Retirement Backlog Is Back Down
OPM processed roughly 2,000 more applications in September than in August, bringing the total number of applications in the queue to 15,146.
The retirement claims backlog fell in September to 15,146 applications, down from 16,334 in August, according to the latest numbers from the Office of Personnel Management.
OPM actually received more claims in September than it did in August – 6,946 applications compared to 6,818. The agency managed to process 8,134 claims last month, 2,088 more than in August.
OPM processed 77 percent of cases in 60 days or less last month, down slightly from 78 percent in August. The average number of days it took OPM to process cases that took longer than two months stood at 100 days in September, down from 112 in August.
The retirement claims backlog typically spikes in January and February and then gradually falls throughout the year. Clearing up the pile of outstanding claims has been an ongoing struggle for OPM and a constant source of frustration for federal retirees.