The Federal Retirement Safety Act modifies how federal employees and members of Congress can receive lump-sum retirement benefits when they have experienced domestic violence from a spouse or former spouse. Currently, federal law requires employees to notify their spouse and obtain their consent before receiving these retirement payments, but this bill creates exceptions to those requirements in domestic violence cases. Under the new rules, an employee can skip notifying their spouse or obtain payment without their consent if the employee submits a written statement to the Office of Personnel Management confirming that the spouse committed a domestic violence crime within the past year and that providing notice or seeking consent would pose a safety risk to the employee or others. The bill applies to both the Federal Employee Retirement System and the Civil Service Retirement System, covers federal employees and members of Congress, and requires the Office of Personnel Management to issue implementing regulations within one year of the law's enactment, with an effective date one year after that.
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