H.R. 1522: Federal Retirement Fairness Act
Sponsor
Gerald Connolly
Democrat · VA-11
Bill Progress
Latest Action · Jul 22, 2025
ASSUMING FIRST SPONSORSHIP - Ms. Randall asked unanimous consent that she may hereafter be considered as the first sponsor of H.R. 1522, a bill originally introduced by Representative Connolly, for the purpose of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII. Agreed to without objection.
Your temp federal service should count for retirement
Why it matters
If you spent years in a temporary federal job after 1988, that time may not count toward your FERS pension today. H.R. 1522 would let current federal workers, postal employees, and Members buy back that service so it can count toward retirement.
H.R. 1522 removes the cutoff that limited this kind of retirement credit to temporary service performed before 1989. If you're a current federal employee or Member when the bill takes effect, temporary civilian service you performed after December 31, 1988 could become creditable toward FERS.
That credit is not automatic. The bill says eligible workers must be notified that they can make a deposit for that past service, which means you'd likely have to pay into the retirement system to claim the time.
The bill also explicitly includes temporary United States Postal Service employees. And it puts the Office of Personnel Management in charge of writing the rules and telling agencies how to notify people who may qualify.
H.R. 1522 Bill Summary
What H.R. 1522 actually does.
Post-1988 temp service can count toward your pension
The bill removes the old pre-1989 cutoff, opening the door for temporary civilian service performed after December 31, 1988 to count under FERS.
Current federal workers and Members can use it
The bill applies to people who are federal employees or Members on or after enactment, even if the temporary service happened earlier in their careers.
Postal workers are clearly included
The text specifically names temporary employees of the United States Postal Service, so postal workers are part of the group that may claim this retirement credit.
You'd get notice if you may qualify
OPM must notify agency officials so eligible employees and Members can be told they may be able to make a deposit for prior temporary service.
OPM has to set the rules
The bill directs OPM to issue regulations explaining how the new credit process will work in practice.
Who benefits from H.R. 1522?
Current federal workers with missing years on their retirement record
If you worked a temporary civilian job after 1988 and now hold a federal position, this bill could let you add that time back into your FERS service history.
Temporary postal workers who later stayed in government
The bill expressly includes temporary United States Postal Service employees, giving this group a clearer path to count prior service toward retirement.
Workers close to retirement eligibility
For someone near a service threshold, even a small amount of recovered time could matter for retirement timing or pension calculations.
Members with prior temporary civilian service
The bill also covers current Members who previously performed qualifying temporary civilian service after 1988.
Who is affected by H.R. 1522?
Eligible workers who want the credit
You may need to track down old employment records and decide whether paying a deposit is worth the added retirement credit.
Office of Personnel Management
OPM would have to write regulations, direct agencies on implementation, and oversee the notice process.
Federal agencies and HR offices
Agencies may need to help verify old service records and route notices to workers who could qualify.
People who already left federal service
The bill applies to people who are employees or Members on or after enactment, so former workers who are no longer in those roles may not be covered.
What Congress Is Saying
H.R. 1522 has come up 29 times in the Congressional Record so far.
H.R. 1522 also appeared in 2 more House floor references and 27 routine cosponsor filings.
HR1522 Legislative Journey
House: Introduced
Jul 22, 2025
ASSUMING FIRST SPONSORSHIP - Ms. Randall asked unanimous consent that she may hereafter be considered as the first sponsor of H.R. 1522, a bill originally introduced by Representative Connolly, for the purpose of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII. Agreed to without objection.
House: Committee Action
Feb 24, 2025
Referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform.
About the Sponsor
Gerald Connolly
Democrat, Virginia's 11th congressional district · 16 years in Congress
Committees: Foreign Affairs, Oversight and Government Reform
View full profile →
Cosponsors (152)
This bill has 152 cosponsors: 131 Democrats, 22 Republicans, reflecting bipartisan support. Cosponsors represent 35 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, and 32 more.
David Valadao
Republican · CA
Nikki Budzinski
Democrat · IL
Don Bacon
Republican · NE
Nanette Barragán
Democrat · CA
Yvette Clarke
Democrat · NY
Delia Ramirez
Democrat · IL
Brian Fitzpatrick
Republican · PA
Mikie Sherrill
Democrat · NJ
Steve Cohen
Democrat · TN
Eleanor Norton
Democrat · DC
Rick Larsen
Democrat · WA
Young Kim
Republican · CA
Cosponsor Coverage Map
Committee Sponsors
Oversight and Government Reform Committee
17 of 47 committee members cosponsored
6 Democrats across this committee haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 1522 Quick Facts
- Committee
- Oversight and Government Reform
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Government Operations and Politics
- Introduced
- Feb 24, 2025
ASSUMING FIRST SPONSORSHIP - Ms. Randall asked unanimous consent that she may hereafter be considered as the first sponsor of H.R. 1522, a bill originally introduced by Representative Connolly, for the purpose of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII. Agreed to without objection.
Jul 22, 2025
Official Sources
Official bill status, text, actions, sponsors, and committee activity for the Federal Retirement Fairness Act.
OPM's official explanation of what service counts under FERS, directly relevant to the bill's expansion of creditable temporary service.
The CSRS/FERS Handbook is OPM's main implementation reference for retirement rules and would likely be updated if this bill becomes law.
Official OPM guidance on deposits and service credit, relevant because H.R. 1522 requires eligible workers to make a deposit to count prior temporary service.
This is the section of title 5 that the bill amends to remove the pre-1989 cutoff for temporary service under FERS.
Defines key terms such as 'employee' and 'Member' that determine who is covered by the bill.
Central OPM landing page for FERS rules, benefits, and retirement administration, relevant to workers trying to understand the broader system this bill would affect.
H.R. 1522 Common Questions
What does H.R. 1522 do?
It lets current federal employees and Members get FERS credit for temporary civilian service performed after December 31, 1988, if they make the required deposit.
Would this make my old temporary federal job count toward retirement?
If you are a current federal employee or Member when H.R. 1522 takes effect, yes — your post-1988 temporary civilian service could count under FERS after a deposit.
Do USPS temporary employees qualify under H.R. 1522?
Yes. The bill specifically includes temporary employees of the United States Postal Service.
Would the retirement credit be automatic?
No. The bill says eligible workers must be notified that they may make a deposit for the prior service, so you would likely have to take action to claim the credit.
Who is not clearly covered by H.R. 1522?
People who are no longer federal employees or Members when the bill takes effect may not qualify. The bill applies to people who are in one of those roles on or after enactment.
How far back does the bill go?
It covers temporary civilian service performed after December 31, 1988.
Who would tell workers they may be eligible?
The Office of Personnel Management would notify agency officials so they can provide notice to eligible employees and Members.
Has H.R. 1522 become law yet?
No. Congress.gov says H.R. 1522 remains in the House. The latest listed action is a July 2025 sponsorship change that let Rep. Randall be considered the first sponsor.
Based on H.R. 1522 bill text
H.R. 1522 Bill Text
“To amend title 5, United States Code, to provide that civilian service in a temporary position after December 31, 1988, may be creditable service under the Federal Employees Retirement System, and for other purposes.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
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