Enhanced retirement: A growing club [181k GIF]
Posted on 09/04/2004 9:08:09 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
California Highway Patrol Commissioner D.O. "Spike" Helmick, who has criticized fellow officers who too liberally used past injuries to beef up their retirement benefits, is seeking that type of lucrative pension himself.
On Friday, neither Helmick nor the state retirement system would describe the injuries involved.
But in workers' compensation cases Helmick filed during the past three years, the 59-year-old commissioner said he injured his back falling off his office chair and hurt his knee riding a stationary bike. The cases also cited the cumulative effects of traffic accidents and scuffles.
The commissioner is seeking an industrial disability retirement after 35 years on the job. Such special retirements are available only to public safety workers whose on-the-job injuries make them incapable of performing their duties.
If it's granted by the California Public Employees' Retirement System, the pension would shield half Helmick's $131,412 retirement from income taxes. That would give him considerably more income in retirement than he received when working.
In recent months, Helmick has expressed skepticism about officers who make injury claims at the end of long careers, especially when the injury was not sudden or traumatic but instead resulted from the wear-and-tear of the job.
"It's amazing that they can do the job till the day when the magical wand is waved and they're at the top of their retirement benefit," he said in an interview with The Bee in April.
(Excerpt) Read more at sacbee.com ...
Not to mention that tumor on his left nipple from carrying that bullet in his pocket for 35 years.
Enhanced retirement: A growing club [181k GIF]
To people who do not know:
What the Commissioner is trying to do WAS standard practice.
A man would get promoted to the rank of Chief or Assistant Chief. He would spend 9 months to a year working in that position, and then go off on " 4800 Time".
4800 Time= California State Law states that if you are a peace officer (lately, they have been adding groups in there, like dishwashers in State Prisons), you get a FULL YEAR'S SALARY IF YOU ARE INJURED-before you have to either return to work or retire on disability.
So, you get a full year off, then retire on " disability". Why? If you take a disability retirement, you do NOT pay taxes on your pension.
Again, that used to be. Change? It is a FELONY to claim a false work connected injury.
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