• 25 years credited service for sworn Fire, Police, and Sheriff at any age.
• 30 years credited service at any age for all other employees.
• 5 years credited service and age 50 for sworn Fire, Police, and Sheriff members.
• 5 years credited service and age 60 for all other members.

Service Retirement

Your retirement benefits are calculated by using the formula which is based on your average final salary, a sum equal to the average of the three highest consecutive years of credited service.

Formula:

Prior to March 1, 2010

• Average final salary X 2% = Benefit per year of service.
• Benefit per year of service X number of years of creditable service = Annual City benefit for life.

On or After March 1, 2010

• Average final salary X 1.85% = Benefit per year of service.
• Benefit per year of service X number of years of creditable service = Annual City benefit for life.

Notes:

Overtime earned on or before February 28, 2010 will be included in the AFC calculation.  Overtime earned in excess of $3,000 per year on or after March 1, 2010 will not be included in the AFC calculation.

REMINDER: The benefit you receive from the City is in addition to your social security award. The maximum amount you could receive from the City benefit is 75% of your average final salary. The minimum amount you could receive from the City benefit is $330.00 per year.

Rehires and New HIres on or after March 1, 2010

Rehires and New Hires on or after March 1, 2010, will be members of the Virginia Retirement System (VRS.  For plan information, refer to www.varetire.org.

Post-Retirement Benefits

Post-retirement benefits offered to retirees are health, dental, vision, and life insurance. Vested employees who leave city employment before meeting the age and service requirements to receive a pension are not eligible for post-retirement benefits.

• Health and Dental Insurance: City retirees may only continue health/dental coverage if any is in effect as of date of retirement. Increases in plan coverage are NOT allowed but decreases are. When reaching age 65, city retirees and/or spouses are required to obtain part A and B of Medicare and the post-retirement benefit will consist of the Medicare carve-out plan. A spouse of a deceased city retiree who is eligible to receive a monthly spousal annuity may continue the medical and/or dental benefits coverage through the fund.
  1. Qualified city employees who are eligible to retire based on age or service before July 1, 2005, are entitled to receive a 100% of capped dollar amount towards the retirement-insurance premium.
  2. Qualified city employees who are NOT eligible to retire based on age or service before July 1, 2005 are entitled to receive a graduated percentage of the premium paid by the fund, depending on the years of city employment, as follows:

     Years of Credited Service	% of the Dollar Amount Paid by the Fund
     Less than 11	0
     11	5
     12	10
     13	15
     14	20
     15	25
     16	31
     17	37
     18	43
     19	49
     20	55
     21	64
     22	73
     23	82
     24	91
     25	100

      

  3. The dollar amount of the premium paid by the fund will be capped June 30, 2005 with an annual COLA thereafter.
  4. Current employees with 10 or more years of service as of March 1, 2010 will not have a change to the current City premium contribution provision above.
  5. Current employees with less than 10 years of service as of March 1, 2010:a. Retiree-single coverage level - No change to the City's current premium contribution provision. b. All other coverage levels - Establish a new dollar cap on the City's premium contribution, calculated at 60% of the March 1, 2010 total premium. i. Annual COLA added to capped City's preimum contribuion ii. City's premium contribution based on years of service at retirement. a) Less than 10 years - 0% City Contribution b) 10-14 years = 25% City contribution c) 15 - 19 years = 50% City Contribution d) 20 - 24 years = 75% City Contribution e) 25 years or greater - 100% City contribution
  6. Employees hired on or after March 1, 2010 will participate in the Health Reimbursement Arrangement.  The city will contribute 3% of the average City employees' salary.  There will not be any City premium contribution at retirement.  Funds are invested in the employee's name.
• Vision Insurance is offered to all retirees. If elected, the retiree pays 100% of the premium. You must be enrolled in the Vision Plan to receive any benefit.
• Life Insurance: All active city employees who are eligible to retire with age or service before July 1, 2005, will have one-half their salary in life insurance coverage after retirement. All active city employees who are NOT eligible to retire with age or service before July 1, 2005, will initially have life insurance coverage equal to one-half their salary upon retirement, which coverage will then decrease 20% per year. Coverage will not be reduced below $10,000. Life insurance is offered at no cost to the retiree.