§ 1620.101 - Definitions.

As used in this subpart:

(a) Basic pay has one of two meanings:

(1) For the portion of the retroactive period when an employee did not receive a Federal civilian salary, the rate of basic pay is that which would have been payable to the employee if the employee had remained continuously employed in the position which he or she last held before separating (or entering leave-without-pay status) to perform military service;

(2) For the portion of the retroactive period that occurs after the employee is reemployed, his or her actual basic pay will be used to calculate contributions.

(b) Current contributions means those contributions that are made prospectively for any pay period after the employee has been reemployed.

(c) Employee means any Federal employee whose release from military service, discharge from hospitalization, or other similar event making the individual eligible to seek restoration or reemployment under 38 U.S.C. chapter 43 occurs on or after August 2, 1990.

(d) Leave-without-pay means a temporary nonpay status and absence from duty (including military furlough) to perform military service.

(e) Recordkeeper means the organization designated by the Federal Retirement Thrift Investment Board as the Thrift Savings Plan's recordkeeper.

(f) Reemployed or reemployment means reemployed in (or restored to) a position pursuant to 38 U.S.C. chapter 43, which is subject to 5 U.S.C. chapter 84 or which entitles the employee to contribute to the Thrift Savings Plan pursuant to 5 U.S.C. 8351.

(g) Retroactive period means the period for which an employee is entitled to make up missed Employee Contributions and to receive retroactive Agency Automatic (1%) Contributions and Agency Matching Contributions.

(1) Beginning of retroactive period. For an employee who was eligible to make contributions when military service began, the retroactive period begins on the date following the effective date of separation or, in the case of leave-without-pay, the date the employee enters leave-without-pay status. For an employee who was not eligible to make contributions when military service began, the retroactive period begins on the first day of the first pay period in the election period during which the employee would have been eligible to make contributions had the employee remained in Federal civilian service.

(2) End of retroactive period. The retroactive period ends on the earlier of the following two dates: the date before the first day of the first election period during which a contribution election could have been made effective after reemployment, or the last day of the pay period before the pay period during which routine current contributions are begun after the employee is reemployed (or restored). If an employee who was making contributions when he or she separated elects not to make routine current contributions, the ending date of the retroactive period is the last day of the pay period during which the employee elects to terminate contributions.

(h) Separation or separated means the period an employee was separated from Federal civilian service (or entered a leave-without-pay status) in order to perform military service.