2008 retirement benefit cost-of-living changes and unemployment claims

UIPL6-08acc.pdf (https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/advisories/UIPL/2008/UIPL6-08acc.pdf)

                                                       CLASSIFICATION
 EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION                OWS
            ADVISORY SYSTEM                            CORRESPONDENCE SYMBOL
          U. S. Department of Labor                    UI/DUIO
           Washington, D.C. 20210                      January 3, 2008


ADVISORY:              UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM LETTER NO. 6-08

TO:                    STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES

FROM:                  EMILY STOVER DeROCCO /s/
                       Assistant Secretary

SUBJECT:               Increase in Social Security Annuities and Federal Civilian
                       Pensions

1. Purpose. To ensure that State Workforce Agencies are aware of the increases in
   social security survivors and old age retirement annuities and Federal civilian
   pensions due to the annual cost of living adjustment (COLA).

2. Background. The 2007 COLA for social security survivors and old age retirement
   annuities and Federal civilian pensions was made effective December 1, 2007. The
   percent of increase will be included in the benefit payment beginning
   January 2, 2008. (See Federal Register, Vol. 72, No. 206, October 25, 2007, Notices
   60703-60709).

      Federal civilian retirees who received benefits for at least one year under the Civil
      Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Organization Retirement and Disability
      System (ORDS) will receive a 2.3 percent COLA increase, and Federal civilian
      retirees who received benefits for at least one year under the Federal Employees’
      Retirement System (FERS) will receive a COLA increase of 2.0 percent. Both CSRS
      and FERS COLA increases were effective December 1, 2007, and will be paid in the
      January 2, 2008, annuity check.

3. Action Required. States with laws that provide for reduction of the weekly
   unemployment insurance benefit amount by the prorated weekly amount of
   retirement pay and pensions should review claimant records to identify those who
   are affected by these COLA increases. States should take action to make the
   appropriate deductions as required by state law based on the increased retirement
   or annuities amount in accordance with their state law.

      State Administrators should provide this information to appropriate staff.


RESCISSIONS                                            EXPIRATION DATE
None                                                   January 3, 2009


4. Inquiries. Direct inquiries to the appropriate Regional Office.

5. Attachment. Cost of Living Annuity Adjustment Percentages Schedule.

UIPL6-08a1.pdf (https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/advisories/UIPL/2008/UIPL6-08a1.pdf)

                                                       ATTACHMENT – UIPL NO. 6-08


The COLA of Federal civilian retirement annuities is prorated as follows:

                         Amount of Percentage Increase

CIVILIAN ANNUITIES                          CIVILIAN ANNUITIES
BEGAN                        CSRS/          BEGAN              FERS
                             ORDS
December 2006                2.3%         December 2006                 2.0%
January 2007                  2.1%        January 2007                  1.8%
February 2007                 1.9%        February 2007                 1.7%
March 2007                    1.7%        March 2007                    1.5%
April 2007                    1.5%        April 2007                    1.3%
May 2007                      1.3%        May 2007                      1.2%
June 2007                     1.2%        June 2007                     1.0%
July 2007                     1.0%        July 2007                     0.8%
August 2007                   0.8%        August 2007                   0.7%
September 2007                0.6%        September 2007                0.5%
October 2007                  0.4%        October 2007                  0.3%
November 2007                 0.2%        November 2007                 0.2%


Additional information about the 2008 annuity increases may be found on the Office of
Personnel Management (OPM) web site, when it is posted in January, 2008. The web
address is: http://www.opm.gov/retire/html/faqs/2008cola.asp .

Additional information about the 2008 Social Security COLA can be found at:
http://www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/pr/2008cola-pr.htm .

Note: Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and FERS Special Cost-of-Living
Adjustments are not provided until age 62, except for disability, survivor benefits, and
other special provision retirements.