CONGRATULATIONS! YOU WERE APPROVED YOUR PENSION!
Now down to some work! You will need to make a check list of things to do.
- Last day worked/last day paid: The FDNY must notify NYCERS of this information in order for your application to proceed to the Trustees. If you were on LODI or Workers' Comp, that notification must come from the Workers' Compensation Unit, so call or email Chief Swithers 718-999-1833 or swithej@fdny.nyc.gov and ask him to notify NYCERS of your last day worked and paid. You first must decide an end date to stop your LODI and go on Terminal Leave. See next bullet on this topic. If you were not on LODI or Comp, this information must come from Personnel. Please call the Leave Coordinator, who at the time of this printing was Debra Po (718-999-0607).
- If on LODI, end LODI date: You have to decide when to end your LODI and select a date to start terminal leave. You will need to write a statement to the FDNY Comp Unit stating when you wish to come off LODI and start using your leave balances. Make sure you wait to make any notification until you received a letter from NYCERS advising of you being granted your pension. Do not act on their verbal notification. Also, consider the following when making your decision: the amount of time you have on the books (sick, A/L and Comp), and if it is near January or August. The reason is that your pension application now must travel to the NYCERS Board of Trustees who takes off during those two months. So must time your off payroll date or at least have the Department be able to configure that date without you running off payroll so you can time your application getting to the trustees without you being off payroll too long. You should expect a 1-2 month without pay duration and plan accordingly. See below for more details.
- Call FDNY Personnel Health Benefit Office: 718-999-2196 Ask for a Retiree Health Form. In retirement, the FDNY will no longer handle your health insurance, Office of Labor Relations (OLR) will. Call them at 212-513-0470 for any change you might need to make or benefits in other states. . Worker's Comp coordination: You can collect Comp and pension at the same time if you are out on ¾, but note that you MUST TELL NYCERS, as there will be an offset to your pension. It will still total ¾, it will just come partially from comp and NYCERS. If you do not notify them, you risk having your pension cut until you pay off the overpayment.
- Join DC 37 Retirees Association & Uniformed FDNY EMS Retirees Association
- Return Equipment and ID . Get New Retiree ID card . Ensure receipt of last check by calling payroll
- Call DC37 Health & Security for prescription, vision & dental coverage: If retiring on ¾ or 1/3 the rule is different than for Service Retirement.
Service Retirement
Once you come off active payroll, Health & Security (H&S) benefits are terminated. In order to bring you back up as a retiree, DC37 needs a copy of the 1st advanced pension payment stub and a copy of the Retiree Health Insurance authorization form (that you picked up from FDNY Personnel). If you are concerned that a number of months may elapse before receiving the 1st pension check, you can purchase COBRA from DC37 and the Plan will refund the COBRA payments upon receipt of the required pension stub.
Disability Retirement
Once you are off payroll and have exhausted the H&S disability benefit (you should have applied for DC37 Disability when you were hurt/ill. It basically covers NSC issues, but does extend your benefits for SC), benefits will still terminate and the member has the COBRA option. Once the NYCERS board approves a disability retirement DC37 H&S will accept the NYCERS letter indicating so from the Board to bring up the retiree and re-instate the benefits. Dc37 H&S will follow-up with a request to provide a copy of the pension stub once it is received.
Please note that if a member is on disability and applies for retirement, regular or disability, the DC37 disability benefit is suspended until the retirement is resolved. Many of the retirement dates are retroactive and in these cases there are refunds due the Plan.
- Investigate pension options and talk with a financial planner. You must choose a permanent death benefit option, either to leave money behind for beneficiaries or to take the maximum benefit. You need to take into consideration your ability to qualify for life insurance depending on your age or disability. Taking a option from NYCERS may actually be less expensive in the long run.
Congratulations!
The beginning
Upon notification in writing that you were approved for your pension, call the FDNY Benefits office and request a Retiree Health application. Complete and return it, they will send you a copy; this continues (or reactivates your major medical and hospitalization insurance. See above for more details). If you are on LODI, you need to choose when to end it. Be wary of how much sick and vacation time you have left and note that the NYCERS Trustees do not meet in August or January. Make sure the time you come off payroll is still in a time frame for when they meet or it will further delay your advanced payments. Notify the Comp Unit at BHS in writing with a copy of the NYCERS letter that states you were granted a pension. You need to decide when to end your LODI, do not allow the Department to tell you when to end it, do what is best for you. Advise them of that date, and that you wish to utilize your sick, A/L and Comp time. Also ask them to notify NYCERS of your last day worked and paid, and to copy you with that information or ask Personnel to do this if you were not on Comp or LODI.
Leaving the service
Now is the time to follow the Operating guide procedure "Separating From the Service" 102-14. Return all the required items as specified as if you do not, the FDNY will uphold your last paycheck and may not even tell you they are holding it. Turn in your old ID card, and you will be issued a Retiree ID card. You will receive a letter from NYCERS advising you of your pension being worked on, and they will commence your advanced payments. They may be small, do not be shocked. Simply write them a letter that same day politely telling them that you would appreciate them increasing your payments to at least a 50% due to financial hardship. If you are not getting COMP benefits, advise them it will help. It would expedite your request if you enclosed a copy of your last Workers' Comp Notice of Decision (if you have a comp case) to show you are/are not getting payments. When you get your first small check, send a copy of it with your first letter approving your pension to DC 37 Health & Security. This will reactivate your prescription, vision and dental & podiatry. You can still use MELS, and there is a $1000.00 retiree death benefit, but you are no longer entitled to tuition reimbursement or educational benefits. If you wish to continue receiving the Public Employee Press, join the Retirees Association at DC 37, the yearly dues is small and do not forget to also join the Uniformed EMS Retirees Association by emailing them Join the EMS Retirees.
As an EMS Retiree, you can still assist your local and attend meetings or join them in rallies, etc., in support. If you need help with information about existing pension loans, taking a loan before you retire or are removed from payroll, make an appointment with NYCERS and follow it up with one at DC37 Pension Office. Appointments in person are the best route for answers.
Remember your pension can be directly deposited into your account like your paycheck was. And please remember to log into www.NYCERS.org and make sure your personal information is correct.
At the end of the year, you will receive a 1099 (like a w-2) from NYCERS and for ¾ Retirees it must say that you are tax exempt (taxable income: NONE) or the IRS WILL come looking for you. If it does not, they will need to send you an amended 1099. And do not forget, as a ¾ Retiree you can work with no income limitation after retirement, but if you return to municipal service you could suspend your pension.
Above all else, enjoy your life, your family and your retirement and be well.
