Retirees booth hit with PEF delegates
Our PEF Retirees’ booth at the October PEF Convention in Niagara Falls was a popular spot with many of the delegates. Region 1 Chapter President Edward Orwat, Alice Hughes and I were kept busy at the booth meeting the delegates and answering their questions. More than 230 delegates asked us to mail them information about our organization and issues. Our booth was sponsored by the PEF Membership Benefits Program.
The delegates aren’t the only ones with questions for us. Many recent retirees are asking us how long it usually takes to receive the state’s final calculation for their retirement checks. Although an initial partial-payment check is issued quickly, it takes longer for the final calculation. The state Comptroller’s Office tells me the average wait is 116 days.
A range of factors contribute to this delay. They can’t start until they receive the records from the employer (agency). Another big factor are recent amendments to laws affecting retiree benefits, such as the provision allowing veterans to buy pension credit for their military service, and Tier 1 reinstatement and retirement incentives.
An employee’s retirement is often enhanced by taking advantage of these opportunities, but it takes additional time to calculate their effect on the pension. The more improvements that are made to these laws, the more people who use them and the longer it takes for everyone. A toll-free number to reach the Comptroller’s Office and the state Retirement System should be available early next year.
I have news for veterans they may not want to hear. Hearing aids will no longer be provided free of charge, unless the hearing loss is connected to their military service. The requests for hearing aids was so great that all the funds provided for this service were exhausted. For more information, call your local Veterans’ Services Office.
Our chapters in Buffalo and Albany meet Dec. 3. Dec.18 on Long Island. New York City will hold off until January when renovations are done.