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Return to Article: Keeping Hope Alive

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  FERS was created 20 years ago primarily to save the Government money. At that time private industry was also going away from guaranteed benefit plans and going to guaranteed contribution plans. It was never intended to be different but equal to CSRS. The sooner people understand that and get over it the better.

  O2B XFED Posted June 23, 2009 7:00 AM
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  To Tom T. - I agree, lets be fair. The TSP was introduced as a supplement to the less than generous retirement benefits that FERS employees receive compared to CSRS emplotees. So, why should CSRS employees receive the added benefit of even being able to invest in the TSP? More for you right? Boy that's fair. In addition, everyone always talks about FERS employees and their great TSP accounts, CSRS benefits are guaranteed by the government, FERS benefits are guaranteed by no one (hows your stock portfolio doing?), not to mention the reduced buying power FERS employees have after putting 10 or 15 percent of their pay into the program. Lets be fair!!

  jomo Posted June 19, 2009 6:47 AM
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  It seems FERS employees only want the "good" CSRS benefits. CSRS employees don't get matching funds in their TSPs. Do you want that too? Let's be fair all the way around.

  Tom T. Posted June 18, 2009 12:51 PM
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  The simple solution to paying for this added benfit is to do exactly how it is done in CSRS. The employee contribution to the CSRS retirement account was increased to pay the additional costs. FERS employees are asking for equal treatment with those in CSRS. Increasing their contribution is the only fair way to do this.

  Joe Civil Posted June 18, 2009 10:53 AM
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  One can hope taht any such resuscitated legislation will include the provision, also among those dropped from the tobacco regulation bill, the provision that would have facilitated bringing Federal retirees back into their former jobs for a limited period without taking a "hit" on their retirement annuities. Narrow, selfish union opposition was the main reason why this necessary, "good government" initiative was dropped. Because Federal employee unions are a key costituency of one of the major political parties (guess which one), that was enough to "put the keebosh" on it. Agencies desperately need former employees to return and help mentor the many new replacement hires. and to transfer their "historical memory" to these neophytes.

  Jeremiah Posted June 18, 2009 8:48 AM
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  I have a sneaky feeling that this sick leave thing is just going to keep being tacked on to other bills...and then dropped off again...How long has this been going on? I feel sick...

  Bill Posted June 18, 2009 8:07 AM
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  I surely hope these bills are passed. I'm one of the ones who wants to redeposit my retirement after a break in service. It seems very unfair that we don't have the same benifits as CSRS with how much money we lost in our TSP retirment funds this past year.

  Donna Desiderio Posted June 18, 2009 8:07 AM