Short Description: PENCD-DNST FIRE-SECONDARY EMPT
Senate Sponsors
Sen. Melinda Bush and Omar AquinoLast Action
Date Chamber Action 3/9/2017 Senate Placed on Calendar Order of 2nd Reading March 14, 2017 Statutes Amended In Order of Appearance
40 ILCS 5/4-118 from Ch. 108 1/2, par. 4-118
30 ILCS 805/8.41 new Synopsis As Introduced
Amends the Downstate Firefighter Article of the Illinois Pension Code. Requires a unit of local government that employs a firefighter who is a full-time firefighter in a different downstate firefighter pension fund to make specified contributions to that downstate firefighter pension fund. Requires a specified additional contribution to the pension fund from that firefighter’s primary employer. Establishes reporting requirements. Authorizes the State comptroller to intercept State funds in the event the unit of local government does not make its required contribution to the primary employer’s downstate pension fund. Amends the State Mandates Act to require implementation without reimbursement. Effective immediately.Senate Committee Amendment No. 1
Removes provisions requiring the primary employer to make an additional contribution. Adds a provision requiring the secondary employer to deduct an amount equal to 9.455% of the salaries and wages paid to the secondary employee and, concurrent with the certification of a specified report, shall contribute an amount equal to 9.455% of the salaries and wages paid to the secondary employee to the primary employer’s pension fund for deposit to the credit of the pension fund. Specifies that the required contributions apply beginning on the first day of the primary employer’s pension fund’s first fiscal year beginning on or after the effective date of the amendatory Act.
thanks Scott
#1 by Patrick on April 19, 2017 - 8:17 PM
Interesting comments so far. First, not too many fire departments that are part time, could afford a full-time department, since the passage of things like two-in two-out. Second, if someone gets hurt anywhere,doing anything, they can get the disability pension, for not being injured on the job, so I’m not sure why that is relevant. I could be walking down the street, get hit by a car, and get that benefit. Third, this will push many towns to go the contract route, which is not good for full time firefighters anywhere. If, and thus is a big of, if they want another employer to pay 9.45% and the firefighter to pay another 9.45% on that part-time salary, then they should be offering a pension based off of that combined salary, if not, they are simply robbing the firefighter of those contributions. That same firefighter, if they choose to work a different part-time job, could be getting benefits (401K etc) from that other job, just because they choose to volunteer/paid-on-call/part-time somewhere else, protecting that town, doesn’t mean they should be penalized.
#2 by MikeB on April 19, 2017 - 6:31 PM
So, if cancer is one of your big concerns, due to carcinogens, then maybe we should stop letting guys teach? What about mechanics or metal workers, which also have high rates of cancer?
#3 by Jim on April 18, 2017 - 8:04 AM
Bill and Mike B,
As a taxpayer that is fed up with all of these taxpayer funded mandates I agree with you. How do these unneeded cancer protections pass when even the firefighters don’t believe them? I ask you to talk to your union bosses to get these unneeded laws repealed.
#4 by Mike on April 17, 2017 - 1:21 PM
This is my opinion and my opinion only. I didn’t write the bill so I cannot speak on what their opinion is. Do guys work on the side doing other trades? Yes. What happens if they get sick or injured doing that side work. It is up to the pension board to decide what the relief is, but if you’re working at another department and you get injured it’s not always clear cut. Let me ask you this? If you’re working at another department for 15.00 an hour and no benefits tell me why your full time employer should pay you more then that and why should you get any benefits above and beyond what you get at the other department? When you work at the other department do you do less then what you do at your “real” job? Do you only give 50% effort because they’re paying you less? This law is no different then if your employer enforced a residency rule or no tobacco rule or any other rule. please show me the cancer and injury rates for people working in the trades? I would bet that our cancer and injury rates if put on the same scale are higher due to the consistent exposures and repedative functions we do. As for the line you ask. It’s gotta start somewhere. When you ask for your raise or increase in benefits does your employer compare you to a mechanic or garbage man? No you get compared to other fire departments.
#5 by MikeB on April 17, 2017 - 10:32 AM
So Mike, what happens when you get sick or injured at your side job doing concrete or carpentry? why is the line is drawn at working for another fire department?
#6 by Mike on April 16, 2017 - 12:33 PM
Read the bill Bill. Your part time job isn’t paying anything. You the employee will be paying the entire 28%. If you feel that working at another fire department is so important then I guess that’s the price you pay. Why should the taxpayers at your full time job have to worry about you getting injured or sick from working at your part time fire job and the part time fire job not have any obligation to the pension you would receive. Do you think it would be fair to the taxpayers at your full time job to foot the bill for your disability pension if you were injured from working at the other fire department?
#7 by Bill on April 16, 2017 - 12:08 AM
You are ### backwards. So my part time job should pay my primary employer for the pension they are suppose to provide. So another act of robbing Peter to Pay Paul.
#8 by Mike on April 14, 2017 - 12:28 PM
it’s not hurting anyone. it’s about protecting what we have. nobody is saying that you shouldn’t have a pension because you’re doing carpentry work on your days off. people are saying if you’re willing to work somewhere else for less money, no benefits and no pension why should we give you these for your full time job?
#9 by Bill on April 13, 2017 - 2:58 PM
Really. SO lets do this for every union career that a firefighters does on the side. Oh wait that may hurt their side jobs. God forbid we hurt the firefighters that work as carpenters, plumbers, electricians, etc…
#10 by Mike on April 13, 2017 - 10:53 AM
bill your comment is laughable. this bill protects the full time firemen from losing pension benefits and protects the pension funds themselves. how many part time departments in illinois could afford full time firemen but choose not to because they have firemen working for less wages and no benefits at another department? that in itself devalues the job. what about the guy who injures himself working at the other department and can’t come back to work? why should the full time departments residents pay for a 50% disability pension when the injury didn’t happen at their real job? or if the guy gets sick from cancer? the current laws, that were fought very hard for, would bring this into question. did the cancer come from your full time job or the part time job. Nationally there is a shortage of firefighters and it’s being masked by guys working at multiple departments. maybe if the shortage actually shows up in real numbers communities can aggressively work for better funding. There are 2 revision to this bill. 1. is the employee will pay the entire contribution and the other is towns with a population of less then 5000 will be exempt. From reading the bill the goal seems to be not to cripple the smaller departments but it seems to be working towards protecting the pension funds. As for closing departments, no one is going to close and regarding the other trades you bring up it’s not comparable. currently the presumptive laws cover several injuries and illness’s and the redundant work or exposure while working multiple fire departments increases the exposure.
#11 by Bill on April 11, 2017 - 1:41 PM
How many fire departments would close because of this bill. Also if this did happen, every time a firefighter then does another union (Carpenter, electrician, plumber, etc.). They need to pay the same to the pension. What a way to hurt peopel trying to provide for their families.