How much notice?

[pulicords]

How much in advance should I advise my department regarding my retirement date? One month, two, three.....? I really need some good advice as I haven't done this sort of thing before (retired). :confused:

[GoldBadge]

Some agencies require that you notify them a certain period of time in advance so they can properly process your paperwork. In the feds, they recommend a month. More is probably better.

[StationHound]

It might be a good idea to run it past human resources. If you have enough time in to retire, it should not be a surprise to anyone that you are considering it.

I think I have to declare my intention about six months prior to when I decide I want to retire, so that my benefits can be coordinated, unused sick leave converted to a medical savings plan, etc. Retiring is not like quitting, so it is obviously viewed and handled differently.

You are talking about retiring though, not just quitting/resigning, right?
If you are just moving along to another job, and not in reality "retiring", sometimes you can hurt yourself with more than an acceptable two to three weeks notice.

[pulicords]

Talking about retiring, as in maxed out for full benefits. I've been thinking about the general time period for a couple of years, but now I'm closing in on the actual date (day). My wife, friends, co-workers and managers keep asking me "when?" and although I'm really hesitant to make the firm commitment, I've got a date in mind. I'm just wondering how much notice should I give to be fair to them, as well as getting everything in order (paperwork wise).

[Dinosaur32]

Check with the folks at your retirement system. They must have some schedule that needs to be followed to insure that your paperwork is processed properly. Also, some departments requirte the chief's permission for an officer to retire (to make sure you're not on charges). Does yours? Here in NY it took 7 months for the state system to complete my processing before I got my actual pension check. Good luck and congratulations on getting out in one piece!!

[GoldBadge]

I'm just wondering how much notice should I give to be fair to them, as well as getting everything in order (paperwork wise).

If you're dept is big check with HR how much time they need to process you and then you set the date. If it's a small dept., you can talk to HR (or the equivalent) and then your superiors to determine how much time they need to fill your position.

Remember one thing, if you're retiring, you've paid your dues, now it's time for the dept to give back to you. Ultimately, do what is in YOUR best interests.

[just joe]

As much as possible. If you know six months in advance, let them know. If one day you wake up and decide today is the day, let them know you are turning in your papers.

[ateamer]

Check with PERS. They will probably recommend a timeline so that there is no gap in paychecks.

[PhilipCal]

My agency had a pretty definite timeline for notification. It was in the neighborhood of a month. It was my responsibility to notify my Division Chief through the chain of command. It was also my responsibility to notify the RSA (Retirement Systems of Alabama) and actually make application for the start of my annuity. You might also want to take a look at your Annual Leave balance, and sick leave balance. I had the option of taking almost 300 hrs of annual leave as terminal leave or being paid for it. I opted to take the leave, as the IRS hasn't figured out how to tax time. Had I opted to be paid for the unused leave, both the IRS and the Alabama Dept of Revenue would have gotten their respective cuts. Each person's situation is a little different, so take a good long look at your own. Reaching retirement is a major milestone. From my personal perspective, I'm really enjoying mine. Best of luck to you as you enter this new phase.

[Frank Booth]

How much in advance should I advise my department regarding my retirement date? One month, two, three.....? I really need some good advice as I haven't done this sort of thing before (retired).

You're kidding, right? Just rubbing it in???

How much notice did they give you when they hired you? Give them that much. I'm thinking more along the lines of two weeks, max.

[1042 Trooper]

Once you know you've got in in the bag, brace one in the chief's pencil drawer.

That aughta be enough notice. :D

[SammyCal1]

If you have a contract, check it. Also, you may want to check local ordinances regarding retirement and notice.

Good luck

Sammy

[smith0096]

I've asked my guys to give me two weeks prior to announcing the two week notice. I've always liked being ahead of the mayor.

[L-1]

CalPERS only took two months to process my service retirement pending approval of disability retirement, but they took two years and six months to process the disability retirement itself. First, give them a call, tell them what your intentions are and they will tell you when to put in your papers with them. If you give them a specific retirement date, they will also give you an estimate of your actual retirement amount and options. Depending on whether you are highest single year, highest three years, and what counts towards final compensation under your contract, what you expected to collect and what you wind up collecting may turn out to be two different figures. Be sure to ask for an estimate with all options. This will tell you how much your wife will get if you die after retiring. There are several different options - the more you get now, the less she gets if you pass on and vice versa. Better to get over the shock now.

CalPERS also puts on a day long class for people about to retire. You really need to take a day off from work and attend (it's free) . They will teach you all the tricks of the trade on how to enhance your pension. For example, you will learn that working 10 months or more counts as a full year. This means working for 29 years and 10 months counts the same as working for 30 years, allowing you to bail out two months earlier that you thought. Also, retiring on December 31st gets you one year closer to your first cost of living raise than if you retire the next day on January 1st. They put out lots of valuable information at this seminar. In fact, its such a big deal that my Captain routinely ordered anyone who reached minimum retiremnent age to attend, just so they could learn how to maximize their pension $ when they decided it was time to bail.

As far as your agency is concerned, talk to HR and your Commander at least two months out. If you are in a specialized position rather than patrol, or hold rank, it will ease the burden of replacing you at the last minute. A couple of years back, we had a Sergeant who did nothing but travel the state teaching emergency preparedness, crime prevention and first aid. He maintained his own schedule and was routinely out of the office for 7 to 10 days at a time. One day, someone realized that nobody had seen him for about a month. Someone else noticed that his take home car had been parked in the garage for a while as well. Concerned, they called his house and found him at home. When they asked if everything was ok, he enthusiastically said things were wonderful. They asked when he would be back in the office and he said, never. When they asked why, he said he retired a month ago and that they could find all his department issued gear locked in his desk. It took a couple of months for them to screen a replacement, schedule new classes and get everything back on track. Don't do that to your department.

Remember too, your POA may want to hold a retirement dinner for you. They take a while to put together, advertise and sell tickets for. You may need to give more than two months notice for them to hold the dinner prior to your retirement date.

[pulicords]

L-1 and all, thanks for the advice. I've already been to the CalPERS seminar and also took advantage of their financial advice briefing. I know that once I put my papers in with CalPERS, I've got to retire within 90 days. I'm just not sure if I should give plan to do this at the max (3 months), 2 or just one month.

I'm currently working as a uniformed patrol supervisor and am not sure about wanting any kind of going away "event", short of maybe buying pizza for the Watch on my last shift. We've had some "mega-productions" for management that recently left and to tell the truth, I felt really uncomfortable with the degree of expense and grandeur that took place. Not that I'm on that level (just a "working" sergeant), but I really don't want any kind of show.

Perhaps, I'm more than just a little nervous about "pulling the pin", but I neither want to just walk out and fail to give "sufficient" notice or make it official and get the feeling I'm just "deadwood" over the time I've got left. Conflicted? Yea, but that's why I thought getting some suggestions from outside the office was a good idea.