H.R. 7706 — Federal Retirement Safety Act

This section amends notice and consent requirements under the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS, 5 U.S.C. §8342(j)) and Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS, 5 U.S.C. §8424(b))—which generally require spousal or former spousal notice and consent before paying a lump-sum credit (i.e., return of employee contributions upon separation from service before retirement eligibility)—to permit waivers protecting victims of domestic violence. Specifically, for both systems, it (1) allows waiver of notice if the spouse or former spouse committed a domestic violence crime (as defined in 18 U.S.C. §3561(b)) against the employee or Member within the prior year and notice poses a safety risk to the employee, Member, or any other person, based on the employee's or Member's written self-certification to the Office of Personnel Management (OPM); and (2) directs OPM to prescribe regulations allowing lump-sum payment without spousal or former spousal consent to the extent permitted by any applicable court order and necessary for safety under the same criteria (via self-certification), plus procedures for obtaining consent safely when required. The amendments apply prospectively and do not retroactively alter notice or consent already required for lump-sum payments made before enactment.