Dispatcher Parity With NYS Civil Service Retirement

[x635 4,066]

Why is it that Firefighters and Police Officers in NYS can retire after 20 years under civil service laws, yet 911 Dispatchers that fall under civil service laws can't until what, 30 years?

[10512 214]

It has to do with the different retirement systems in NYS. Your retirement depends upon the system and title you are in.

Edited January 12, 2014 by 10512

[thebreeze 194]

Maybe it has something to do with the different physical requirements and stressors placed upon your body throughout a career. Exposures to an IDLH or physical violence. I know dispatchers have an extremely difficult job, but physically and mentally a body can only handle so much of extremely rigorous physically and mentally demanding duty, and the bodies and minds of firefighters and police officers out on the street will reach this threshold far before dispatchers will.

[Dinosaur 844]

New police officers and firefighters no longer have 20 year retirements so this is really a moot point.

Tier 6 eliminated that.

[LTFIREPRG 154]

Teir 6 did not eliminate 20 year retirement for new police officer or firefighters.

Membership Milestones for Police & Fire Retirement System (PFRS) Members

Tier 6 PFRS 20-Year Retirement Plan (Article 22)

Before Retirement:

• Immediately upon joining the system, you are covered by certain job-related death and disability benefits.
• After 90 days of service credit, you are covered by a non-job-related death benefit.
• With 10 years of service credit, you become vested and are entitled to a monthly benefit.
  • Members who retire directly from the payroll may apply for and receive their benefit as early as age 55.
  • Members who are off public payroll may collect a vested benefit at age 63.

• With 10 or more years of service credit, you are:
  • Eligible to apply for a non-job-related disability benefit.
  • Eligible for an out-of-service death benefit, if you leave public employment and die prior to your retirement.

• With 20 years of service creditable in your special plan, you are eligible to retire at any age.
• If your employer has adopted Section 384-e, you will receive an additional benefit for each year of special plan service credit over 20 years.
• A maximum of 32 years of service credit can be used in your pension calculation.
• With 20 years of service credit (32 years if your employer has adopted Section 384-e), you are no longer required to contribute.
• If you are 55 or older at retirement and your regular plan benefit is greater than your special plan benefit, you will receive the higher benefit.

After Retirement:

• After you retire and begin collecting a monthly benefit, you will receive annual cost-of-living (COLA) increases when you meet eligibility requirements.

(Return to Top)

Tier 6 PFRS 25-Year Retirement Plan (Article 22)

Before Retirement:

• Immediately upon joining the system, you are covered by certain job-related death and disability benefits.
• After 90 days of service credit, you are covered by a non-job-related death benefit.
• With 10 years of service credit, you become vested and are entitled to a monthly benefit.
  • Members who retire directly from the payroll may apply for and receive their benefit as early as age 55.
  • Members who are off public payroll may collect a vested benefit at age 63.

• With 10 or more years of service credit, you are:
  • Eligible to apply for a non-job-related disability benefit.
  • Eligible for an out-of-service death benefit, if you leave public employment and die prior to your retirement.

• With 25 years of service creditable in your special plan, you are eligible to retire at any age.
• If your employer has adopted Section 384(f) and you have elected it, you will receive an additional benefit for each year of special plan service credit over 25 years.
• A maximum of 32 years of service credit can be used in your pension calculation.
• With 25 years of service credit, (32 years if your employer offers and you elected Section 384(f)), you are no longer required to contribute.
• If you are 55 or older at retirement and your regular plan benefit is greater than your special plan benefit, you will receive the higher benefit.

After Retirement:

• After you retire and begin collecting a monthly benefit, you will receive annual cost-of-living (COLA) increases when you meet eligibility requirements.

[firecapt32 282]

Paul

now that you have confused everyone in here can you say it in a manner that we all understand--no wit I do understand it keep that COLA coming.

[AFS1970 504]

It is entirely sue to the us and them mentality that is still present in most departments.

