Today, Representatives Gerry Connolly (D-VA), David Valadao (R-CA), Nikki Budzinski (D-IL), and Don Bacon (R-NE) reintroduced the Federal Retirement Fairness Act, bipartisan legislation to address a gap for federal employees who began their careers as temporary workers and were thus unable to make retirement contributions. The FRFA will allow these workers to make catch-up contributions and ensure their ability to retire fairly. In the absence of this provision, many face an unfair choice: exit the federal service without complete retirement benefits or delay retirement to achieve full benefits.
Before 1989, the Office of Personnel Management permitted federal employees to make catch-up payments, enabling them to compensate for years they didn’t contribute to their retirement accounts. However, this provision was eliminated when the government transitioned to a new federal employee retirement system. The Federal Retirement Fairness Act aims to reinstate the option for employees hired post-1989, allowing them to retroactively purchase the time they served as temporary federal employees, mirroring the terms that existed before 1989.
“No matter how they begin their careers, all federal employees deserve the opportunity to retire on time and with the full benefits they have earned,” said Rep. Connolly. “The federal workforce is our nation’s greatest asset. They serve the American people with dignity and dedication every single day. In this dark and uncertain hour for America’s civil servants, I am proud to join my colleagues in this important effort to guarantee the fair retirements that they deserve.”
“For too long, federal employees who started their careers in temporary positions have been unfairly penalized when it comes to their retirement benefits,” said Rep. Valadao. “The Federal Retirement Fairness Act is a common sense, bipartisan solution to ensure our hardworking public servants can retire on schedule. I’m proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing this bill which restores fairness and provides federal employees with the certainty they deserve.”
“Federal workers keep America running and these dedicated public servants deserve to retire with dignity,” said Rep. Budzinski. “However, many federal workers - like postal employees - got their start in “non-career” roles that do not count towards their retirement benefits. It’s long past time that we address this unfair loophole. Amidst growing uncertainty facing the federal workforce, I’m proud to introduce this legislation and ensure that all federal workers receive the full benefits they have earned.
“Postal workers in my district came to me about this problem, and I couldn’t agree more that we need to allow them, and all federal workers, to make “catch up” payments as part of their retirement benefits,” said Rep. Bacon. “I’m pleased to join my colleagues in making this right for our federal workforce. They work hard and should be able to get the retirement that that work has earned.”
The Federal Retirement Fairness Act is cosponsored by the following Members of Congress: Barragan, Clarke, Ramirez, Fitzpatrick, Sherill, Cohen, Norton, Larsen, Young Kim, Panetta, Mullin, Swalwell, Amo, Don Davis, Casar, Brownley, Houlahan, Schneider, Strickland, Tonko, and Neguse.
The Federal Retirement Fairness Act is supported by the following organizations: National Postal Mail Handlers Union, the National Rural Letter Carriers Association, the Federal Managers Association, the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers, the National Treasury Employees Union, the National Association of Letter Carriers, the National Federation of Federal Employees, and the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association
Text of the Federal Retirement Fairness Act is available here.
