U. S. Government
Service Purchases When the Service Is from Employment with American
International or Overseas Schools
When receiving an application to
purchase United States government service from employment with
an American International or Overseas School, the Division of
Pensions and Benefits will use the following guidelines in determining
the member's eligibility for the service credit purchase:
If the former employer returns the
Federal Retirement System Retirement Verification Form, indicating
the employee was a member of the Federal Retirement System or was
entitled to receive a pension from the federal pension system, the
employer verification portion of the service credit purchase process
has been completed (see below).
If the former employer returns the
Federal Retirement System Retirement Verification Form, indicating
the employee was not a member of the Federal Retirement System,
nor was the employee entitled to receive a pension from the federal
pension system, the service credit purchase is not automatically
denied:
At that time, the Purchase Bureau
will review the Office of Overseas Schools - United States Department
of State's Web site, at http://www.state.gov/m/a/os/ to determine
whether the school where the member held employment is considered
“accredited” or recognized by the United States Department
of State. NOTE: Schools are listed by region (Africa, East
Asia and Pacific, Near East, Europe, Western Hemisphere, etc.)
on the United States Department of State's Web site; also, several
different variations of the school's name may have to be entered
before finding it among the overseas schools that are listed
as "accredited."
If the school does not appear on
the Office of Overseas Schools - United States Department of
State's Web site as an "accredited" school, the Division's
Purchase Bureau will then contact Mr. Keith Miller, Director
of the Overseas Schools, at millerkd2@state.gov or at (202)
261-8200 to determine whether the school where the member had
been employed belongs on the approved listing of "accredited
schools".
Once the Division of Pensions and
Benefits establishes that the school is “accredited”by
the United States Department of State, (either it appears as an
"accredited" school on the Office of Overseas Schools
- United States Department of State's Web site, or the Director
of the Overseas Schools has verified the school's "accredited"
status), the Division of Pensions and Benefits will then verify
that the member had also earned the minimum salary required, according
to statute. If the minimum salary requirements for the employment
period to be purchased are also met, the service is eligible for
purchase.
If the school is not accredited and
minimum salary requirements are not met, the service is not eligible
for purchase. A denial letter will be issued to the member.
Please note: Members may purchase
a maximum of ten years of combined U.S. government, military,
and/or out-of-state service.