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First Responder Fair RETIRE Act Advances Through the Senate
On August 3, the First Responder Fair RETIRE Act, H.R. 521, advanced through the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. NARFE expressed its support for the bill in a letter submitted to the committee a day prior, August 2. Introduced January 28, 2021, by Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-VA, the bill would permit disabled federal first responders who sustained injury or illness on the job to maintain their public safety retirement system benefits should they continue their service in a non-public safety position.
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Under current law, federal first responders, including law enforcement officers, Customs and Border Protection officers and firefighters, pay a higher percentage of their salary toward their annuity to retire either after 20 years of service at age 50 or after 25 years of service at any age with a mandatory separation of service by age 57. However, if a federal first responder sustains an on-thejob injury or illness so that they can no longer continue in their current position, they may become ineligible to receive the public safety worker retirement benefits they were previously entitled to.
The proposed bill would rectify the current law by providing federal first responders with the opportunity to remain in the public safety retirement system should they decide to continue their service outside of their current system. Additionally, should a federal first responder separate from their service prior to receiving their annuity, the bill would provide a refund of their accelerated contributions.
—BY HANNAH MCLAIN, GRASSROOTS AND PROGRAMS ASSISTANT
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