under a different retirement system following a transfer. Contributions Employees hired prior to January 1, 2013 contribute 0.8 percent of salaries to their FERS annuity (post-tax, unlike TSP contributions which are pre-tax), while employees hired in 2013 contribute 3.1 percent and employees hired in 2014 and thereafter contribute 4.4 percent (an additional 0.5 percent applies to certain special category positions, regardless of when hired); this percentage does not change so long as the employee remains in Federal service. The government matching portion is dependent on the employee's job classification and is based on actuarial assumptions, and is subject to change. Unlike TSP, where an employee can choose not to participate and thus not have any withdrawals from salary, FERS contributions are mandatory. However, at retirement or separation from Federal service, one may ask for a refund of contributions made; only employee contributions (this includes deposits and redeposit for creditable military service and civilian service where no FERS annuity contributions were made) are refunded (with interest; the interest portion is taxable income unless rolled over into an IRA), government matching contributions are not refunded and are lost. However, a spouse or former spouse must be notified, and a refund will not be allowed if it would end a court-ordered right for a spouse or former spouse to obtain benefits from the employee's Federal service. And if the employee returns to Federal service, a refund voids entitlement to an annuity based on the former service unless repaid upon return. Retirement Qualifications for Annuity In order to qualify for the standard FERS annuity an employee must have reached a minimum retirement age (MRA) and have a specified number of years of "creditable Federal service". Credit for certain levels of military service (as well as some part-time employment prior to 1989) may be repurchased for a specified percentage of prior salary plus accrued interest; such repurchase is optional and can be made at any time prior to retirement (but not after retirement). Part-time work is counted on a pro-rated basis (e.g. a person working one year, part-time for 40 hours of a regular 80-hour pay period, is credited with half a year of service). Any leave without pay days (e.g. days when an employee was furloughed and not later repaid, or who was on unpaid leave due to a serious medical condition) are counted as if having worked, limited to six months in a