234. Method of computing annuities.-The annuity of an employee retired under the provisions of the preceding sections of this Act shall be a life annuity, terminable upon the death of the annuitant, and shall be composed of: (1) A sum equal to $30 for each year of service not exceeding thirty: Provided, That such portion of the annuity shall not exceed three-fourths of the average annual basic salary, pay, or compensation received by the employee during any five consecutive years of allowable service at the option of the employee; and (2) the amount of annuity purchasable with the sum to the credit of the employee's individual account as provided in section 12 (a) hereof [5 U. S. C., sec. 724], together with interest at 4 per centum per annum compounded on June 30 of each year, according to the experience of the civil-service retirement and disability fund as may from time to time be set forth in tables of annuity values by the Board of Actuaries: Provided, That the total annuity paid shall in no case be less than an amount equal to the average annual basic salary, pay, or compensation, not to exceed $1,600 per annum, received by the employee during any five consecutive years of allowable service at the option of the employee, multiplied by the number of years of service, not exceeding thirty years, and divided by forty: And provided further, That any employee at the time of his retirement may elect to receive, in lieu of the life annuity herein described, an increased annuity of equivalent value which shall carry with it a proviso that no unexpended part of the principal upon the annuitant's death shall be returned. For the purposes of this Act all periods of service shall be computed in accordance with section 5 hereof [5 U. S. C., sec. 707], and the annuity shall be fixed at the nearest multiple of twelve.

The term "basic salary, pay, or compensation", wherever used in this Act, shall be so construed as to exclude from the operation of the Act all bonuses, allowances, overtime pay, or salary, pay, or compensation given in addition to the base pay of the position as fixed by law or regulation. (May 22, 1920, sec. 2, 41 Stat. 614; July 3, 1926, sec. 4, 44 Stat. 907; May 29, 1930, sec. 4, 46 Stat. 471; 5 U. S. C., secs. 698, 706.)

235. Computation of accredited service. Subject to the provisions of section 9 hereof [5 U. S. C., sec. 736b], the aggregate period of service which forms the basis for calculating the amount of any benefit provided in this Act shall be computed from the date of original employment, whether as a classified or an unclassified employee in the civil service of the United States, or in the service of the District of Columbia, including periods of service at different times and in one or more departments, branches, or independent offices, or the legislative branch of the Government, and also periods of service performed overseas under authority of the United States, and periods of honorable service in the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard of the United States; in the case of an employee, however, who is eligible for and elects to receive a pension under any law, or retired pay on account of military or naval service, or compensation under the War Risk Insurance Act, the period of his military or naval service upon which such pension, retired pay, or compensation is based shall not be included, but nothing in this Act shall be so construed as to affect in any manner his or her right to a

pension, or to retired pay, or to compensation under the War Risk Insurance Act in addition to the annuity herein provided.

In computing length of service for the purposes of this Act all periods of separation from the service, and so much of any leaves of absence as may exceed six months in the aggregate in any calendar year, shall be excluded, except such leaves of absence granted employees while receiving benefits under the United States Employees' Compensation Act, and in the case of substitutes in the Postal Service credit shall be given from date of original appointment as a substitute.

In determining the aggregate period of service upon which the annuity is to be based, the fractional part of a month, if any, in the total service shall be eliminated. (May 22, 1920, sec. 3, 41 Stat. 615; July 3, 1926, sec. 5, 44 Stat. 907; May 29, 1930, sec. 5, 46 Stat. 472; 5 U. S. C., sec. 707.)

236. Disability retirement-medical examinations required.-Any employee to whom this Act applies who shall have served for a total period of not less than five years, and who, before becoming eligible for retirement under the conditions defined in the preceding sections hereof, becomes totally disabled for useful and efficient service in the grade or class of position occupied by the employee, by reason of disease or injury not due to vicious habits, intemperance, or willful misconduct on the part of the employee, shall upon his own application or upon the request or order of the head of the department, branch, or independent office concerned, be retired on an annuity computed in accordance with the provisions of section 4 hereof [5 U. S. C., sec. 698]: Provided, That proof of freedom from vicious habits, intemperance, or willful misconduct for a period of more than five years next prior to becoming so disabled for useful and efficient service, shall not be required in any case. No claim shall be allowed under the provisions of this section unless the application for retirement shall have been executed prior to the applicant's separation from the service or within six months thereafter: Provided, That any employee who heretofore has failed to file an application for retirement within six months after separation from the service, may file such application within three months after the effective date of this Act. No employee shall be retired under the provisions of this section unless examined by a medical officer of the United States, or a duly qualified physician or surgeon, or board of physicians or surgeons, designated by the Civil Service Commission for that purpose, and found to be disabled in the degree and in the manner specified herein.

