Employee Benefits

Employee benefits for the Pretrial Services Agency for the District of Columbia include:

Insurance

Retirement

The Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) is comprised of three parts:

Law Enforcement Retirement
 

Leave and Work Schedules

Health Insurance

As a federal employee, you will have a variety of Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) or fee-for-service health plans from which to choose coverage. The agency pays part of the biweekly health benefits premium. No medical exam is required to enroll, and there are no waiting periods or exclusions for pre-existing conditions. Coverage may be carried into retirement.

See OPM Healthcare for more information.

Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)

You may contribute up to $4,000 per year (pre-tax dollars) in a health care FSA. Funds invested in the health care FSA can be used for out-of-pocket medical, dental, prescription and over-the-counter medication expenses not covered by your health plan.

Additionally, you may contribute up to $5,000 per year in pre-tax dollars in a dependent care flexible spending account. Funds invested in the dependent care FSA are used to pay for childcare and adult dependent care expenses that allow you or your spouse to work.

See FSAFeds for more information.

Life Insurance

As a federal employee, you may enroll in the government-wide Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI) Program. FEGLI provides a variety of coverage and benefit amounts. Basic coverage is automatic for most employees unless the coverage is waived. Like the health insurance program, no medical exams are required to enroll and there is no waiting period.

See OPM Life Insurance for more information.

Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program (FLTCIP)

Eligible employees can sign up to participate in FLTCIP. This program provides long term care insurance to help pay costs of care when employees need help with activities of daily living, or when employees have a severe cognitive impairment. There are no government contributions to this program.

See the Federal Long Term Care Insurance Program website for more information.

Federal Employee Retirement System (FERS)

FERS consists of three components: Social Security benefits, a basic annuity plan, and the tax-deferred Thrift Savings Plan (TSP). Employees pay full Social Security taxes and a small contribution to the basic annuity plan. As your employer, we make an automatic 1% of salary contribution to your TSP. You may also elect to contribute a percentage of your salary to the Plan and we will match your contributions up to a total of 5% of salary.

See OPM Retirement Services for more information.

Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)

The TSP is a retirement savings and investment plan for federal employees. The TSP offers federal employees the same type of savings and tax benefits that many private corporations offer their employees under 401(k) plans. TSP contributions are voluntary, and in an amount you choose.

Basic Annuity

Your basic annuity is computed based on your length of service and “high-3” average salary. Your “high-3” average pay is the highest average basic pay you earned during any 3 consecutive years of service.

Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS)

Most federal employees hired prior to January 1, 1984 are covered by the CSRS. The CSRS is a single benefit retirement plan which is financed by contributions from the employee and a matching contribution from the Government. Contributions are automatically deducted at the rate of 7% of the basic pay earned in a pay period (7.5% for law enforcement officers).

See OPM Retirement Services for more information.

Paid Holidays

Federal employees receive 10 paid holidays each year: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.

Annual Leave

As a federal employee, you will earn annual leave that may be used for vacations, rest and relaxation, and personal business or emergencies. Hours are earned each biweekly pay period. A maximum amount of 240 hours of annual leave may be carried over from one leave year to the next. Following is the rate of accrual for full time employees (leave is prorated for part-time employees or those on uncommon tours of duty).

Sick Leave

As a federal employee, you will earn sick leave that may be used in the event of your own or a family member's illness or medical, dental, or optical examination or treatment. Regardless of length of service, full time employees earn 4 hours sick leave biweekly or 13 days of sick leave each year (leave is prorated for part-time employees or those on uncommon tours of duty). There are no limits on the amount of sick leave that can be accumulated. Federal employees may use up to 12 administrative workweeks of accumulated sick leave (480 hours) each leave year to care for a family member with a serious health condition.

Flexible Work and Leave Schedules

The Alternative Work Schedule Program (AWS) is designed to allow employees flexibility in scheduling their tour of duty beyond the standard 5-day/8-hour workweek. With supervisory approval, eligible employees may choose various flexibilities including a compressed work schedule (which allows a day off each pay period) and flexitime (fixed core hours with flexible beginning and ending times).

Telecommuting Program

PSA's Telecommuting Program provides eligible employees, with supervisory approval, an opportunity to work a segment of his/her official duty hours away from the official/traditional worksite, typically at their own residence. Telecommuting opportunities can increase employee productivity, allowing for fewer interruptions and more focused time.