This subpart contains regulations of the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to supplement chapter 66, title 42, United States Code, concerning CSRS retirement service credit eligibility for Volunteers in Serviced to America (VISTA) volunteers.
(a) Service credit deposits are not allowed for training periods prior to actual enrollment.
(b) Service credit deposits can only be made for satisfactory volunteer service.
(c) Annuitants enrolling as VISTA volunteers are not deemed reemployed annuitants. Service as a volunteer or volunteer leader performed after retiring under a CSRS or FERS retirement is not creditable serviced for retirement purposes.
(d) Retirement credit is not allowable for training period(s) prior to actual enrollment.
(a) An employee or Member subject to CSRS may make a deposit for volunteer service by filing an application in a form prescribed by OPM.
(b) The deposit is based upon the amount of the stipend that was received. If an educational award was elected in lieu of the stipend, then the deposit is based on the amount of the stipend that would have been received.
(c) An application to make a deposit is filed with the appropriate office in the employing agency, or, for Members and Congressional employees, with the Secretary of the Senate, or the Clerk of the House of Representatives, as appropriate.
(d) Upon receipt and review of the application, the agency, Clerk of the House of Representatives, or Secretary of the Senate will submit the application to OPM for processing.
(e) Interest begins to accrue on deposits for volunteer service on October 1, 1995, or 2 years after the date on which the individual first becomes an employee or Member, whichever is later.
(f) After becoming federally employed, there is a 2-year interest-free grace period on VISTA volunteer service deposits. After the 2-year period, interest is accrued and compounded annually at the variable rate beginning on the date of the expiration of the 2-year period.
(g) A deposit is required in order to obtain service credit for VISTA volunteer service for which the volunteer chose to receive an educational award in lieu of a stipend. The deposit is based upon the amount of the stipend that would have been received if he/she had elected to receive the stipend rather than an educational award.
(a) The agency, Clerk of the House of Representatives, or Secretary of the Senate, as appropriate, may pay any additional interest due on the deposit for volunteer or volunteer leader service as a result of its administrative error. OPM may pay any additional interest due on the deposit for VISTA service as a result of its administrative error.
(b) The agency, Clerk of the House of Representatives, or Secretary of the Senate, as appropriate, shall set their own procedures for employees or Members to claim there was administrative error. OPM shall set its own procedures for claims of administrative error on its part.
(c) The agency, Clerk of the House of Representatives, or Secretary of the Senate, as appropriate, shall determine if administrative error on its part caused an increase in interest due on the deposit amount. OPM shall determine if administrative error on its part caused an increase in interest due on the deposit amount.
(d) OPM's final determination regarding a claim of administrative error on its part is not subject to the due process procedures described in 5 U.S.C. 8461(e).