House Bill 4877

An act relative to municipal relief

House bill 4877 is now on the Governor’s desk

The two sections that have the most impact on our members are the Early retirement Bill and the Mutual Aide agreement.  Below is a synopsis of the two sections of the bill

 

Early Retirement

·         The Chief Executive officer of the municipality shall limit the total number of participating employees, with preference to those with greater years of creditable service and shall determine which eligible employees may participate. 

·         In order to participate, you need twenty years of service and be paid from the operating budget.

·         The employee must request, in an application for retirement, that the retirement board credit them with additional retirement benefit up to three years in full year increments to years of age or years of creditable service.

·         Must turn over accrued Vacation and Sick time to Pension Fund

     The employee cannot receive over 80% of their annual rate of      compensation 

 

State wide Public Safety
Mutual Aide Agreement

 

·         There shall be a state wide Public Safety Mutual Aide Agreement

·         Cities and Towns have the option to participate or not

·         A request for Mutual Aid may be make orally but a written request must follow

·         The requesting party is responsible for overall operations consistent with the Incident Command System

·         Sending department shall retain direct supervision of their personnel

·         All expenses incurred by sending party shall be paid by sending party however parties may enter into an agreement for reimbursement

·         Requesting party shall seek reimbursement under any applicable federal and state disaster programs

·         While providing Mutual Aid employees of sending party shall be afforded the same powers, duties, rights and privileges as in their own jurisdiction

·         Employees shall receive the same salary including overtime they would be entitled to in their own jurisdiction

·         Employees while in transit to or from will have the same rights of defense, immunity and indemnification   as they would have working in their own jurisdiction

·         This section shall not affect, supersede or invalidate any other statutory or contractual Mutual Aide or assistance agreements involving parties to the agreement including, but limited to, those established pursuant to section 4A or 8G. A party may enter into supplementary Mutual Aid agreements with other parties or jurisdictions