Every annuitant retired under the provisions of this section, unless the disability for which retired be permanent in character, shall at the expiration of one year from the date of such retirement and annually thereafter, until reaching retirement age as defined in section 1 hereof [5 U. S. C., sec. 691], be examined under the direction of the Civil Service Commission by a medical officer of the United States, or a duly qualified physician or surgeon, or board of physicians or surgeons designated by the Civil Service Commission for that purpose, in order to ascertain the nature and degree of the annuitant's disability, if any. If an annuitant shall recover before reaching retirement age and be restored to an earning capacity which

would permit him to be appointed to some appropriate position fairly comparable in compensation to the position occupied at the time of retirement, payment of the annuity shall be continued temporarily to afford the annuitant opportunity to seek such available position, but not in any case exceeding ninety days from the date of the medical examination showing such recovery. Should the annuitant fail to appear for examination as required under this section, payment of the annuity shall be suspended until continuance of the disability shall have been satisfactorily established. The Civil Service Commission may order or direct at any time such medical or other examination as it shall deem necessary to determine the facts relative to the nature and degree of disability of any employee retired on an annuity under this section.

In all cases where the annuity is discontinued under the provisions of this section before the annuitant has received a sum equal to the amount credited to his individual account as provided in section 12 (a) hereof [5 U. S. C., sec. 724], together with interest at 4 per centum per annum compounded on June 30 of each year, the difference, unless he shall become reemployed in a position within the purview of this Act, shall be paid to the retired employee, as provided in section 12 (b) hereof [5 U. S. C., sec. 724b], upon application therefor in such form and manner as the Civil Service Commission may direct. In case of reemployment in a position within the purview of this Act the amount so refunded shall be redeposited as provided in section 12 (b) hereof [5 U. S. C., sec. 724b].

No person shall be entitled to receive an annuity under the provisions of this Act, and compensation under the provisions of the Act of September 7, 1916, entitled "An Act to provide compensation for employees of the United States suffering injuries while in the performance of their duties, and for other purposes " [5 U. S. C., ch. 15], covering the same period of time; but this provision shall not be so construed as to bar the right of any claimant to the greater benefit conferred by either Act for any part of the same period of time.

Fees for examinations made under the provisions of this section, by physicians or surgeons who are not medical officers of the United States, shall be fixed by the Civil Service Commission, and such fees, together with the employee's reasonable traveling and other expenses incurred in order to submit to such examinations, shall be paid out of the appropriations for the cost of administering this Act. (July 3, 1926, sec. 6, 44 Stat. 907; May 29, 1930, sec. 6, 46 Stat. 472; Apr. 7, 1933, Executive Order 6670; 5 U. S. C., secs. 710, 711, 712, 713, 714.)

237. Involuntary separation from the service. Should any employee fifty-five years of age or over to whom this Act applies, after having served for a total period of not less than fifteen years and before becoming eligible for retirement under the conditions defined in section 1 hereof [5 U. S. C., sec. 691], become involuntarily separated from the service, not by removal for cause on charges of misconduct or delinquency, such employee shall be paid as he or she may elect, either

(a) The total amount of his deductions with interest thereon; or (b) An immediate life annuity beginning at the date of separation from the service, having a value equal to the present worth of a

deferred annuity beginning at the age at which the employee would otherwise have become eligible for superannuation retirement computed as provided in section 4 of this Act [5 U. S. C., sec. 698]; or

(c) A deferred annuity beginning at the age at which the employee would otherwise have become eligible for superannuation retirement, computed as provided in section 4 of this Act. The right to such deferred annuity shall be evidenced by a proper certificate issued under the seal of the Civil Service Commission.

Any employee who has served for a period of not less than fifteen years, and who is forty-five years of age, or over, and less than fifty-five years, and who becomes separated from the service under the conditions set forth in this section shall be entitled to a deferred annuity, but such employee may, upon reaching the age of fifty-five years, elect to receive an immediate annuity as provided in paragraph (b) of this section.

Should an annuitant under the provisions of this section be reemployed in a position included in the provisions of this Act or in any other position in the Government service, the annuity shall cease, and all rights and benefits under the provisions of this section shall terminate from and after the date of such employment.

