Generally, you are covered by CSRS if:

• You were first hired in a retirement covered position prior to January 1, 1984 and have been continuously employed since then.
• You were covered by CSRS, had a break in service, and were rehired within 365 day to a CSRS covered position.

CSRS Offset. The Social Security Amendments Act of 1983 mandated that Federal employees first hired after December 31, 1983, be subject to Social Security. Federal employees rehired after that date who meet certain conditions remain in CSRS but will also contribute to Social Security. This retirement system is called CSRS Offset. The benefits under CSRS Offset are similar to CSRS benefits except the benefits from CSRS are offset by the Social Security benefit earned under the Offset Plan. You are covered by CSRS Offset if:

• You were rehired in a covered position after a break in service of more than 365 days which ended on or after January 1, 1984 and you had at least five years of potentially creditable CSRS civilian service as of December 31, 1986; or
• You were converted to a covered position on or after January 1, 1984 and had at least five years of potentially creditable CSRS civilian service as of December 31, 1986.; or
• On January 1, 1987 you were in CSRS Interim and had at least five years of potentially creditable CSRS civilian service as of December 31, 1986.

Special provisions for the early retirement of law enforcement officers and firefighters are based on a determination that these positions should be filled by young individuals capable of meeting the demands of occupations that are far more physically taxing than most positions in the Federal service.

The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) has given the Department of Defense (DoD) the authority to approve special retirement coverage for law enforcement officers and firefighters. Positions can be approved as primary or secondary.

Primary position means a position whose primary duties are:

1. To perform work directly connected with controlling and extinguishing fires or maintaining and using firefighter apparatus and equipment; or
2. Investigating, apprehending, or detaining individuals suspected or convicted of offenses against the criminal laws of the United States.

Approved primary positions include:

• Firefighter
• Lead Firefighter
• Criminal Investigator

Secondary position means a position that is:

1. In the law enforcement or firefighting field;
2. In an organization having a law enforcement or firefighting mission; and
3. Either:
   1. Supervisory — a position whose primary duties are those of a first-level supervisor of law enforcement officers or firefighters in primary positions; or
   2. Administrative — an executive, managerial, technical, semiprofessional, or professional position for which experience in a primary law enforcement or firefighting position, or equivalent experience outside the Federal government, is a mandatory prerequisite.

Approved secondary positions include:

• Fire Protection Inspector
• Fire Communications Operator
• Supervisory Fire Protection Inspector
• Supervisory Firefighter
• Fire Chief
• Supervisory Criminal Investigator

If you are in a position that has been approved as a primary position, you are covered under the special retirement provisions for law enforcement officers and firefighters.

If you are in a position that has been approved as a secondary position, you are covered under the special retirement provisions if:

1. While covered under the special provisions, you move directly (without a break in service exceeding 3 days) from a primary position to a secondary position; and
2. You have been continuously employed (without a break in service exceeding 3 days) in a secondary position or positions since moving from a primary position.

When a new law enforcement officer or firefighter position is created, the activity can request approval from DoD for primary or secondary special retirement coverage.

If you are in a position that has not been approved for special retirement coverage and you feel it meets the requirements for coverage, you can submit a request for individual service credit determination to the Civilian Benefits Center.

Special retirement provisions offer stability to the air traffic controller profession and are an incentive to personnel who carry out highly stressful duties to stay in Federal service until a reasonable retirement age. OPM gave DoD the authority to approve special retirement coverage for air traffic controllers, and DoD further delegated the approval authority to the Department of the Navy.

An air traffic controller is a civilian employee in an air traffic controller facility or flight service station facility who is:

1. Actively engaged in the separation and control of air traffic or providing pre-flight, in-flight, or airport advisory service to aircraft operators; or
2. The immediate (first-level) supervisor of any employee described in #1 above; or
3. The immediate (second-level) supervisor of any employee described in #2 above.

Although the air traffic controller definition covers employees and their first- and second-level supervisors, air traffic controller positions are not categorized as primary or secondary positions.

• OPM Retirement Handbook Chapter 10, Coverage
• OPM Retirement Handbook Chapter 46, Special Retirement Provisions for Law Enforcement Officers, Firefighters, Air Traffic Controllers and Military Reserve Technicians
• DoD 1400.25-M, DoD Civilian Personnel Manual (CPM), Chapter 336
• DoD 1400.25-M, DoD Civilian Personnel Manual (CPM), Chapter 331
• RI 83-1, Retirement Facts 1, The Civil Service Retirement System
• RI 83-19, Retirement Facts 13, CSRS Offset Retirement
• RI 83-20, Retirement Facts 14, Law Enforcement and Firefighter CSRS Retirement