1 

BAL 23-106, Appendix A – Retirement Coverage 

Determination Tables

For guidance on determining the correct retirement coverage determination 

table to use, please see Part 10A2, Procedures for Determining Coverage, of 

the CSRS and FERS Handbook, Chapter 10 – Coverage.
BAL 23-106 – Appendix A

2 

First Hires 

Step Decision Factor If Yes... If No...

1 

Does employee have prior non-Federal 

service that was covered by or 

creditable under CSRS? (See section 

10A1.3-3B)

Go to Step 2 Go to Step 5

2 Does employee meet 5-year test? (See 

section 10A1.1-2I)

Go to Step 3 Go to Step 5

3 

Is current appointment excluded from 

CSRS? (See section 10A1.3-3)

Go to Step 4 Coverage under 

CSRS Offset with 

option to elect 

FERS*

4 

Is current appointment excluded from 

FERS? (See section 10A1.3-5)

Coverage under 

FICA only (unless 

not applicable)

Coverage under 

FICA only with 

option to elect 

FERS*

5 

Is appointment excluded from FERS 

by law or regulation? (See section 

10A1.3-5)

Coverage under 

FICA only (unless 

not applicable)

Go to Step 6

6 Is appointment effective before January 

1, 2013?

Coverage under 

FERS

Go to Step 7

7 

Was employee on December 31, 2012, 

performing civilian service that was 

creditable or potentially creditable 

under FERS (e.g., Peace Corp volunteer 

service)?

Coverage under 

FERS

Go to Step 8

8 

Does employee as of December 31, 

2012, have at least 5 years of creditable 

or potentially creditable civilian service 

under FERS?

Coverage under 

FERS

Go to Step 9

9 

Is appointment effective on or after 

January 1, 2013, and before January 1, 

2014?

Coverage under 

FERS-RAE

Go to Step 10
3 

Step Decision Factor If Yes... If No...

10

Was employee on December 31, 2013, 

performing civilian service that was 

creditable or potentially creditable 

under FERS (e.g., Peace Corp volunteer 

service)?

Coverage under 

FERS-RAE

Go to Step 11

11

Does employee as of December 31, 

2013, have at least 5 years of creditable 

or potentially creditable civilian service 

under FERS?

Coverage under 

FERS-RAE

Coverage under 

FERS-FRAE

*An employee may elect FERS if appointment is not excluded from FERS by law or 

regulation.
BAL 23-106 – Appendix A

4 

Transfers and Conversions

Step Decision Factor If Yes... If No...

1 Does employee qualify as a senior 

official? (See section 10A1.3-6C)

See Chapter 101 Go to Step 2 

2 Was last employment under another 

Federal retirement system (e.g., FSRS)?

Go to Step 5 Go to Step 3 

3 Was last appointment covered by FICA 

(OASDI) only?

Go to Step 5 Go to Step 4

4 

Did employee have FERS (i.e., FERS, 

FERS-RAE, FERS-FRAE) coverage in last 

appointment?

Go to Step 11 Go to Step 5

5 Was employee first hired after 

December 31, 1983?

Go to Step 13 Go to Step 6

6 

Is the current appointment temporary 

NTE 1 year or intermittent and not 

career or career-conditional? 

Coverage under 

FICA only

Go to Step 7

7 

Is the current appointment excluded 

from CSRS by law or regulation? 

(See section 10A1.3-3)

Go to Step 8 Go to Step 9

8 

Does employee meet the 5-year test? 

(See section 10A1.1-2I)

Coverage under 

FICA only with 

option to elect 

FERS*

Go to Step 9

9 

Is current appointment now subject to 

Social Security (OASDI)? (See section 

10A1.3-6)

Go to Step 10 Coverage under 

CSRS with option to 

elect FERS*

10

Does employee meet the 5-year test? 

(See section 10A1.1-2I)

Coverage under 

CSRS Offset with 

option to elect 

FERS*

Go to Step 14

11

Is the current appointment excluded 

from FERS by law? (See section 

10A1.3-5B)

Coverage under 

FICA only

Go to Step 12
5 

Step Decision Factor If Yes... If No...

12

Is the current appointment temporary 

NTE 1 year or intermittent and not 

career or career-condition, otherwise 

excluded from FERS by regulation? 

(See section 10A1.3-5D)

Employee retains 

previous coverage

Go to Step 14

13

Is the current appointment temporary 

NTE 1 year or intermittent and not 

career or career-conditional, or 

otherwise excluded from FERS by 

law or regulation? (See section 

10A1.3-5)

Coverage under 

FICA only

Go to Step 14

14 Is current appointment effective before 

January 1, 2013?

Coverage under 

FERS

Go to Step 15

15

Was employee covered under FERS on 

December 31, 2012?

