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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Thu May 01, 2014 5:40 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Genesee County Sheriff's Department loses 15 officers in last two weeks after increase
Print David Harris | dharris5@mlive.com By David Harris | dharris5@mlive.com
on April 30, 2014 at 5:50 PM, updated April 30, 2014 at 5:51 PM
it
GENESEE COUNTY, MI – The Genesee County Sheriff's Department has lost 15 officers in the last two weeks to retirements before health care payments increase, said Sheriff Robert Pickell.
Pickell said the reason for the employees heading for the door is they would be subject to increases on health care co-payments if they didn't retire by May 1. Genesee County Board of Commissioners Chairman Jaime Curtis said it is part of state Public Act 152, which was passed in 2011.
"Those who had enough years to retire, retired because they would have to pay more," Pickell said.
This is the first year law enforcement personnel are included in the health insurance co-payment increases, Curtis said. If the county didn't enact the increases, the county would have lost some state revenue sharing, Curtis said. Pickell said co-pays would double for employees.
Heidi Molyneux, who was with the department for nearly 20 years, is one of those retirees. She called it a "life-changing" decision. She said when she received her open enrollment information for insurance she learned that her co-pay would increase more than 60 percent per month.
"There were several of us who had a very short time to make a difficult decision," said Molyneux, who spent most of her time in the department patrolling Vienna Township. "It was the hardest decision I ever had to make. I wasn't ready to go yet."
It has put Pickell in a bit of a quagmire, he said. Deputies, sergeants and lieutenants left from all units within the department, said Pickell. They retired, left for another job or deferred their retirement until they reached the 20-year-threshold. The process to replace them has already started, he said.
"I understand their dilemma, but I'm losing a lot of experienced people," he said. "We've been cut drastically for the last couple years, so we have to replace them."
Pickell said he has lost about 29 people – or 10 percent – of the department in the last year.
Molyneux was well ingrained in the community and was named this week the Clio VFW's "Officer of the Year."
"I had gotten to know the community very well," she said. "I absolutely love what I do." |
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Thu May 01, 2014 5:49 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| Where are the savings when new officers must be sought, tested, and trained? |
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Thu May 01, 2014 5:52 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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PA 152 limits the amount a public employer pays owards the employees medcal benefit plan.
The real question is why doesn't the county negotiate a better health care plan that costs less. The Flint City Unions did health care negotiations several years and made significant cuts to the cost of health care. |
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Thu May 01, 2014 5:57 am |
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