Retirement
Staying Without Handcuffs
The Federal Employees Retirement System was supposed to remove the "golden handcuffs" of the Civil Service Retirement System, but emloyees in FERS are less likely than those in CSRS to retire as soon as they are eligible.
| Percent of employees retiring | ||
| CSRS | FERS | |
| 1989 | 34 | 16 |
| 1990 | 31 | 13 |
| 1991 | 29 | 12 |
| 1992 | 23 | 10 |
| 1993 | 36 | 10 |
| 1994 | 34 | 13 |
| 1995 | 31 | 11 |
| 1996 | 27 | 9 |
| 1997 | 27 | 9 |
| 1998 | 25 | 8 |
| 1999 | 26 | 8 |
| 2000 | 24 | 7 |
| 2001 | 24 | 6 |
Flight Risks
Despite the low rate of retirements overall some occupations face serious losses.
| Occupation |
Projected Retirements 1999-2006 |
| Physics | 23 |
| Mine Safety | 25 |
| Criminal investigators | 27 |
| Meteorological technician | 29 |
| Program management | 30 |
No rush to leave
General Accounting Office Projections for 1999 to 2006 show fewer people retiring than are eligible.
| Eligible to retire | Actual retires | |
| Agriculture | 31 | 15 |
| Commerce | 28 | 15 |
| Defense | 32 | 15 |
| HHS | 32 | 14 |
| Interior | 30 | 12 |
| Justice | 24 | 14 |
| SSA | 40 | 19 |
| Transportation | 41 | 15 |
| Treasury | 27 | 16 |
| VA | 26 | 15 |
SOURCES: GAO, Defense Department
NEXT STORY: The Gatekeepers