Vera 4
Gaja Starks
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Voluntary Early Retirement Authority (VERA) allows agencies that are undergoing substantial restructuring, reshaping, downsizing, transfer of function, or reorganization to temporarily lower the age and service requirements in order to increase the number of employees who are eligible for retirement. The authority encourages more voluntary separations and helps the agency complete the needed organizational change with minimal disruption to the work force. By offering these short term opportunities, an agency can make it possible for employees to receive an immediate annuity years before they would otherwise be eligible.
An agency must request VERA and receive approval from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) before the agency may offer early retirement to its employees. The approval from OPM will stipulate a period of time during which the option will remain available. Agencies such as the Department of Defense that have been granted agency-specific VERA are not required to seek OPM approval for their use of this option.
Voluntary Early Retirement offers apply to employees covered under both the Civil Service Retirement System (CSRS) and the Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS). When an agency has received VERA approval from OPM, an employee who meets the general eligibility requirements may be eligible to retire early. The employee must:
Employees considering an early retirement must consult with their human resources office and follow agency procedures to receive an annuity estimate and obtain advice specific to their personal situation.
There is no annuity reduction in FERS for employees who retire on an early voluntary retirement under age 55. A FERS transferee with a CSRS component in his/her annuity, who retires before age 55, will have the CSRS portion of the payable annuity reduced by one-sixth of one percent for each full month he/she is under age 55. No reduction will be applied to the FERS component of the annuity.
A FERS annuity supplement is payable to an employee who has completed at least one calendar year of FERS service when he/she reaches Minimum Retirement Age (MRA). MRA is age 55 to 57, depending on date of birth. The annuity supplement is payable until eligibility for Social Security begins at age 62, subject to an earnings limitation.
Health Benefits: Employees retiring in conjunction with a VERA or Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment (VSIP) authority must have been covered under the FEHB Program (1) for the last 5 years of their Federal civilian service in order to continue such coverage in retirement, or (2) if less than 5 years, for all service since the employee was eligible for these benefits unless these requirements are waived.
Life Insurance: Federal Employees Group Life Insurance can be continued through the retirement system provided the employee has carried the coverage for at least five years prior to retirement. Value and cost depend on elections made at retirement.
As with any incentive, when approved by OPM, this authority is used at the discretion of the agency. Each agency must develop a VERA plan to explain why the authority is needed, how it will be implemented, and which employees will be eligible.
Non-Federal employment: Employees who take voluntary early retirement are not subject to any restrictions regarding their annuity, should they subsequently accept non-Federal employment. EXCEPTION: Employees covered under FERS who qualify for the annuity supplement could have the supplement reduced or discontinued due to an earnings limitation.
Federal employment: If an annuitant (i.e., a retired Federal employee) is hired under a Federal appointment, the annuitant is then considered a "reemployed annuitant." This means the annuity will continue, and the new Federal salary will be offset by the annuity amount, unless the employing agency seeks and is granted a waiver of the salary offset by OPM. If the reemployed annuitant works full time for at least one year, the annuitant may apply for a supplemental annuity. If the reemployed annuitant works full time for at least five years, the annuitant may then choose either a supplemental annuity or a re-computed annuity.
Over the years, VERA has evolved into more than just a catering company. We can handle most aspects of your Masters Tournament entertainment needs, from staffing to transportation, from housing to beverage handling. Today, VERA can be your one vendor for all things Masters Week so you can fully enjoy your time in Augusta.
By working with private chefs from all over the south, we are able to provide menu options that reflect the foods of the region and suit your Masters Week entertaining style. With options ranging from a casual buffet to intimate family style, from full breakfast to a formal plated dinner, we can meet your needs regardless of party size or type.
Make your guests feel right at home with some custom golf-themed cookies, gift baskets, bedside flower arrangements, branded merchandise, or locally roasted coffee. Let us put the final touches on your Masters Week program that make a good week an unforgettable one.
