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Deputy Sheriffs Now Covered Under Hazardous Duty
Effective July 1, 2008, all deputy sheriffs in Virginia became eligible for enhanced benefit coverage for hazardous duty. This is the result of legislation approved by the General Assembly in 2007. If you are a deputy sheriff covered under VRS, you are eligible for an unreduced retirement benefit at age 50 with at least 25 years of service credit or age 60 with at least five years of service credit.
If you have at least 20 years of hazardous duty service when you retire, you also qualify for a supplement to your retirement benefit. Currently, the supplement is $959 per month, paid until you reach full Social Security retirement age.
Two other changes in the legislation went into effect July 1, 2007:
- An increase in the retirement multiplier from 1.7 percent to 1.85 percent for VRS-covered sheriffs and members of the State Police Officers’ Retirement System.
- An option for localities to elect the higher multiplier for other hazardous duty employees, including full-time, salaried sworn law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical technicians and jail officers of regional jails or authorities.
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