United States Government Publishing Office publisher pbl distributor dst United States Government Accountability Office General Government Division author aut Government Organization text government publication eng GAOREPORTS Legislative Agency Publications gao legislative 2010-08-12 U.S. Government Printing Office 1995-05-15 monographic deposited born digital 50 p. GA 1.13:GGD-95-78 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-78 P0b002ee18038a32f f:gg95078 DGPO 2010-08-12 2011-03-28 GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-78 machine generated eng fdlp REPORT GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-78 GGD-95-78 Employee retirement plans Federal employees Congressional employees Comparative analysis Retirement benefits Eligibility criteria Law enforcement personnel Fire fighters Air traffic controllers Civil Service Retirement System Federal Employees Retirement System Federal Thrift Savings Plan Letter Report GGD Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO compared the retirement benefits available to members of Congress and congressional staff with those available to other employees under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS).<p/>GAO found that: (1) CSRS provisions for congressional members are generally more generous than those for general employees; (2) Members of Congress, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and air traffic controllers may retire at a younger age and with fewer years of service than general and congressional employees; (3) Members, congressional staff, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and Claims, bankruptcy, and Military Appeals court judges enjoy a higher benefit formula than general employees; (4) air traffic controllers are covered by the general employee benefit formula, but they are guaranteed a minimum 50-percent pension; (5) general employees and Members are subject to having their pensions reduced if they retire early; (6) some special employee groups have their premium pay included in their benefit formulas; (7) employees who receive preferential benefits are required to make greater payroll contributions; (8) the FERS pension plan has many of the CSRS advantages for Members, congressional staff, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and air traffic controllers and has eliminated or changed some CSRS provisions; and (9) under FERS, law enforcement officers, firefighters, and air traffic controllers enjoy provisions similar to those for Members of Congress. https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-78/html/GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-78.htm https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-78/pdf/GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-78.pdf GAO/GGD-95-78 https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GAOREPORTS-GGD-95-78 Letter Report GAO/GGD-95-78; Federal Retirement: Benefits for Members of Congress, Congressional Staff, and Other Employees; Employee retirement plans Federal employees Congressional employees Comparative analysis Retirement benefits Eligibility criteria Law enforcement personnel Fire fighters Air traffic controllers Civil Service Retirement System Federal Employees Retirement System Federal Thrift Savings Plan