Title 5Government Organization and EmployeesRelease 119-73

§8708 Government contributions

Title 5 › Part PART III— - EMPLOYEES › Subpart Subpart G— - Insurance and Annuities › Chapter CHAPTER 87— - LIFE INSURANCE › § 8708

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Employers must pay half of the cost when the Office of Personnel Management buys life insurance for an employee. That share is equal to one-half of what is taken from the employee’s pay for the insurance. The money must come from the same account that pays the employee. If the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives pays the person, that officer may pay the employer’s share from House accounts. If the person is an elected official, the share comes from the fund used to pay other salaries for that office. For people who keep life insurance after they retire or while getting workers’ compensation, the Office of Personnel Management must pay one-half of the amount taken from their annuity or compensation. OPM uses annual appropriations for this. These payments only apply to people who retire or start getting compensation after December 31, 1989, and stop after the calendar month in which the person turns 65. If someone chose a certain alternative coverage, the contribution is treated the same as if they had chosen the basic option. The United States Postal Service must pay these contributions for its employees who retired or began compensation after December 31, 1989.

Full Legal Text

Title 5, §8708

Government Organization and Employees — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)For each period in which an employee is insured under a policy of insurance purchased by the Office of Personnel Management under section 8709 of this title, a sum equal to one-half the amount which is withheld from the pay of the employee under section 8707 of this title shall be contributed from the appropriation or fund which is used to pay him.
(b)When an employee is paid by the Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives, the Chief Administrative Officer may contribute the sum required by subsection (a) of this section from the applicable accounts of the House of Representatives.
(c)When the employee is an elected official, the sum required by subsection (a) of this section is contributed from an appropriation or fund available for payment of other salaries of the same office or establishment.
(d)(1)Except as otherwise provided in this subsection, for each period in which an employee continues life insurance after retirement or while in receipt of compensation under subchapter I of chapter 81 of this title because of disease or injury to the employee, as provided under section 8706(b) of this title, a sum equal to one-half of the amount which is withheld from the employee’s annuity or compensation under section 8707 of this title shall be contributed by the Office from annual appropriations which are authorized to be made for that purpose and which may be made available until expended.
(2)Contributions under this subsection—
(A)shall not be made other than with respect to individuals who retire, or commence receiving compensation, after December 31, 1989;
(B)shall not be made with respect to any individual for months after the calendar month in which such individual becomes 65 years of age; and
(C)shall, in the case of any individual who elects coverage under subparagraph (B) of section 8706(b)(3) of this title, be equal to the amount which would apply under this subsection if such individual had instead elected coverage under subparagraph (A) of such section.
(3)The United States Postal Service shall pay the contributions required under this subsection with respect to any individual who—
(A)first becomes an annuitant by reason of retirement from employment with the United States Postal Service after December 31, 1989; or
(B)commences receiving compensation under subchapter I of chapter 81 of this title (because of disease or injury to the individual) after December 31, 1989, if the position last held by the individual before commencing to receive such compensation was within the United States Postal Service.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Historical and Revision Notes

DerivationU.S. CodeRevised Statutes andStatutes at Large (a), (c)5 U.S.C. 2094(b).Aug. 17, 1954, ch. 752, § 5(b), 68 Stat. 738. (b)2 U.S.C. 128.Aug. 5, 1955, ch. 568, § 101 (4th par. under “Administrative Provisions”), 69 Stat. 513. Standard changes are made to conform with the definitions applicable and the style of this title as outlined in the preface to the report.

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1996—Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 104–186 substituted “Chief Administrative Officer of the House of Representatives, the Chief Administrative Officer may contribute the sum required by subsection (a) of this section from the applicable accounts of the House of Representatives.” for “Clerk of the House of Representatives, the Clerk may contribute the sum required by subsection (a) of this section from the contingent fund of the House.” 1990—Subsec. (d). Pub. L. 101–303 added subsec. (d). 1978—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 95–454 substituted “Office of Personnel Management” for “Civil Service Commission”. 1967—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 90–206 substituted provisions setting the sum to be withheld at one-half the amount withheld from the pay of the employee under section 8707 of this title for provisions setting the sum to be withheld at a rate to be determined by the Commission not to exceed one-half of the amount withheld under section 8707 of this title.

Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

Effective Date

of 1978 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 95–454 effective 90 days after Oct. 13, 1978, see section 907 of Pub. L. 95–454, set out as a note under section 1101 of this title.

Effective Date

of 1967 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 90–206 effective on first day of first pay period which begins on or after sixtieth day following December 16, 1967, see section 405(a) of Pub. L. 90–206, set out as a note under section 8704 of this title. Retroactive Effect of 1967 AmendmentAmendment by Pub. L. 90–206 to have no effect in case of an employee who died, was finally separated, or retired prior to Dec. 16, 1967, see section 405(c) of Pub. L. 90–206, set out as a note under section 8704 of this title.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

5 U.S.C. § 8708

Title 5Government Organization and Employees

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73