Information on Federal Financial Planning and Retirement from the Federal Employees Almanac


Chapter 10, Section 1: Office of Personnel Management

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM), the federal government's central human resources agency, is an independent agency within the Executive Branch. Its director and deputy director are appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

Chapter 10, Section 7: Alternative Dispute Resolution and Settlements

Each of the federal appeals agencies employs various alternative dispute resolution techniques and settlement initiatives to adjudicate matters over which it has jurisdiction, and each is engaged in substantial outreach efforts to encourage potential litigants to use their respective ADR and settlement processes.

Chapter 13, Section 1: Office of Personnel Management

If you have questions about an OPM program, please contact the agency’s Call Center at (202) 606-1800

Chapter 2, Section 1: Federal Employees Health Benefits Program

The Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB) program is open to almost all federal and postal employees on a voluntary basis.

Chapter 2, Section 2: Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance Program

The group policy coverage available to most federal employees, including part-time employees, through the Federal Employees' Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) program is administered by Metropolitan Life Insurance Company under a contract with the Office of Personnel Management.

Chapter 2, Section 3: Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Program

he Federal Long-Term Care Insurance Program, authorized by Public Law 106-265, the Long-Term Care Security Act of 2000, covers services that individuals may need because they are unable to care for themselves due to a chronic mental or physical condition.

Chapter 3, CSRS and FERS: Service Credit Rules

Contributions made to the various federal retirement programs are a part of the eligibility criteria that must be met to qualify for benefits.

Chapter 3, Section 1: Retirement Systems: General Description

Federal civilian employees automatically participate in one of the federal retirement systems. With few exceptions, the system an employee participates in is determined by the date of hire.

Chapter 3, Section 2: Employee Contributions

Contributions made to the various federal retirement programs are a part of the eligibility criteria that must be met to qualify for benefits.

Chapter 3, Section 4: Computation of CSRS and FERS Benefits

The amount of an employee's annuity depends primarily upon the worker's "high-3" average pay (which includes locality pay) and length of service. "High-3" average pay is the highest average annual pay produced by the employee's basic pay rates during any three consecutive years--more specifically, 36 consecutive months--of service.


2012 Federal Employees Almanac cover

2012 FEDERAL EMPLOYEES ALMANAC