Recouping Sick Leave

Some federal employees who retire and later return to government service may receive credit for unused sick leave.

Under the fiscal 2010 Defense authorization law, Federal Employees Retirement System participants who retire between Oct. 28, 2009, and Dec. 31, 2013, will see 50 percent of their unused sick leave credited toward the total years of service used to calculate their annuity benefits.

In a May 27 memo to agency human resources directors, Office of Personnel Management acting Associate Director Chuck Grimes wrote that re-employed annuitants should receive credit in their sick leave accounts for the remaining 50 percent of unused leave.

FERS employees who retire on or after Jan. 1, 2014, will see 100 percent of their unused sick leave count toward annuity calculations, however. They will not be eligible for a re-credit should they return to federal service.

Claims Queue

The House passed on Tuesday a bill that aims to improve the claims process for disabled veterans.

The legislation (H.R. 1484) would allow vets to keep their place in the process log when they submit more information for their claim. Current rules require the Veterans Affairs Department to send a vet's claim back to the original regional office if more information is needed, which has caused vets to lose their position in the claims processing queue.

"We must do right by our veterans by continually improving the claims process and continuing to make changes to help those veterans who are currently stuck in a failed paper-based system," said Rep. Jon Runyan, R-N.J., chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs. "My staff is currently working on ways to improve training and accountability at all VA regional offices."

Federal Job Fair

OPM is holding a job and training fair in July in Cocoa, Fla., to help aerospace workers affected by the end of NASA's space shuttle program find employment.

Director John Berry sent a May 27 memo to agencies urging them to participate in the recruiting event, which will feature exhibit booths on the types of federal jobs available as well as assistance in applying for federal positions. NASA has created a website for agencies to post jobs and learn more about the skills of the aerospace workers.