Gov. Signs Improved Retirement Bill

Oregon Gov. Kulongoski has signed legislation (HB 2401) that adds a 25-year service retirement option for public safety dispatchers to the existing age 55 retirement. If a dispatcher retires prior to age 55, they do not receive cost-of-living increases on their retirement pay-out until they reach 55 years-old. The work on this improved retirrement plan began almost 16 years ago, taking that long to gain political support among legislators. Previously, only firefighters and law enforcement officers were offered a 25-year retirement, generally because of the stress of the job. Now dispatchers are also recognized as being in a “stressful” job classification, requiring a more generous retirement plan. Download (pdf) a copy of the legislation here.