Police and fire unions are lauding a last-minute budget move by state lawmakers to make changes to a 2011 law that restricted some retirement benefits for first responders.
“After a relentless 14-year battle to restore fairness and dignity to our retirement system, we have achieved one of the most significant victories in recent history,” Brian Ryll said in a statement last week. Ryll is president of the Professional Fire Fighters of New Hampshire, the union that represents members of Local 3265 in Keene.
The bill restores retirement benefits cut in 2011 for first responders who weren’t yet vested in the system, meaning they hadn’t yet served the period required to be eligible to receive the non-employee portion of their retirement benefits. There was resistance to restoring those benefits in the past year due to the cost, but local and state leaders in the industry say better benefits could help solve recruitment and retention issues departments are facing.
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