Our carefully-selected staff is well-trained under Vera so they can provide the highest level of service possible. Staffing capabilities include chefs, servers, bartenders, greeters, bussers, drivers, and photographers.
Once we know the level of entertaining you want to accomplish, we will provide the perfect look to set the tone for your guests. From fresh floral arrangements to tablescapes that tie your entire Masters Week program together, we love to exceed your expectations.
Polycythemia vera (PV) is a chronic, progressive myeloproliferative neoplasm (MPN) primarily characterized by an elevation of the red blood cells. The disease is most common in men over the age of 60, but anyone can develop PV. PV patients typically experience an elevated leukocyte (white blood cell) count, an elevated platelet count and an enlarged spleen, especially over time.
Watch an overview video of the diagnosis, presenting symptoms, disease course, and treatment options of polycythemia vera for patients, their caregivers, and their loved ones created by Dr. Ruben A. Mesa and Dr. Robyn M. Scherber of UT Health San Antonio, MD Anderson Cancer Center.
View Nutrition Recommendations for MPN Patients, created by Dr. Robyn Scherber, MD; Dr. Ruben Mesa, MD; Ryan Eckert, MS, Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio MD Anderson MPN Quality of Life Study Group.
JAK2 mutation
Approximately 95% of all PV patients have a mutation of the JAK2 gene in their blood-forming cells. This mutation leads to hyperactive JAK (Janus kinase) signaling, causing the body to make the wrong number of blood cells.
For many patients, PV is initially diagnosed after a routine complete blood count (CBC) reveals in increase in the red blood cells, sometimes in conjunction with an increase in white blood cells and/or platelets.
In other instances, the initial diagnosis occurs when a physician identifies signs of the disease (e.g., redness to the complexion, blood clotting or an increase in the size of the spleen) during a routine medical examination.
Gene mutation analysis of blood cells
Approximately 95% of PV patients test positive for a JAK2 gene mutation. An analysis of red blood cells may also indicate a low erythropoietin level (a hormone involved in red blood cell production).
Approximately 15% of PV patients develop myelofibrosis, a progressive bone marrow disorder that results in bone marrow scarring, severe anemia, and enlargement of the liver and spleen. This change can be heralded by the onset of anemia, or a low red blood count, as opposed to high red blood counts, and a significant increase in the size of the spleen). In a smaller number of cases, PV may progress to acute leukemia (AML).
Additional complications that can occur with PV include arterial thromboses (heart attacks, strokes, intestinal gangrene), venous thromboses (of the portal and/or hepatic veins), or pulmonary embolism.
Many of the treatment options for PV are designed to manage the disease by returning hematocrit levels to normal values. However, the circumstances are different for every PV patient and asymptomatic patients may not require treatment for extended periods of time. Routine monitoring by a physician is recommended for all PV patients, regardless of symptoms.
Low-Dose Aspirin
Most, if not all PV sufferers are prescribed a low-dose aspirin treatment. Since aspirin prevents platelets from sticking together, it reduces the occurrence of blood clots that can cause life-threatening heart attacks or strokes.
Combined with low-dose aspirin, the regular maintenance of a hematocrit below .45 for men and .42 for women is currently accepted as a non-leukomegenic approach and a first choice treatment for recently diagnosed, low-risk PV patients.
If phlebotomy and low-dose aspirin are not effective or appropriate, or if a patient is consider higher risk for blood clotting, physicians may prescribe medicine to lower red blood count and relieve symptoms, including:
Jakafi (ruxolitinib)
Jakafi is the first FDA-approved treatment for PV patients who have an inadequate response to or cannot tolerate hydroxyurea. Jakafi inhibits the JAK 1 and 2 enzymes that are involved in regulating blood and immunological functioning. It also helps decrease the occurrence of an enlarged spleen (splenomegaly) and the need for phlebotomy. Patients do not need to be JAK2 positive to take Jakafi, though the great majority with PV harbor this mutation.