Pay and Leave Benefits Flashcards
6 cards from real Civil Service FAQ practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Pay and Leave Benefits flashcards as text
What is the purpose of 'locality pay' in the federal General Schedule pay system?
Answer: To adjust GS base pay rates to be more competitive with private-sector salaries in specific geographic areas
Locality pay supplements the GS base salary to make federal compensation more competitive with non-federal pay in specific geographic areas. Higher-cost labor markets like San Francisco or Washington, DC have higher locality pay percentages than lower-cost areas.
Under the federal leave system, how much annual leave does a GS employee with 15 years of federal service earn per biweekly pay period?
Answer: 8 hours
Federal employees with 15 or more years of service earn 8 hours of annual leave per biweekly pay period (26 pay periods × 8 hours = 208 hours per year), the maximum accrual rate under the federal leave system.
What is 'premium pay' in the federal pay system?
Answer: Additional compensation for work performed under special circumstances such as overtime, nights, Sundays, or holidays
Premium pay is additional compensation above basic pay earned for overtime work, night shifts, Sunday work, holiday work, standby duty, or administratively uncontrollable overtime (AUO), as authorized in 5 U.S.C. Chapter 55.
A federal employee takes 10 weeks of leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). Which type of leave must they first exhaust before receiving FMLA leave unpaid?
Answer: Sick leave (and annual leave if sick leave is exhausted)
Federal agencies require employees to substitute available paid leave (sick leave for qualifying medical reasons, then annual leave) concurrently with FMLA leave. Once paid leave balances are exhausted, the remaining FMLA leave runs as leave without pay (LWOP).
What is the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP) matching contribution rate for FERS employees?
Answer: The government automatically contributes 1% and matches contributions up to 5% of pay (3% dollar-for-dollar + 2% at 50 cents per dollar)
Under FERS, the government automatically contributes 1% of salary to TSP whether or not the employee contributes. Additionally, the government matches the next 3% dollar-for-dollar and the following 2% at 50 cents per dollar, for a total government contribution of up to 5% when the employee contributes 5%.
Under federal sick leave rules, for what purposes may an employee use accrued sick leave?
Answer: For the employee's own illness or medical needs, and for care of a family member who is ill or receiving medical care
Federal employees may use sick leave for their own illnesses, injuries, medical or dental appointments, and also to care for a family member who is ill or attending medical appointments, up to 13 days (104 hours) per leave year for family care.