50 USC 2156 - Regulations

Collapse to view only § 2156. Regulations

§ 2151. Application of Federal Employees’ Retirement System to Agency employees
§ 2152. Special rules relating to section 2013 criteria employees
§ 2153. Special rules for other employees for service abroad
§ 2154. Special rules for former spouses
§ 2155. Administrative provisions
§ 2156. Regulations
§ 2157. Transition regulations

§ 2151. Application of Federal Employees’ Retirement System to Agency employees

(a) General rule

(b) Exception for pre-1984 employees

(1) The provisions of chapter 84 of title 5 shall not apply with respect to—

(A) any individual who separates, or who has separated, from Federal Government service after having been an employee of the Agency subject to subchapter II of this chapter; and

(B) any employee of the Agency having at least 5 years of civilian service which was performed before January 1, 1987, and is creditable under subchapter II of this chapter (determined without regard to any deposit or redeposit requirement under subchapter III of chapter 83 of title 5, or under subchapter II of this chapter, or any requirement that the individual become subject to such subchapter or to subchapter II of this chapter after performing the service involved).

(2) Paragraph (1) shall not apply with respect to an individual who has elected under regulations prescribed under section 2157 of this title to become subject to chapter 84 of title 5 to the extent provided in such regulations.

(3) An individual described in paragraph (1) shall be deemed to be an individual excluded under section 8402(b)(2) of title 5.

(d) Election to become subject to FERSAn employee who is designated as a participant in the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability System after December 31, 1987, pursuant to section 2013 of this title may elect to become subject to chapter 84 of title 5. Such election—

(1) shall not be effective unless it is made during the six-month period beginning on the date on which the employee is so designated;

(2) shall take effect beginning with the first pay period beginning after the date of the election; and

(3) shall be irrevocable.

(e) Special rules

(Pub. L. 88–643, title III, § 301, as added Pub. L. 102–496, title VIII, § 802, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3243.)

§ 2152. Special rules relating to section 2013 criteria employees

(a) In general

(b) Voluntary and mandatory retirement

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), section 2111 of this title shall apply to an employee referred to in subsection (a).

(2) Contributions during recall service shall be made as provided in section 8422 of title 5.

(3) When an employee recalled under this subsection reverts to a retired status, the annuity of such employee shall be redetermined under the provisions of chapter 84 of title 5.

(d) Employees disabled on duty

(1) DefinitionsIn this subsection—

(A) the term “affected employee” means an employee of the Agency covered under subchapter II of chapter 84 of title 5 who—

(i) is performing service in a position designated under subsection (a);

(ii) while on duty in the position designated under subsection (a), becomes ill or is injured as a direct result of the performance of such duties before the date on which the employee becomes entitled to an annuity under section 2053 of this title or section 8412(d)(1) of title 5;

(iii) because of the illness or injury described in clause (ii), is permanently unable to render useful and efficient service in the employee’s covered position, as determined by the Director; and

(iv) is appointed to a position in the civil service that is not a covered position but is within the Agency; and

(B) the term “covered position” means a position as—

(i) a law enforcement officer described in section 8331(20) or 8401(17) of title 5;

(ii) a customs and border protection officer described in section 8331(31) or 8401(36) of title 5;

(iii) a firefighter described in section 8331(21) or 8401(14) of title 5;

(iv) an air traffic controller described in section 8331(30) or 8401(35) of title 5;

(v) a nuclear materials courier described in section 8331(27) or 8401(33) of title 5;

(vi) a member of the United States Capitol Police;

(vii) a member of the Supreme Court Police;

(viii) an affected employee; or

(ix) a special agent described in section 4044(15) of title 22.

(2) Treatment of service after disability

(3) Break in service

(4) Limitation on treatment of service

(5) Opt out

(Pub. L. 88–643, title III, § 302, as added Pub. L. 102–496, title VIII, § 802, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3244; amended Pub. L. 117–225, § 3(c), Dec. 9, 2022, 136 Stat. 2296.)

§ 2153. Special rules for other employees for service abroad

(a) Special computation rule

(b) Computation

(1) Service abroad

(2) Other service

(Pub. L. 88–643, title III, § 303, as added Pub. L. 102–496, title VIII, § 802, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3244; amended Pub. L. 112–96, title V, § 5001(c)(2)(G), Feb. 22, 2012, 126 Stat. 200.)

