What You Should Know

• If you take an appointment as a federal retiree, you usually have your salary reduced by the amount of your pension. If you were involuntarily separated, then you don't receive a pension while you're reemployed.
• In certain circumstances, an agency can waive the "double dipping" rule, allowing retirees to receive both their pensions and salaries. Waivers were granted to retirees involved in homeland security and the fight against terrorism after Sept. 11. Waivers also were granted to computer programmers during the year 2000 computer bug cleanup.
• If you are back at work as a re-employed annuitant for at least 2,080 hours (equiva- lent to a year of full-time service), then you might be able to get a supplemental an- nuity. To get the supplemental annuity, rehired retirees have to make deposits to the federal retirement fund. Intermittent service doesn't count, however.
• If you complete at least five years of continuous service as a re-employed annuitant, then you can make a deposit or have deductions withheld from your pay and have your entire annuity recomputed at a higher rate.
• Re-employed annuitants serve on an at-will basis. That means your employment could be terminated at any time.

Welcome Back

The number of federal retirees who have come back to work for Uncle Sam has increased 19 percent, thanks mostly to Sept. 11-related waivers of dual compensation restrictions.