2005-09-06 - Laserfiche WebLink

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402 disability for public safety employees due to illness or injury on the job; and extending the social security supplement for public safety employees to the date they become eligible to receive social security. He said the cost of allowing sick leave to determine retirement eligibility would cost $109,000. He noted that the City Manager is recommending that the sick leave issue be deferred until next year's budget, and that the disability enhancement not exclude currently disabled employees as originally proposed. Responding to a question from Ms. Hamilton, Mr. Beck said that there are certain medical conditions that can be caused by the job, including hypertension and blood borne pathogens. Responding to a question from Mr. Caravati, Mr. Beck said he is correct that the disability amendment will cost approximately $60,000, and the cost can increase over time. Responding to a question from Dr. Brown, Mr. Beck said that the employee can continue to receive the disability benefit if they take another job, but it will be offset depending on the threshold amount. He said Worker's Comp would also be offset. Mr. Schilling asked about the practicality of allowing public safety employees to work beyond the 60 year old limit at their request, and asked how this would affect the funding. Mr. Schilling made a motion to approve the disability enhancement for public safety employees and the social security supplement extension for public safety employees, and to defer the sick leave for retirement issue until the budget process as recommended by the City Manager. Ms. Hamilton seconded the motion. Ms. Hamilton asked that the differences between the Virginia Retirement System and the City's system be explained regarding the disability enhancement. Mr. Beck said that VRS offers a number of packages. He said our proposal is similar to State law enforcement. He said it is different in the provision of looking at injury and re-evaluation. Mr. Brown said that the amount of allowance was taken from the VRS provisions for local law enforcement. Mr. Caravati asked what the VRS contribution is for public safety employees for health care and the cost of ours, and Mr. Beck said VRS offers a stipend of $120 a month and the City's is $418 per person per month for each employee. Mr. Caravati asked if there is an enhancement under VRS for public safety for medical, and Mr. Beck said no. Mr. O'Connell said that the benefit calculation for VRS is higher than ours. Mr. Lynch said he has concerns with the public safety retirement amendments. He said the City has a very generous benefit program and costs are escalating every year. He said the benefits costs in this year's budget were significant. He said he is not sure he can support allowing sick leave to be used for retirement as that is a level of generosity he is not sure we should extend. Regarding the disability enhancement, he said the policy of the City has been to make sure the public safety employees have some job. He said he would favor providing workforce development to advance the employee if they have to take a demotion. He said to put an employee on a full disability if they can still work is an injustice to the taxpayer and he cannot support it. Ms. Hamilton asked if the determination for disability is by a medical or other objective opinion, and Mr. Beck said yes, there is a medical evaluation and then a determination made by the Retirement Commission. Ms. Hamilton asked if this determination is subject to review after two years, and Mr. Beck said no.