, your election will be effective with the first pay period
after OPM notifies your employing office that it has granted your
request. If you ask for OPM to determine if there is a court order
on file and OPM finds that there is no court order on file, your
election will be effective with the first pay period after OPM
notifies your employing office that it has no such court order.
Deductions
For most employees, deductions for FERS coverage for 1988
and 1989 are .94 percent of pay for FERS basic benefits and
6.06 percent of pay for the Old Age, Survivors, and Disability
programs of social security. In 1990 these rates change to .8
percent and 6.2 percent, respectively.
The Thrift Savings Plan
The Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) is available to employees who are
covered by either FERS or CSRS. The booklet Thrift Savings
Plan (available through your employing office) is the best
source of information about TSP.
If you elect FERS coverage, the government contributes an
amount equal to 1 percent of your pay to your TSP account
each pay period. You have 30 days after the effective date of
your FERS election to:
(1) elect to contribute to the Thrift Savings Plan if you are not
now contributing, or
(2) change your contributions to the Thrift Savings Plan if you
are already participating.
This opportunity is separate from the Thrift Savings Plan
open seasons, which are held at least twice each year.
Privacy Act Statement
Solicitation of this information is authorized by the Federal
Employees' Retirement System Act (Public Law 99-335). The
information you furnish will be used to identify records properly
associated with your election, to obtain additional information if
necessary, to determine and allow present or future benefits,
and to maintain a unique identifiable claim file. The information
may be shared with national, state, local, or other charitable or
social security administrative agencies in order to determine
benefits under their programs, to obtain information necessary
under this program, or to report income for tax purposes. It may
also be shared with law enforcement agencies when they are
investigating a violation or potential violation of the civil or
criminal law. Executive Order 9397 (November 22, 1943)
authorizes use of the social security number. Furnishing the
social security number, as well as other data is voluntary, but
failure to do so may delay or make it impossible for us to
determine your eligibility to receive benefits.