H.R. 1522: The Big Retirement Change Many Feds Are Waiting For

“I spent years as a ‘temporary’ or non-career employee… and none of that time counts toward my retirement.”

Every long-time fed or postal worker has some version of this story…

And that’s the gap the Federal Retirement Fairness Act (H.R. 1522) is trying to close.

The Problem H.R. 1522 Is Aiming to Fix

Right now, if you worked in a temporary, non-career, casual, PSE, RCA, CCA, seasonal, or other similar status after December 31, 1988…

That time generally doesn’t count toward FERS retirement.

And in most cases, you cannot “buy it back.”

That means:

• You might have 5–10+ “invisible” years that don’t show up in your service computation date for FERS.

• You may have to work longer than someone who started as a career employee on Day 1 — even if your total federal service is the same.

H.R. 1522 could be a solution to this structural disadvantage.

What the Federal Retirement Fairness Act Would Do

Put simply, H.R. 1522 would let certain employees turn “invisible” temporary time into creditable FERS service — if they’re willing to pay for it.

The bill would:

• Amend Title 5, U.S. Code so that civilian service in a temporary position after December 31, 1988 can be treated as creditable FERS service… If the employee makes the required deposit.

• Allow eligible employees to “buy back” that prior temporary time by making catch-up retirement contributions (plus interest)… Similar to how other service deposits work today.

• Intentionally be budget-neutral. You, the employee, pay what would have been contributed for that period, plus interest, so taxpayers aren’t picking up the tab.

If it becomes law and you choose to participate, that bought-back time would:

1) Count toward your years of service for meeting retirement eligibility rules.

2) Be included in the calculation of your FERS pension — potentially raising your monthly benefit for life.

Who Stands to Benefit the Most

H.R. 1522 is targeted squarely at people who did time in the “temporary trenches” before going career:

👉 Postal employees who spent years as non-career (PSEs, MHAs, CCAs, RCAs, etc.) before converting.

👉 Federal employees across agencies who started as temps, terms, or seasonal workers and later moved into permanent FERS-covered positions.

For many, the impact could be huge:

• Hitting 20 or 30 years of creditable service earlier.

• Avoiding the choice between working longer in a physically demanding job or retiring with reduced benefits.

In other words, it’s a late-career “do-over” button for how your early service is treated.

Your TSP will still be the workhorse of your investing life.

But if Congress moves on the Federal Retirement Fairness Act, a lot of feds and postal workers could finally make their early “invisible” years count — and retire on time with the benefits they actually earned.

Best,
—FWR