Senate Passes Bill To Expand Retirement Benefits To Disabled Federal First Responders
The bipartisan bill will allow first responders with disabilities to obtain federal retirement benefits as if they were not disabled.
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After unanimously clearing the senate, the bipartisan First Responder Fair RETIRE Act (H.R. 521) will make its way to the president’s desk, Michael Gennaro reports for Government Executive.
The bill allows disabled federal first responders to continue receiving federal retirement benefits in the same manner as though they had not been disabled.
The law will also allow first responders disabled from workplace injuries and forced to seek other employment in the federal government to continue to pay into the accelerated retirement system and retire after they have served 20 years and reached age 50.
“Our federal firefighters, Capitol Police officers, Secret Service agents, Customs and Border Protections Officers, and other federal law enforcement officials put their lives on the line every day for our fellow Americans,” said Congressman Gerry Connolly (D-VA) in a statement.
“We have a responsibility to uphold our promise to those that are injured on the job and ensure their first responders’ benefits are fully protected. They shouldn’t be penalized, especially when they are still committed to public service.”
Under current law, federal first responders are subject to a mandatory retirement age of 57, which causes them to pay a greater percentage of their salary toward retirement.
First responders covered by the bill include police officers, customs and border protection officers, firefighters, air traffic controllers, nuclear materials couriers, members of the Capitol Police force and members of other related agencies.
A separate bill, the Federal Firefighter Pay Equity Act (H.R 393), that would benefit firefighters and enhance their retirement benefits was introduced last January. Firefighter groups lauded passing of the First Responder Fair RETIRE Act, and are now calling for the Pay Equity Act to pass too.
“Firefighters deserve a dignified retirement,” said Edward A. Kelly, General President of the International Association of Fire Fighters, in a statement. “It is why the International Association of Fire Fighters has supported the First Responders Fair RETIRE Act. Our job is dangerous, and the risk of injury is high. Providing federal firefighters with access to their full retirement benefits if they’re injured on duty is right and fair. ”
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