§ 2154. Special rules for former spouses

(a) General rule

(b) DefinitionsFor purposes of this section:

(1) Employee

(2) Qualified former spouseThe term “qualified former spouse” means a former spouse of an employee or retired employee who—

(A) in the case of a former spouse whose divorce from such employee became final on or before December 4, 1991, was married to such employee for not less than 10 years during periods of the employee’s service which are creditable under section 8411 of title 5, at least 5 years of which were spent outside the United States by both the employee and the former spouse during the employee’s service with the Agency; and

(B) in the case of a former spouse whose divorce from such employee becomes final after December 4, 1991, was married to such employee for not less than 10 years during periods of the employee’s service which are creditable under section 8411 of title 5, at least 5 years of which were spent by the employee outside the United States during the employee’s service with the Agency or otherwise in a position the duties of which qualified the employee for designation by the Director under the criteria prescribed in section 2013 of this title.

(3) Pro rata share

(4) Spousal agreementThe term “spousal agreement” means an agreement between an employee, former employee, or retired employee and such employee’s spouse or qualified former spouse that—

(A) is in writing, is signed by the parties, and is notarized;

(B) has not been modified by court order; and

(5) Court order

(1) Entitlement

(A) In general

(B) Amount of shareThe share referred to in subparagraph (A) equals—

(i) 50 percent, if the qualified former spouse was married to the employee throughout the entire period of the employee’s service which is creditable under chapter 84 of title 5; or

(ii) a pro rata share of 50 percent, if the qualified former spouse was not married to the employee throughout such creditable service.

(2) Annuity supplement

(3) Disqualification upon remarriage before age 55

(4) Commencement and termination

(A) CommencementThe benefits of a qualified former spouse under this subsection commence on the later of—

(i) the day on which the employee upon whose service the benefits are based becomes entitled to the benefits; or

(ii) the first day of the second month beginning after the date on which the Director receives written notice of the court order or spousal agreement, together with such additional information or documentation as the Director may prescribe.

(B) TerminationThe benefits of the qualified former spouse and the right thereto terminate on—

(i) the last day of the month before the qualified former spouse remarries before 55 years of age or dies; or

(ii) the date on which the retired employee’s benefits terminate (except in the case of benefits subject to paragraph (5)(B)).

(5) Payments to retired employees

(A) Calculation of survivor annuityAny reduction in payments to a retired employee as a result of payments to a qualified former spouse under this subsection shall be disregarded in calculating—

(i) the survivor annuity for any spouse, former spouse (qualified or otherwise), or other survivor under chapter 84 of title 5, and

(ii) any reduction in the annuity of the retired employee to provide survivor benefits under subsection (d) of this section or under section 8442 or 8445 of title 5.

(B) Reduction in basic pay upon recall to service

(6) Special rules for disability annuitantsNotwithstanding paragraphs (1) and (4), in the case of any qualified former spouse of a disability annuitant—

(A) the annuity of such former spouse shall commence on the date on which the employee would qualify, on the basis of the employee’s creditable service, for benefits under subchapter II of chapter 84 of title 5 or on the date on which the disability annuity begins, whichever is later; and

(B) the amount of the annuity of the qualified former spouse shall be calculated on the basis of the benefits for which the employee would otherwise qualify under subchapter II of chapter 84 of such title.

(7) Pro rata share in case of employees transferred to FERSNotwithstanding paragraph (1)(B), in the case of an employee who has elected to become subject to chapter 84 of title 5, the share of such employee’s qualified former spouse shall equal the sum of—

(A) 50 percent of the employee’s annuity under subchapter III of chapter 83 of title 5 or under subchapter II of this chapter (computed in accordance with section 302(a) of the Federal Employees’ Retirement System Act of 1986 or section 2157 of this title), multiplied by the proportion that the number of days of marriage during the period of the employee’s creditable service before the effective date of the election to transfer bears to the employee’s total creditable service before such effective date; and

(B) if applicable, 50 percent of the employee’s benefits under chapter 84 of title 5 or section 2152(a) of this title (computed in accordance with section 302(a) of the Federal Employees’ Retirement System Act of 1986 or section 2157 of this title), multiplied by the proportion that the number of days of marriage during the period of the employee’s creditable service on and after the effective date of the election to transfer bears to the employee’s total creditable service after such effective date.

(8) Treatment of pro rata share under title 26

(d) Qualified former spouse survivor benefits

(1) Entitlement

(A) In general

(B) Amount of shareThe share referred to in subparagraph (A) equals—

(i) 100 percent, if the qualified former spouse was married to the employee throughout the entire period of the employee’s service which is creditable under chapter 84 of title 5; or

(ii) a pro rata share of 100 percent, if the qualified former spouse was not married to the employee throughout such creditable service.

(2) Survivor benefits

(A) The survivor benefits payable under this subsection to a qualified former spouse shall include the amount payable under section 8442(b)(1)(A) of title 5 and any supplementary annuity under section 8442(f) of such title that would be payable if such former spouse were a widow or widower entitled to an annuity under such section.

