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Dear Public Safety Members and Employers:
I will soon be holding critical meetings in your area to discuss Senate Bill 1054 – Reemployment of Retired Members – Public Safety Officers, that becomes effective on July 1, 2023.
This bill amends Idaho Statute §59-1356. Under Idaho Statute §59-1356(6), a public safety retired member may return to work in a full-time capacity for any PERSI employer and continue to receive their PERSI retirement benefit, if the following conditions are met:
- Was employed as a public safety member at the time of termination;
- A public safety member is one who had Police Officer Member status, as defined in Idaho Statute §59-1303, or was employed as a Firefighter, as defined in Idaho Statute §59-1302(16).
- Has a date of last contribution on or after July 1, 2023;
- Retired on or after August 1, 2023 and has received a benefit payment;
- Retired on or after age fifty (50);
- Has completed a thirty (30) day break in service from all PERSI employers; and
- A member’s break in service begins the day after the termination of employment.
- Has not been guaranteed or promised reemployment by any PERSI employer.
If the above conditions are satisfied, a retired public safety member may elect to continue receiving benefits and not accrue additional service credit. In this situation, member and employer contributions must be made at the rate established for public safety members. A member does not need to be reemployed as a public safety member, but contributions are required at the public safety member rate regardless of the position the retired public safety member is hired into.
Failure to follow the statute correctly may result in costly consequences to PERSI employers such as owing delinquent contributions and possibly negating the retiree’s PERSI benefit.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Idaho Statute §59-1315 provides that revisions to Idaho Statute are prospective only and that a member’s benefits are determined based upon the terms of the plan on the date of the member’s contribution as an active member. With the effective date of this legislation being July 1, 2023, members who have a date of last contribution and retirement date prior to July 1, 2023 are not eligible to return to work under Idaho Statute §59-1356(6).
I would like to discuss these eligibility requirements as well as the possible cost of return to work to the fund. This is critical information to understand.
If you cannot attend, please designate a representative on your behalf to attend one of these imperative meetings. Individuals who should attend include directors, administrators, management, leadership, HR/Payroll, and Rule of 80 members.
Due to this topic being so important, we anticipate many members attending. Please use the button below to view all meeting times and locations, and RSVP to secure your seat. Locations are subject to change based on responses received.
Please check www.persi.idaho.gov/RSVP to confirm meeting locations. I look forward to meeting in-person to discuss the above information. If you have any questions, please contact my assistant, Eliza Storms, at eliza.storms@persi.idaho.gov or call (208) 287-9506.
Best regards,
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