Phased Retirement Option a Win-Win for Federal Employees and the Government
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Julie Tagen (jtagen@narfe.org)
Jessica Klement (jklement@narfe.org)
(703) 838-7760
The House Oversight and Government Reform Committee today approved legislation, H.R. 4363, that would allow federal employees to phase into retirement by collecting a partial annuity while switching to a part-time schedule. Joseph A. Beaudoin, president of the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE), praised the bill’s passage.
“This legislation would provide personal flexibility for federal employees who wish to cut back on their hours but not fully retire. Rather than enter full retirement before they are ready, or continue working longer than they would like, employees would be able to do a little of both.” Beaudoin commented.
“The bill also would improve managerial flexibility for the federal government. Instead of losing valued employees, agencies would be able to retain them part-time and benefit from their ability to mentor junior employees, including their replacements. The continuity of government operations likely would improve as a result.”
While NARFE supports the legislation, it opposes using the cost savings the bill would create to offset unrelated spending provisions. Federal employees have been singled out for sacrifice to the tune of $75 billion as a result of a two-year pay freeze and increased retirement contributions for newly hired employees. Cost savings from this bill should be credited to the Civil Service Disability and Retirement Fund (CSRDF) or other civil service improvements that may be considered by the Committee in the future.
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NARFE, one of America’s oldest and largest associations, was founded in 1921 with the mission of protecting the earned rights and benefits of America’s active and retired federal workers. The largest federal employee/ retiree organization, NARFE represents the retirement interests of nearly 5 million current and future federal annuitants, spouses, and survivors.
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