(B) Any calculation under section 8442(f) of title 5 of the supplementary annuity payable to a widow or widower of an employee referred to in section 2152(a) of this title shall be based on an “assumed CIARDS annuity” rather than an “assumed CSRS annuity” as stated in section 8442(f) of such title. For the purpose of this subparagraph, the term “assumed CIARDS annuity” means the amount of the survivor annuity to which the widow or widower would be entitled under subchapter II of this chapter based on the service of the deceased annuitant determined under section 8442(f)(5) of such title.

(3) Disqualification upon remarriage before age 55

(4) RestorationIf the survivor annuity payable under this subsection to a surviving qualified former spouse is terminated because of remarriage before becoming age 55, the annuity shall be restored at the same rate commencing on the date such remarriage is dissolved by death, divorce, or annulment, if—

(A) such former spouse elects to receive this survivor annuity instead of any other survivor benefit to which such former spouse may be entitled under subchapter IV of chapter 84 of title 5, or under another retirement system for Government employees by reason of the remarriage; and

(B) any lump sum paid on termination of the annuity is returned to the Civil Service Retirement and Disability Fund.

(5) Modification of court order or spousal agreement

(6) Effect of termination of qualified former spouse’s entitlement

(B) if applicable—

(i) 50 percent of the employee’s annuity under chapter 84 of title 5 or section 2152(a) of this title (computed in accordance with section 302(a) of the Federal Employees’ Retirement System Act of 1986 or section 2157 of this title), plus

(ii) the survivor benefits referred to in subsection (d)(2)(A),

multiplied by the proportion that the number of days of marriage during the period of the employee’s creditable service on and after the effective date of the election to transfer bears to the employee’s total creditable service after such effective date.

(e) Qualified former spouse Thrift Savings Plan benefit

(1) Entitlement

(A) In general

(B) Amount of share

(2) Payment of benefit

(A) Time of payment

(B) Method of payment

(D) Death of qualified former spouse

(E) Bar to recovery

(3) Closed account

(f) Preservation of rights of qualified former spouses

(g) Payment of share of lump-sum credit

(h) Payment to qualified former spouses under court order or spousal agreementIn the case of any employee or retired employee who has a qualified former spouse who is covered by a court order or who is a party to a spousal agreement—

(1) any right of the qualified former spouse to any retirement benefits under subsection (c) and to any survivor benefits under subsection (d), and the amount of any such benefits;

(2) any right of the qualified former spouse to any Thrift Savings Plan benefit under subsection (e), and the amount of any such benefit; and

(3) any right of the qualified former spouse to any payment of a lump-sum credit under subsection (g), and the amount of any such payment;

shall be determined in accordance with that spousal agreement or court order, if and to the extent expressly provided for in the terms of the spousal agreement or court order that are not inconsistent with the requirements of this section.

(i) Applicability of CIARDS former spouse benefits

(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), in the case of an employee who has elected to become subject to chapter 84 of title 5, the provisions of sections 2034 and 2035 of this title shall apply to such employee’s former spouse (as defined in section 2002(a)(4) of this title) who would otherwise be eligible for benefits under sections 2034 and 2035 of this title but for the employee having elected to become subject to such chapter.

(2) For the purposes of computing such former spouse’s benefits under sections 2034 and 2035 of this title—

(A) the retirement benefits shall be equal to the amount determined under subsection (c)(7)(A); and

(B) the survivor benefits shall be equal to 55 percent of the full amount of the employee’s annuity computed in accordance with section 302(a) of the Federal Employees’ Retirement System Act of 1986 or regulations prescribed under section 2157 of this title.

(3) Benefits provided pursuant to this subsection shall be payable from the Central Intelligence Agency Retirement and Disability Fund.

(Pub. L. 88–643, title III, § 304, as added Pub. L. 102–496, title VIII, § 802, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3244; amended Pub. L. 103–178, title II, § 202(a)(15), Dec. 3, 1993, 107 Stat. 2027; Pub. L. 118–31, div. G, title IX, § 7901(d)(4), Dec. 22, 2023, 137 Stat. 1106.)

§ 2155. Administrative provisions

(a) Finality of decisions of Director

(b) Exception

(Pub. L. 88–643, title III, § 305, as added Pub. L. 102–496, title VIII, § 802, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3251.)

§ 2156. Regulations

(a) Requirement

(b) Congressional review

(Pub. L. 88–643, title III, § 306, as added Pub. L. 102–496, title VIII, § 802, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3251.)

§ 2157. Transition regulations

(a) Regulations

(b) Congressional review

(Pub. L. 88–643, title III, § 307, as added Pub. L. 102–496, title VIII, § 802, Oct. 24, 1992, 106 Stat. 3251.)