Coverage under 

FERS

Go to Step 16

16

Was employee on December 31, 2012, 

performing civilian service that was 

creditable or potentially creditable 

under FERS (e.g., Peace Corps 

volunteer service or service covered 

under another retirement system for 

which credit may be transferred to 

FERS, such as Foreign Service, Federal 

Reserve, or CIARDS)?

Coverage under 

FERS

Go to Step 17

17

Does employee as of December 31, 

2012, have at least 5 years of creditable 

or potentially creditable civilian service 

under FERS?

Coverage under 

FERS

Go to Step 18

18

Is current appointment effective on or 

after January 1, 2013, and before 

January 1, 2014?

Coverage under 

FERS-RAE

Go to Step 19

19

Was employee covered under FERS-RAE 

on December 31, 2013?

Coverage under 

FERS-RAE

Go to Step 20
6 

Step Decision Factor If Yes... If No...

20

Was employee on December 31, 2013, 

performing civilian service that was 

creditable or potentially creditable 

under FERS (e.g., Peace Corps 

volunteer service or service covered 

under another retirement system for 

which credit may be transferred to 

FERS, such as Foreign Service, Federal 

Reserve, or CIARDS)?

Coverage under 

FERS-RAE

Go to Step 21

21

Does employee as of December 31, 

2013, have at least 5 years of creditable 

or potentially creditable civilian service 

under FERS?

Coverage under 

FERS-RAE

Coverage under 

FERS-FRAE

*An employee only has one opportunity to elect FERS during any period of continuous 

employment and may only elect FERS if appointment is not excluded from FERS coverage 

by law or regulation.
BAL 23-106 – Appendix A

7 

Rehires

Step Decision Factor If Yes... If No...

1 Does employee qualify as a senior 

official? (See section 10A1.3-6C)

See Chapter 101 Go to Step 2 

2 

Did employee previously have FERS 

(i.e., FERS, FERS-RAE, FERS-FRAE) 

coverage?

Go to Step 9 Go to Step 3

3 Was employee first hired after 

December 31, 1983?

Go to Step 9 Go to Step 4 

4 

Is the current appointment temporary 

NTE 1 year or intermittent and not 

career or career-conditional? 

Coverage under 

FICA only

Go to Step 5 

5 

Is employee’s current appointment 

excluded from CSRS by law or 

regulation? (See section 10A1.3-3)

Go to Step 6 Go to Step 7 

6 

Does employee meet the 5-year test? 

(See section 10A1.1-2I)

Coverage under 

FICA only with 

option to elect 

FERS*

Go to Step 10

7 

Is current appointment now subject to 

Social Security (OASDI)? (See section 

10A1.3-6)

Go to Step 8 Coverage under 

CSRS with option to 

elect FERS*

8 

Does employee meet the 5-year test? 

(See section 10A1.1-2I)

Coverage under 

CSRS Offset with 

option to elect 

FERS*

Go to Step 10 

9 

Is the current appointment temporary 

NTE 1 year or intermittent and not 

career or career-conditional, or 

otherwise excluded from FERS by 

law or regulation? (See section 

10A1.3-5)

Coverage under 

FICA only

Go to Step 10 

10 Is current appointment effective before 

January 1, 2013?

Coverage under 

FERS

Go to Step 11 
8 

Step Decision Factor If Yes... If No...

11

Was employee covered under FERS on 

December 31, 2012?

Coverage under 

FERS

Go to Step 12 

12

Was employee on December 31, 2012, 

performing civilian service that was 

creditable or potentially creditable 

under FERS (e.g., Peace Corps 

volunteer service or service covered 

under another retirement system for 

which credit may be transferred to 

FERS, such as Foreign Service, Federal 

Reserve, or CIARDS)?

Coverage under 

FERS

Go to Step 13 

13

Does employee as of December 31, 

2012, have at least 5 years of creditable 

or potentially creditable civilian service 

under FERS?

Coverage under 

FERS

Go to Step 14 

14

Is current appointment effective on or 

after January 1, 2013, and before 

January 1, 2014?

Coverage under 

FERS-RAE

Go to Step 15 

15

Was employee covered under FERS-RAE 

on December 31, 2013?

Coverage under 

FERS-RAE

Go to Step 16

16

Was employee on December 31, 2013, 

performing civilian service that was 

creditable or potentially creditable 

under FERS (e.g., Peace Corps 

volunteer service or service covered 

under another retirement system for 

which credit may be transferred to 

FERS, such as Foreign Service, Federal 

Reserve, or CIARDS)?

Coverage under 

FERS-RAE

Go to Step 17

17

Does employee as of December 31, 

2013, have at least 5 years of creditable 

or potentially creditable civilian service 

under FERS?

Coverage under 

FERS-RAE

Coverage under 

FERS-FRAE

*An employee may elect FERS if appointment is not excluded from FERS coverage by law or 

regulation.