Governments elected by the people formulate policies. They need support in order to carry out these policies. Public servants play a crucial role in the implementation of these policies. However, due to certain shortcomings in the public sector, civil service reforms have to be carried out from time to time.
The very definition of ‘civil servants’ could vary from country to country. These personnel could include all those directly employed by federal, state and local governments. Administrating such a vast number of personnel can be a hard task. Any civil service reform usually aims to increase the efficiency and the transparency of the public sector. However, in some countries these types of reforms are done with political objectives aimed at increasing the number of public servants supportive of a certain political party. This kind of a civil service reform would result in corruption and inefficiency in the public sector.
If you aware of the history of civil service in the country, you might have heard of the civil service reform which took place in 1883. This was a milestone in the history of civil service. Some intellectuals who lived during the 1860’s understood the importance of a public service where people with merit are given the opportunity. The agitations and the perseverance of these intellectuals played a crucial role in the civil service reforms that took place during the 1880’s. President Garfield who opposed the reforms was killed by a man who is believed to be an office seeker who has gone mad. This provided further impetus to the civil service reform movement of those days.
Naturally the civil service underwent various transformations under different administrations. Politics and economics seem to have played a crucial role in the history of civil service reform. For example, during the days of the great depression, the civil service expanded in a significant manner. This was partly in response to the crisis, in order to deal with the depression in an effective and was partly an attempt to provide employment. Significant civil service reform was also influenced by revelations of corruption in the public sector.
The ‘Watergate scandal’ opened the doors again for reforms in the late 1970’s. The scandal did not just damage the reputation of President Nixon. It did considerable damage to the image of the civil service. This resulted in civil service reforms that removed some of the powers of civil service commission. Some activities of the commission were taken over by other government bodies.
Despite all these reforms corruption and malpractices still occur within the civil service. We still hear various revelations of such incidents, from time to time through the media. Further civil service reforms might be necessary to combat these problems. Civil service must be made as transparent and as efficient as possible.
It is your job as a citizen of the country, to support any meaningful civil service reforms aimed at achieving this goal.
Civil service pensions are granted to the retired civil servants in the United States. They are payments to the retired civil servants and act as their income after retirement. Civil servants were the first groups to be covered by formal pension arrangements.
Civil service pensions are offered by the state, local and federal governments. They can either be defined as benefits or contribution plans. Civil service pensions are provided under the civil service retirement system. CSRS covers employees employed before 1987. FERS covers employees employed after 1987 and those who have voluntarily switched to FERS from CSRS.
Civil service retirement system pension is a defined benefit pension system. Civil servants contribute seven percent of their pay. However this civil service pensions are not based on these contributions. The amount received from the CSRS pension system depends on the number of years worked for the federal government and the salary earned. CARS pension is received every month after retirement for the rest of a retired civil servant’s life.
The civil service pensions can be calculated using the high 3 salary, years of credible service and the pension multiplier. High 3 salary is the salary received for the three highest paying consecutive years of service. Civil service pensions have three levels of multipliers. They are based on the years of service. Effective multiplier for first five years is 1.5%, next five years 1.75% and any number of years after that 2%.The CSRS pension may be reduced in the case of early retirement and when survivor benefits are chosen.
FERS pension is also called the FERS annuity. A small percentage of the pay is contributed to the FERS pension at every pay period. FERS pension system is also a defined benefit system like the CSRS pension system. Therefore the pension amount received does not depend on the amount contributed. A basic monthly pension is received after retirement for the rest of the life under this system. Similar to the CSRS system, the FERS pensions are also calculated using the high 3 salary, years of credible service and pension multiplier. However the pension multiplier is lower in the FERS system.
For civil servants with thirty years of credible service, immediate and regular civil service pensions are available under the FERS system. However a civil servant with ten to twenty nine years of credible service will not receive full FERS pension. Civil service pensions will permanently be reduced by five percent for every year under the age of sixty two in case of early retirement. FERS pensions will also not receive cost of living adjustments until the retired civil servant reaches the age of sixty two.
Civil service pensions make the civil service attractive; secure the future of retired civil servants and retiring them in a socially acceptable manner.
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