Law Enforcement Equity Act
Position:
Under current law, the federal government grants enhanced salary and retirement benefits to those officers with “law enforcement officer” (LEO) status. However, since federal officers in nearly two dozen agencies are not formally classified as law enforcement officers, thousands of federal employees are unjustly excluded from receiving equal pay and retirement benefits. The Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act (H.R. 673) would amend the term law enforcement officer so that all federal officers involved in law enforcement become eligible for the same pay and retirement benefits. NFFE-IAM strongly supports this legislation.
The Law
Enforcement Officers Equity Act of 2009 (H.R.
673) would modify the definition of the term
“law enforcement officer” (LEO) within the
Federal Employees Retirement System (FERS) and
the Civil Service Retirement System
(CSRS).
Under this new definition, LEO status
would be extended to all federal employees who
carry firearms and are involved in the
investigation or apprehension of either
suspected or convicted criminals.
In line
with previous legislation, upon receiving LEO
status, these federal officers would witness
substantive improvements in their pay and
retirement benefits. These enhanced benefits
include major increases in retirement annuities
and the option of retiring with full health and
life insurance after reaching the age of 50 and
working a minimum of twenty years with the
federal government.
Overall, the legislation would reclassify
an estimated 30,000 federal employees as law
enforcement officers. Those impacted by the Act
would include workers from nearly two dozen
agencies, such as the Department of Defense,
Department of Veterans' Affairs, Department of
Homeland Security, U.S. Mint, and the Internal
Revenue Service.
Federal
law enforcement officers are regularly involved
in hazardous work with tremendous risk. As
such, the proposed legislation properly rewards
those workers who place their lives in harm’s
way to defend the United States.
Additionally, experts suggest that the
implementation of the Act would save taxpayers
millions of dollars each year by reducing
worker turnover, improving workforce retention,
and ultimately decreasing recruitment and
development costs.
The Law Enforcement Officers Equity Act of 2009 makes sound economic sense and rightfully honors those federal officers who bravely protect our country every day.