This section shall include former employees within the provisions of the Act of May 22, 1920, or said Act as amended or as extended by Executive orders, who may have been separated from the service subsequent to August 20, 1920, under the conditions defined in this section: Provided, That in the case of an employee who has received a refund from the "civil-service retirement and disability fund", such employee shall be required to return the amount so received with interest compounded on June 30 of each year at the rate of 4 per centum per annum before he shall be entitled to the benefits of this section. (July 3, 1926, sec. 7, 44 Stat. 909; May 29, 1930, sec. 7, 46 Stat. 474; Apr. 7, 1933, Executive Order 6670; 5 U. S. C., secs. 733, 735, 736.)

238. Benefits extended to those already retired. In the case of those who before the effective date of this Act shall have been retired on annuity under the provisions of the Act of May 22, 1920, or said Act as amended, or as extended by Executive orders, the annuity shall be computed, adjusted, and paid under the provisions of this Act, but this Act shall not be so construed as to reduce the annuity of any person retired before its effective date, nor shall any increase in annuity commence before such effective date. (July 3, 1926, sec. 8, 44 Stat. 909; May 29, 1930, sec. 8, 46 Stat. 475; 5 U. S. C., sec. 736c.) 239. Credit for past service.-Beginning with the effective date of this Act, all employees who may be brought then or thereafter within the purview of the Act by legislative enactment, or by appointment, or through classification, or by transfer, or reinstatement, or Executive order, or otherwise, shall be required to deposit with the Treasurer of the United States to the credit of the "civil-service retirement and disability fund" a sum equal to 22 per centum of the employee's basic salary, pay, or compensation received for services rendered after July 31, 1920, and prior to July 1, 1926, and also 312 per centum of the basic salary, pay, or compensation for services rendered from and after July 1, 1926, together with interest computed at the rate of 4 per centum per annum compounded on June

30 of each fiscal year, but such interest shall not be included for any period during which the employee was separated from the service. All employees who may hereafter be brought within the purview of this Act may elect to make such deposits in installments during the continuance of their service in such amounts and under such conditions as may be determined in each instance by the Civil Service Commission. The amount so deposited, less $1 for each month, or major fraction thereof, of service after the effective date of this Act, shall be credited to the employee's individual account, as provided in section 12 (a) hereof [5 U. S. C., sec. 724a]. Upon making such deposit the employee shall be entitled to credit for the period or periods of service involved: Provided, That failure to make such deposit shall not deprive the employee of credit for any past service rendered prior to August 1, 1920, to which he or she would otherwise be entitled. (July 3, 1926, sec. 9, 44 Stat. 910; May 29, 1930, sec. 9, 46 Stat. 475; Apr. 7, 1933, Executive Order 6670; 5 U. S. C., sec. 736b.)

240. Deductions and donations.-Beginning as of July 1, 1926, there shall be deducted and withheld from the basic salary, pay, or compensation of each employee to whom this Act applies a sum equal to 32 per centum of such employee's basic salary, pay, or compensation. The amounts so deducted and withheld from the basic salary, pay, or compensation of each employee shall, in accordance with such procedure as may be prescribed by the Comptroller General of the United States, be deposited in the Treasury of the United States to the credit of the "civil-service retirement and disability fund" created by the Act of May 22, 1920, and said fund is hereby appropriated for the payment of annuities, refunds, and allowances as provided in this Act.'

The Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized and empowered in carrying out the provisions of this Act to supplement the individual contributions of employees with moneys received in the form of donations, gifts, legacies, or bequests, or otherwise, and to receive, deposit, and invest for the purposes of this Act all moneys which may be contributed by private individuals or corporations or organizations for the benefit of civil-service employees generally.

Every employee coming within the provisions of this Act shall be deemed to consent and agree to the deductions from salary, pay, or compensation as provided herein, and payment less such deductions shall be a full and complete discharge and acquittance of all claims and demands whatsoever for all regular services rendered by such employee during the period covered by such payment, except the right to the benefits to which he shall be entitled under the provisions of this Act, notwithstanding the provisions of sections 167, 168, and 169 of the Revised Statutes of the United States, and of any other law, rule, or regulation affecting the salary, pay, or compensation of any person or persons employed in the civil service to whom this Act applies. (May 22, 1920, secs. 8, 9, 41 Stat. 618; July 3, 1926, sec. 10, 44 Stat. 910; May 29, 1930, sec. 10, 46 Stat. 475; 5 U. S. C., secs. 719, 721, 722.)

241. Investment and accounts.-The Secretary of the Treasury shall invest from time to time, in interest-bearing securities of the United States or Federal farm-loan bonds, such portions of the "civil