A series of briefings for federal employees on Oahu, Maui and the Big Island will be held from Tuesday through Dec. 8 to provide information about the upcoming transition to replace their nonforeign cost-of-living allowance with locality pay. Reservations are not needed.

“;For years, Hawaii federal employees have received far less in retirement than employees on the mainland doing the same jobs,”; said U.S. Sen. Daniel Akaka in a news release. “;That is ending with this new law. My staff will be traveling around the state to provide information about the changes.”;

Federal employees in Hawaii, Alaska and the U.S. territories currently receive a nonforeign COLA, which is not taxed; but it is not figured into retirement calculations, resulting in lower retirement pay compared with mainland workers.

The new law will phase in locality pay over three years. COLA will phase out more slowly to offset the taxes imposed on locality pay. These provisions are designed to protect take-home pay during the transition, which begins in January, the release said.

Akaka is chairman of the Subcommittee on Oversight of Government Management, the Federal Workforce and the District of Columbia.

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ON THE NET:

» akaka.senate.gov, for details on the COLA changes