Cost-of-living increases for retirement benefits affecting unemployment claims

UIPL8-09acc.pdf (https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/advisories/UIPL/2009/UIPL8-09acc.pdf)

                                                       CLASSIFICATION
 EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION                UI
            ADVISORY SYSTEM                            CORRESPONDENCE SYMBOL
          U. S. Department of Labor                    OWS/DUIO
           Washington, D.C. 20210                      January 6, 2009


ADVISORY:              UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM LETTER NO. 8-09

TO:                    STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES

FROM:                  BRENT R. ORRELL /s/
                       Deputy 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 2008 COLA for social security survivors and old age retirement
   annuities and Federal civilian pensions was made effective December 1, 2008. The
   percent of increase will be included in the benefit payment beginning
   January 2, 2009. (See Federal Register, Vol. 73, No. 211, October 30, 2008, Notices
   64651-64657).

      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 5.8 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 4.8 percent. Both CSRS
      and FERS COLA increases were effective December 1, 2008, and will be paid in the
      January 2, 2009, 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.

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

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

RESCISSIONS                                            EXPIRATION DATE
None                                                   January 6, 2010

UIPL8-09a.pdf (https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/ETA/advisories/UIPL/2009/UIPL8-09a.pdf)

                                                       ATTACHMENT – UIPL NO. 8-09


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 2007                2.3%         December 2007                 2.0%
January 2008                  2.1%        January 2008                  1.8%
February 2008                 1.9%        February 2008                 1.7%
March 2008                    1.7%        March 2008                    1.5%
April 2008                    1.5%        April 2008                    1.3%
May 2008                      1.3%        May 2008                      1.2%
June 2008                     1.2%        June 2008                     1.0%
July 2008                     1.0%        July 2008                     0.8%
August 2008                   0.8%        August 2008                   0.7%
September 2008                0.6%        September 2008                0.5%
October 2008                  0.4%        October 2008                  0.3%
November 2008                 0.2%        November 2008                 0.2%


Additional information about the 2009 annuity increases may be found on the Office of
Personnel Management (OPM) web site. The web address is:
http://www.opm.gov/retire/annuity/cola/2009cola.asp.

Additional information about the 2009 Social Security COLA can be found at:
http://www.ssa.gov/pressoffice/pr/2009cola-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.