Ask Reg: If I go back to work, do I retain my 0.8% pension contribution?

The following is a question submitted by a reader to Federal Times columnist Reg Jones, a charter member of the senior executive service and the resident expert on federal employee retirement issues.

A Fed Times reader asks:

“I was hired into full-time federal service in 2011 and worked until 2022 under the FERS retirement contribution system (contributing 0.8% of my pay toward my FERS pension).

If I return to federal service, would I still qualify to pay into the FERS system with a 0.8% contribution or would I pay in at a higher rate?

With 10 years of service, I meet the five-year service threshold, but I’m not sure if I had to have accrued five years of service before the contribution rates were raised in 2013/2014 (meaning I would have had to start by 2008/2009) or just at least five years of service under FERS prior to separation.”

Reg’s response:

Because you had at least five years of creditable service under FERS, if you return to work for the government you will only be required to contribute .08% of your salary to the retirement system.