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Enhanced Benefits for Political Subdivision Employees in Hazardous Duty Positions
Hazardous duty supplement (Effective July 1, 2009 - June 30, 2011): $12,456 per year; $1,038 per month
Full-time salaried, sworn VRS-covered sheriffs, deputy sheriffs and jail superintendents and sworn officers of regional jails are eligible for enhanced benefit coverage for hazardous duty. Participating political subdivisions may elect to provide enhanced benefits to other hazardous duty employees, including full-time, salaried sworn law enforcement officers, firefighters and emergency medical technicians.
Eligibility
Political subdivision employees in hazardous duty positions receiving enhanced benefits are eligible for full, unreduced retirement at age 50 with at least 25 years of service credit or age 60 with at least five years of service credit. Those age 50 with at least five years of service credit are eligible for an early, reduced retirement.
Benefit Calculation
The amount of the service retirement benefit for VRS-covered sheriffs is 1.85 percent of average final compensation multiplied by total service credit. For all other employees in local hazardous duty positions, the amount is 1.7 percent of average final compensation multiplied by total service credit. Political subdivisions may elect the 1.85 percent retirement multiplier for these members. In each case, a reduction factor is applied for early retirement. Employees in hazardous duty positions retiring on disability use the 1.7 percent multiplier.
Employees in hazardous duty positions whose employers have elected enhanced benefits may be eligible to receive a supplement to their retirement benefit until they reach full Social Security retirement age. To qualify, they must have at least 20 years of hazardous duty service credit with a VRS-participating employer at retirement. Vested members who joined VRS before July 1, 1974 are not required to meet the 20-year hazardous duty requirement to qualify for the supplement.
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