Pennsylvania § 14320.1 - Limited vested benefit for firefighters.

§ 14320.1. Limited vested benefit for firefighters.

(a) Ordinance.--The ordinance establishing a firefighters pension fund may provide for a limited vested benefit if the benefit would conform to section 305 of the act of December 18, 1984 (P.L.1005, No.205), known as the Municipal Pension Plan Funding Standard and Recovery Act.

(b) Conditions.--Under a limited vested benefit, if a member of the firefighters pension fund has not completed the minimum period of continuous service and the applicable minimum age requirement but has completed 12 years of full-time service and ceased to be employed as a full-time firefighter, the member shall be entitled to vest the member's retirement benefits subject to the following conditions:

(1) The member must file with the management board of the firefighters pension fund a written notice of the member's intention to vest.

(2) The member must include in the notice the date the member intends to terminate service as a full-time firefighter.

(3) The termination date shall be at least 30 days later than the date of notice to vest.

(4) The member must be in good standing with the fire department on the date of notice to vest.

(5) The board shall indicate on the notice to vest the rate of the monthly pay of the member as of the date of the notice to vest or the highest average annual salary which the member received during any five years of service preceding the date, whichever is higher.

(c) Notification.--Upon reaching the date that would have been the member's retirement date had the member continued full-time employment with the fire department, the member shall notify the board in writing that the member desires to collect the member's pension.

(d) Computation.--The amount of retirement benefits the member is entitled to receive under this section shall be computed as follows:

(1) The initial determination of the member's base retirement benefits shall be computed on the salary indicated on the notice to vest.

(2) The portion of the base retirement benefits due the member shall be determined by applying to the base amount the percentage that the member's years of service rendered bears to the years of service that would have been rendered had the member continued to be employed by the department until the member's minimum retirement date.

Cross References. Section 14320.1 is referred to in section 14322 of this title.