SCB417
03-17-2009, 03:15 AM
Similar to a previously posted article...but with some more detail.... might be good news..
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Nassau cops to lose $100G in termination pay under cap
BY CELESTE HADRICK | celeste.hadrick@newsday.com
10:58 PM EDT, March 16, 2009
High-ranking, longtime Nassau police officers eligible to receive as much as a half-million dollars in termination pay would lose at least $100,000 each under payout caps expected to be in place this summer, county officials said Monday.
The caps, which limit termination pay to a maximum of two times a retiring officer's salary, are part of the recent deals County Executive Thomas Suozzi made with Nassau police and detective unions to avoid layoffs.
The two unions had already agreed to caps starting in November, but they agreed to move up the effective date to July 1. Negotiations are continuing with the Superior Officers Association, but Suozzi aides Monday predicted a similar cap would be in place for these high-ranking officers before September.
"I still think the payouts are much higher than I would like," Suozzi said Monday. "But I'm happy we've had this modest success. By moving the cap date up to July and August, we can reach our savings targets without laying people off."
The pay caps are intended to prod the older and highest paid officers to retire, said Dan McCray, Nassau's labor relations director. That would allow the county to hire younger officers at lower salaries and also would enable Nassau to restructure the department, now top heavy with police brass, he said.
"The higher-end people who are leaving at the assistant chief and chief level would lose about $100,000 each" if they retire after the caps are in place, McCray said. "As a result we anticipated record number of retirements throughout the department."
He said the county expects about 225 retirements this year, double the annual average.
A review by Newsday of five top severance payments in 2008 and the five top payouts so far this year shows that three officers would have lost more than $200,000 each in severance if the caps had been in effect when they left. Two others would have lost more than $100,000 each.
And the county would have saved more than $1 million by paying less to just these 10 retirees.
For example, Assistant Chief Paul Tully, who retired last year, received $482,602 in termination pay, which includes such things as accumulated sick, vacation and holiday pay. If the cap had been in effect, Tully would have been limited to $231,546 in severance.
Tully could not be reached for comment. None of the other nine retirees who ranked in the top 10 for severance pay over the past 14 months could be reached.
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With some big retriements coming - maybe a late 09 class???
225 retirements, and maybe more...could leave some big openings for guys that took this test. And if the rumors are true that not many people passed the test...might be good news.
__________________________________________________ _______________
Nassau cops to lose $100G in termination pay under cap
BY CELESTE HADRICK | celeste.hadrick@newsday.com
10:58 PM EDT, March 16, 2009
High-ranking, longtime Nassau police officers eligible to receive as much as a half-million dollars in termination pay would lose at least $100,000 each under payout caps expected to be in place this summer, county officials said Monday.
The caps, which limit termination pay to a maximum of two times a retiring officer's salary, are part of the recent deals County Executive Thomas Suozzi made with Nassau police and detective unions to avoid layoffs.
The two unions had already agreed to caps starting in November, but they agreed to move up the effective date to July 1. Negotiations are continuing with the Superior Officers Association, but Suozzi aides Monday predicted a similar cap would be in place for these high-ranking officers before September.
"I still think the payouts are much higher than I would like," Suozzi said Monday. "But I'm happy we've had this modest success. By moving the cap date up to July and August, we can reach our savings targets without laying people off."
The pay caps are intended to prod the older and highest paid officers to retire, said Dan McCray, Nassau's labor relations director. That would allow the county to hire younger officers at lower salaries and also would enable Nassau to restructure the department, now top heavy with police brass, he said.
"The higher-end people who are leaving at the assistant chief and chief level would lose about $100,000 each" if they retire after the caps are in place, McCray said. "As a result we anticipated record number of retirements throughout the department."
He said the county expects about 225 retirements this year, double the annual average.
A review by Newsday of five top severance payments in 2008 and the five top payouts so far this year shows that three officers would have lost more than $200,000 each in severance if the caps had been in effect when they left. Two others would have lost more than $100,000 each.
And the county would have saved more than $1 million by paying less to just these 10 retirees.
For example, Assistant Chief Paul Tully, who retired last year, received $482,602 in termination pay, which includes such things as accumulated sick, vacation and holiday pay. If the cap had been in effect, Tully would have been limited to $231,546 in severance.
Tully could not be reached for comment. None of the other nine retirees who ranked in the top 10 for severance pay over the past 14 months could be reached.
__________________________________________________ _______________
With some big retriements coming - maybe a late 09 class???
225 retirements, and maybe more...could leave some big openings for guys that took this test. And if the rumors are true that not many people passed the test...might be good news.