Despite the fact that dispatching is more and more of a technical specialty now, it is still considered by a good number of police officers and firefighters as something any idiot can do. A good job for your kid who can't pass the agility or your cousins simple minded nephew who just got out of jail. Some just see it as a place for their wives or girlfriends who just like to listen to scanners and want to feel like they are involved. Maybe as a stepping stone for someone on "the list" until they get called for their real job. Even more are upset that they can no longer use the dispatch center to hide the sick, lame and lazy, while they wait for their 20 year pensions.

Most of the public does not even know that dispatchers exist, if they call the fire phone they think they are speaking to a firefighter and if they call the police phone they think they are speaking to a police officer. Even if I answer the phone with my title of Dispatcher, I am often called officer, inspector, detective or some other title. Sometimes I think caller for EMS calls think I have to hang up quick to go drive the ambulance. There is little or no public education because most of us are divisions of larger departments and they refuse to include us in those efforts. Think back to school career day, ever see a dispatcher come and talk about their job? Yet if you suggested a career day without a firefighter or police officer the school would freak out.

[thebreeze 194]

It is entirely sue to the us and them mentality that is still present in most departments.

Despite the fact that dispatching is more and more of a technical specialty now, it is still considered by a good number of police officers and firefighters as something any idiot can do. A good job for your kid who can't pass the agility or your cousins simple minded nephew who just got out of jail. Some just see it as a place for their wives or girlfriends who just like to listen to scanners and want to feel like they are involved. Maybe as a stepping stone for someone on "the list" until they get called for their real job. Even more are upset that they can no longer use the dispatch center to hide the sick, lame and lazy, while they wait for their 20 year pensions.

Most of the public does not even know that dispatchers exist, if they call the fire phone they think they are speaking to a firefighter and if they call the police phone they think they are speaking to a police officer. Even if I answer the phone with my title of Dispatcher, I am often called officer, inspector, detective or some other title. Sometimes I think caller for EMS calls think I have to hang up quick to go drive the ambulance. There is little or no public education because most of us are divisions of larger departments and they refuse to include us in those efforts. Think back to school career day, ever see a dispatcher come and talk about their job? Yet if you suggested a career day without a firefighter or police officer the school would freak out.

So it's ENTIRELY due to attitude? I don't think so. How about the marked difference between the physical and hazardous aspects of these professions? How about higher rates of cancer? How about the chance of dying each tour? No, that can't play any role right? I respect the difficult and demanding job that dispatchers do day in and day out, more often than not understaffed and overworked just like the rest of us, but I can't believe that the difference in retirement age is simply because of an attitude and the lack of public education. I know many dispatchers and they are extremely dedicated, intelligent, motivated people who are good at what they do. There are marked legitimate differences between the professions and their effects on your health and wellbeing and any implication otherwise just sounds like sour grapes.

[spin_the_wheel 460]

Why is it that Firefighters and Police Officers in NYS can retire after 20 years under civil service laws, yet 911 Dispatchers that fall under civil service laws can't until what, 30 years?

Seth years ago...maybe 10-15 there was a state wide push and I think a bill for 20 year retirement (or maybe it was 25) for 911 ops and dispatchers in NY State. It got as far as Pataki's desk and he killed it.

[Remember585 815]

Seth years ago...maybe 10-15 there was a state wide push and I think a bill for 20 year retirement (or maybe it was 25) for 911 ops and dispatchers in NY State. It got as far as Pataki's desk and he killed it.

I think it was 25 and it was accepted by the State but had to be done on local levels - where in Westchester it was denied. I could be wrong.

[AFS1970 504]

There are marked legitimate differences between the professions and their effects on your health and well being and any implication otherwise just sounds like sour grapes.

While there are stark differences in the jobs, I don't believe any of these have ever been brought up in negotiations over pensions. If this were the case why does EMS not have all the same benefits that other field personnel does?

It is all well and good to talk about respect, but when push comes to shove dispatchers get the table scraps left over after the "real" contracts are negotiated.

[MPG1 48]

NYC has 25 year retirement for dispatchers and ems. I don't know of any other city or county in NY State that has same retirement. That was for a Tier 4 or earlier. I'm not sure about Tier 5 and 6.