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2022 retirement annuity cost-of-living adjustments for UI systems
Summary ETA supplied the 2022 cost-of-living adjustment figures for federal civilian retirement annuities so states could update unemployment benefit calculations. States whose laws reduce weekly unemployment benefits by retirement pay were told to program the increases into their systems. The attached table gives prorated rates by the month an annuity began; these figures concern 2022.
Document
Federal guidance
Agency
U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA)
Document number
UIPL No. 13-22
Date issued
April 15, 2022
Status
Active
ETA’s official listing marks this letter Active, and the PDF prints “Rescissions: None” and “Expiration Date: Continuing.” Its cost-of-living tables apply to calendar year 2022.
Status last verified October 24, 2026
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About this page: The full text below is the official document from U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (ETA). Ezel adds the plain-English summary and tracks the document's status. The official source linked on this page is authoritative for any reliance.
RESCISSIONS: None
EXPIRATION DATE: Continuing
CLASSIFICATION
EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION UI
ADVISORY SYSTEM CORRESPONDENCE SYMBOL
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR OUI/DUIO
Washington, D.C. 20210 DATE
April 15, 2022
ADVISORY: UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE PROGRAM LETTER NO. 13-22
TO: STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES
FROM: ANGELA HANKS
Acting Assistant Secretary
SUBJECT: Social Security Annuities and Federal Civilian Pensions
1. Purpose. To ensure that states are aware that the social security survivors and old age
retirement annuities and the Federal civilian pensions annual cost-of-living adjustment
(COLA) increased for calendar year 2022, and to provide the U.S. Office of Personnel
Management’s (OPM) COLA information.
2. Action Requested. State Administrators should provide the information contained in this
Unemployment Insurance Program Letter (UIPL) to appropriate staff.
3. Summary and Background.
a. Summary – This UIPL provides the 2022 COLA information and informs states to make
necessary programming adjustments to accommodate the COLA increase.
b. Background – At the end of each Calendar Year (CY), OPM has traditionally updated
the information regarding the increases of the Social Security Survivors and old Age
Retirement Annuities and the Federal Civilian Pensions Annual COLA and published
these updates on their web page (https://www.opm.gov/retirement-services/my-annuity-
and-benefits/annuity-payments/#url=Cost-of-Living). Once OPM updates its website, the
Employment Training Administration (ETA) provides guidance to the states with the
OPM web page link. However, this year (CY 2022) OPM has been delayed in updating
its website.
ETA has reached out to OPM and has been informed by OPM that the Agency does not
have a date when they will update the web page, however, OPM recently was able to
provide ETA with the new tables for the Social Security Annuities and Federal Civilian
Pensions Current COLA for 2022. ETA is providing these tables in Attachment I.
4. Instructions. States that have laws requiring a reduction of the unemployment insurance
(UI) weekly benefit amount by the prorated weekly amount of retired pay and pensions
should program the increase in the COLA amount for CY 22 into their UI systems.
5. Inquiries. Please direct inquiries to the appropriate Regional Office.
6. References.
• 5 U.S.C. 8502(b); and
• UCFE Handbook 391 For State Agencies, Chapter VII (3)(g).
7. Attachment. Attachment I: Prorated CSRS and FERS COLA Effective 12/01/2021
Attachment I to UIPL No. 13-22
Prorate CSRS and FERS COLA Effective 12/01/2021
Social Security Annuities and Federal Civilian Pensions
The maximum Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) increase for Civil Service Retirement
System (CSRS) and Organization Retirement and Disability System (ORDS) is 5.9%. The
maximum COLA increase for Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and FERS Special
is 4.9%.
The table below shows the prorated percentage increase according to the month the retiree’s
annuity began.
Monthly Annuity Began Amount of Percentage Increase
Retirement System CSRS FERS
December 2020 or earlier 5.9% 4.9%
January 2021 5.4% 4.5%
February 2021 4.9% 4.1%
March 2021 4.4% 3.7%
April 2021 3.9% 3.3%
May 2021 3.4% 2.9%
June 2021 3.0% 2.5%
July 2021 2.5% 2.0%
August 2021 2.0% 1.6%
September 2021 1.5% 1.2%
October 2021 1.0% 0.8%
November 2021 0.5% 0.4%
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