Federal Managers Association

Press Release

• FMA PROULDY SUPPORTS BILL TO ALLOW FERS EMPLOYEES TO BUY BACK TEMPORARY TIME - May 2, 2019
• ISSUE AND SOLUTION IDENTIFIED BY FMA MEMBERS
  
  
  Alexandria, VA – The Federal Managers Association (FMA) applauds the introduction of legislation in the House of Representatives to address one of its legislative priorities for the 116th Congress. On Thursday, May 2, Representatives Derek Kilmer (D-WA) and Tom Cole (R-OK) introduced the Federal Retirement Fairness Act (H.R. 2478). The bill would allow Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) employees an opportunity to make catch-up retirement contributions for service in past temporary positions. This issue was originally brought to FMA by our members at McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in McAlester, Oklahoma, and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington. FMA National President Renee Johnson released the following statement on the introduction of the bill:
  
  
  "We at FMA are pleased to see this bipartisan legislation reintroduced in the 116th Congress and offer our full endorsement. H.R. 2478 would provide fairness to FERS employees by giving them the ability to make a deposit, plus interest, and receive credit toward his or her annuity computation for non-deduction service performed on or after January 1, 1989. 
  
  
  “Currently, FERS employees who were put on intermittent or temporary time are unable to buy back that time towards their retirement. We’ve heard from many of our members and other federal employees who were ‘temporary’ for nearly 10 years – and none of that time is currently available to be credited towards their retirement. Our members understand they could be responsible to bear the bulk of the costs, but welcome the opportunity to buy back this time and be rewarded for their years of hard work. 
  
  
  “FMA supported similar legislation introduced in the previous Congress, and are grateful for Mr. Kilmer and Mr. Cole’s continued leadership on this issue. We will again roll up our sleeves to work with them and other decision makers to pass this important legislation.”
  
  

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