Dunno. Seems like if someone sells back $30K worth of leave x 90% (public safety pension), thats an additional $27K per year of pension for life. That increment is larger than the entire annual pension many private sector works end up getting.
For a public employee making $60-$80/hr, it’s not that hard to accumulate a large pot of unused leave.
I have no issue with the unused leave being paid out, but including it in the pension calculation is absurd. I also think they need a “use it or lose it” rule regarding unused leave time (like most all private companies have). Allowing the accumulation of unused leave without limit is also financially unsound.
Normally what happens with sick leave and vacation payouts is one can take the cash up front when retiring or add it to the pension annuity. In the case of your $30K example, it would increase their pension a couple hundred dollars a month.
Even the military has a use or lose rule, and under those rules you’re charged for Saturdays & Sundays.