Not affiliated with The United States Office of Personnel Management or any government agency

Not affiliated with The United States Office of Personnel Management or any government agency

federal workers - Aubrey Lovegrove

Sick Leave Credit for Federal Retirement

[vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″ el_class=”section section1″][vc_column_text]The federal paid sick leave law covers certain employees who are federal contractors. The law requires that eligible employees be provided with sick and safe leave for qualified reasons. Sick leave is earned in hours. For every 30 hours worked under a covered contract, the employee accrues a minimum of 1 hour paid sick leave. Any unused paid leave can be carried over to the next year.

The Federal Employee Sick Leave can be used for various reasons such as:

–  The employee’s health care for any medical condition, preventive care, injury or to obtain a diagnosis

– A family member health care for any of the reasons listed above

– Mental illness for the employee or their family member

– Other needs related to domestic violence or sexual assault

Credit for Sick Leave

Both CSRS and FERS employees are eligible to receive full credit towards retirement for their unused sick leave days. Employees with 30 or more years of service can accrue 2087 hours of sick leave in excess of one year. These hours will result in a 2% increase in your annuity.

There’s really no limit on the number of unused sick days that can be credited. The maximum annuity is produced by working a total of 41years and 11 months without using up your sick leave.

Calculating Unused Sick Leave

Employees under FERS and CSRS who die and leave behind a spouse who is entitled to a survivor annuity as well as those employees who retire on an immediate annuity get an increased service depending on the number of days of unused sick leave to their credit.

The added days are used to calculate the number of full years and months of an employee’s service for the sole purpose of annuity computation.

Basically, your unused sick leave days are turned into full years and months on the basis of a 2087 hour work year. Sick leave hours are deemed to represent portions of a 360-day work year that’s then divided into 12 30-day work months.

To calculate the additional credit for retirement, the sick leave days are added to the actual days of service as shown below:

If person X served for a total of 30 years, 4 months and 16 days then at retirement they have accumulated a total of 4 months and 24 days, their total credit will be as follows:

Total Credit =

– 20 years, 4 months, 13 days

– 00 years, 6 months, 27 days

– 20 years, 11 months, 10 days

Only full years and full months (in our case, 20 years and 11 months) are used to calculate annuity. The leftover days (in the case above, 10 days) are dropped. Enter the total number of years and full months into the conversion table to find out your unused sick leave days.

The sick leave calculator is available in the FERS and CSRS Benefits Calculator Software that is free to download.

Unused Sick Leave and Retirement

Unused sick leave credit does not apply to deferred retirements. Also, unused sick leave days cannot be used to determine one’s eligibility to retire. These days are only added after you have met the minimum age retirement.

Those who leave the government before they’re eligible to retire do not get any credit for unused sick leave. However, your unused hours can be restored in full to your credit is you go back to working for the government.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”34602″ img_size=”292×285″ style=”vc_box_shadow”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

Search for Public Sector Retirement Expert.

Receive the Best advice.

PSR Experts can help you determine if Public Sector Retirement is right for you or if you should look for alternatives.

The Best Advice creates
the best results.

Recent Articles

7 Important Questions to Ask When Reviewing Your FEHB Plan Options During Open Season

Key Takeaways: Choosing the right FEHB plan during Open Season requires a detailed review of coverage, costs, and benefits to...

Six Retirement Fund Moves Federal Employees Should Consider This Year to Stay Ahead Financially

Key Takeaways Regularly reviewing and adjusting your retirement fund strategy ensures your savings remain on track to meet your long-term...

FEDVIP Isn’t Just Another Acronym—Here’s Why Dental and Vision Coverage Matter More Than Ever

Key Takeaways: Dental and vision coverage under FEDVIP can save you from costly out-of-pocket expenses, especially as healthcare costs continue...

Search For Public Sector Retirement Expert

Receive the Best advice.

PSR Experts can help you determine if
Public Sector Retirement is right for you or if you should
look for alternatives.

The Best Advice creates

the best results.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

"*" indicates required fields

Our Readers Deserve The Best PSHB and USPS Health Benefits Guidance

Licensed insurance agents who understand PSHB, Medicare, and USPS Health Benefits Plan are encouraged to apply for a free listing.

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Book Phone Consultation

"*" indicates required fields

This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Get In Touch

Stay up to date on the latest information about Public Sector Retirement.

The Best Advice Creates The Best