FHP Retirement

[Unregistered]

How does FHP retirement work? I know it’s FRS, but that concept is a little confusing to me coming from my current agency.

Current agency is a city PD 75% at 20 years, contributing 7% a check. 85% at 25. Vested at 6. Average of last 3 years of service. City OT is pensionable, off duty is not. No health benefits after you retire unless you were hired by a certain date years back which I do not qualify for. So I either have to get a part time job with health benefits or pay out of pocket for a plan after I retire.

Does FHP have health benefits after retirement and what is their pension like at 20, 25 and 30 years? What’s the contribution rate and what is the earliest you can retire? What are the typical union raises like? Is there COLA raises as well? Is State OT pensionable and is there a lot of it? What about regular off duty jobs?

[Unregistered]

The last governor changed the system. It's still 3% per year but you can't retire until 30 years. We don't have cola because any increase to our pay has to be approved by the legislature. We've actually done quite well the last few years though. There is a lot of state overtime. Right now SOAR is 12 hours a week. That goes towards your pension as well. Regular off duty does not go towards your pension. As far as I know, the pay additives go towards it as well. You get 2000 for being on a k9 team, or QRF or a DRE and a few other things. Also, some counties pay an extra 5000 if you live and work there.

[Unregistered]

3% isn’t bad at all. What percentage do you get after the 30 years. There isnt an option to take a lower % at a lower year? Do you still get health after retirement?

Thank you for your reply

[Unregistered]

Also the 12 hours of SOAR, is that mandatory or optional in conjunction with off duty or is it one or the other? Also the 5k in highly in demand counties and the added pay for specialty units are pensionable as well? Are promotions or specialty units hard to come by or is there fairly regular opportunities?

That’s really not that bad. We don’t get added pay for special units, but you’re not 10-65ing either. My current City limits OT unless it’s something like a late 10-15 or flag down or whatever. Best way to get OT is working City events, time and a half or comp. Tons of off duty though.

[Unregistered]

How does FHP retirement work? I know it’s FRS, but that concept is a little confusing to me coming from my current agency.

Current agency is a city PD 75% at 20 years, contributing 7% a check. 85% at 25. Vested at 6. Average of last 3 years of service. City OT is pensionable, off duty is not. No health benefits after you retire unless you were hired by a certain date years back which I do not qualify for. So I either have to get a part time job with health benefits or pay out of pocket for a plan after I retire.

Does FHP have health benefits after retirement and what is their pension like at 20, 25 and 30 years? What’s the contribution rate and what is the earliest you can retire? What are the typical union raises like? Is there COLA raises as well? Is State OT pensionable and is there a lot of it? What about regular off duty jobs?

Comparison (your city v. FRS/FHP):

• city PD: 75% at 20 years / 85% at 25
  FHP/FRS 60% at 20 years / 75% at 25 / 90% at 30
  .
• city PD: employee contributing 7% a check
  FHP/FRS employee contributing 5% a check
  .
• city PD vested at 6 years
  FHP/FRS vested at 8 years
  .
• city PD: average of last 3 years of service
  FHP/FRS average of highest 8 years of service
  .
• city PD: earliest you can retire? unknown
  FHP/FRS: earliest you can retire: age 60 or 30 years of service (whichever comes first)
  .
• City PD: OT is pensionable, off duty is not.
  FHP/FRS: State OT is pensionable, off duty is not.
  .
• City PD: No health benefits after you retire
  FHP/FRS: No health benefits after you retire
  .
• City PD: active-duty guaranteed COLA: unknown
  FHP/FRS active-duty guaranteed COLA: none
  .
• City PD: retirement COLA: unknown
  FHP/FRS retirement COLA: none (state legislature abolished it in the year 2011)

[Unregistered]

Under the new FRS system overtime does not go towards your pension and off duty does not go towards your pension. If you where in the old FRS system then it was 300 hrs of overtime. The new FRS is terrible 30 years and then you can enter the drop if your under 60 years old. No overtime no off duty no cola it’s terrible now.

[Unregistered]

SOAR is not required. You can work it if you want. The specialty pay is actually "stackable" so if you were a DRE and on the QRF then you would get an extra $4,000. Health insurance upon retirement is crazy. I heard the family plan is around $1,400 a month. But while you are working it is only $180 a month, regardless of how many dependants you have. That's pretty low compared to most agencies in Florida and that alone can end up being a pay raise for a lot of current officers and deputies. We also get paid overtime for any court appearances not during our shift. Again, many departments in Florida don't pay overtime for court.

[Unregistered]

SOAR is not required. You can work it if you want. The specialty pay is actually "stackable" so if you were a DRE and on the QRF then you would get an extra $4,000. Health insurance upon retirement is crazy. I heard the family plan is around $1,400 a month. But while you are working it is only $180 a month, regardless of how many dependants you have. That's pretty low compared to most agencies in Florida and that alone can end up being a pay raise for a lot of current officers and deputies. We also get paid overtime for any court appearances not during our shift. Again, many departments in Florida don't pay overtime for court.

As of 01/01/2020, retiree health family plan will be $1700 give or take a few bucks.

[Unregistered]

That health insurance isn’t bad. We pay $10 bi-weekly for single and family plan is insane. $350 for yourself, wife and two kids. You guys only pay it once per month right?

Is traffic court mandatory? We get subpoenas for UTC we write, and let policy it’s mandatory to go. We won’t go if it’s on our RDO or just don’t show up sometimes.

But that health insurance is great for a family. So from what I’m gathering, all County and State employees under FRS receive the same benefits? 90% at 30 years

[Unregistered]

So in theory, you could stack 3 specialized units, certifications, and add 6K a year to your salary. Is that realistic or would that take someone a 30 year career to achieve?