That was pretty much the beginning of the end when that happened.
That and lowering every standard they had so people who never should have made it in, got in.
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MA State Police Investigating Pay For Unworked Shifts
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That was pretty much the beginning of the end when that happened.
That and lowering every standard they had so people who never should have made it in, got in.
ToddDubya
NES Member
Anyone want to wager a guess how much the new system will cost compared to how much it saves?
Junior314 you missed my point. I agree with the sentiment of this thread. I just think the point would be made and be more legitimate without made up benefits info thrown around. And are you a betting man? You betting none of them will be charged? I think i will take the bet on this one.
I am no math wiz but 80% of 140 is 112 times an average of $150k is almost $17 million dollars.... to yell at people to move their cars. I fly out of their frequently and I see more cruisers than I ever do Troopers.
Solution: We will be submitting a request for the tax payers to fund an overpriced payroll system that won't work since we screwed up.
We shall see, I'm not holding my breath expecting anyone to really be held accountable.
I heard through friends in the business that two of the suspended troopers from the Pike were Truck Team units. The guys that wear the black jumpsuits and drive the solid black Expeditions, who specialize in commercial vehicle enforcement and do the DOT stops.
One of them has a second home in NH and owns a boat named "More Details". You can't make this sh*t up.
One of them has a second home in NH and owns a boat named "More Details". You can't make this sh*t up.
I think this is kind of like they are going to do, but in some perverse reverse order..
Most of this was from Troop F, who police Massport. Apparently Massport was paying them directly, but it was not being reported to the comptroller. So their data was being hidden. Suspicion was that it was being hidden deliberately, which when you have 80% making over 150k, is not really a surprise. Now the agreement is that they will get paid by State Police, which, though hard to believe, is actually more transparent.
When you have that many troopers taking that much overtime for that many years, assuming all this overtime is needed, why is the State not hiring more troopers? If they were paid at a the regular rate vs. 1.5 for overtime, the State would save 50% on that cost?
Most of this was from Troop F, who police Massport. Apparently Massport was paying them directly, but it was not being reported to the comptroller. So their data was being hidden. Suspicion was that it was being hidden deliberately, which when you have 80% making over 150k, is not really a surprise. Now the agreement is that they will get paid by State Police, which, though hard to believe, is actually more transparent.
When you have that many troopers taking that much overtime for that many years, assuming all this overtime is needed, why is the State not hiring more troopers? If they were paid at a the regular rate vs. 1.5 for overtime, the State would save 50% on that cost?
amm5061
NES Member
Actually more, since seniority guarantees that the new cops would be paid significantly less than these schmucks to begin with.
Not really but maybe. Factor in training both initial and inservice, heath insurance, uniform allowances, etc etc. Sometimes it is cheaper to pay overtime. This is not a new idea. The pike thing was one thing. But the other guys just working overtime that is available is another. I know "a lot of money" is subjective, but I guess I dont really see $150k a yr for a professional working probably 40hrs a week of overtime as a ton of money for the Boston area. I've lived in MA my whole life and where I grew up and now live and work150k per yr just doesn't amount to a s$#@ton of money.
I'd say they should outsource payroll like everyone else, but this is MA, which means a contractor would get a massive contract worth way more than any public company would pay for it.
Anyhow, rather spend 300k/employee than have a state worker take home a dollar more than he's owed. That's stealing from everyone who ever made a dime in this state. I feel a lot better wasting money than being maliciously ripped off.
It's like you want public employees pensions to be soo much better than they actuaslly are just so you can be mad. I wish I had the pension you all say we have. Rrun for office will vote for you!!!
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The only thing that is certain is that the only penalties, if any, will be sumbolic rather than meaningful - like retiring with a full pension with a "general" rather than "honorable" MSP discharge certificate.
You're forgetting lifetime health insurance for employee and spouse, something similar paying private sector jobs do not generally offer.
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Well, since you want to set the record straight, can you give us a summary of the typical retirement benefits (pension, health insurance, other benefits) of these folks who work for the MSP?
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Part of retirement from any pension eligible position (assuming enough time has been accured to vest) generally includes access to employee insurance until Medicare age. It's generally not free, but at the same rate active employees pay. For non-police ("GIC" covered) this is 25% of the actual cost, unless the employee was in before a grandfathering date in which case it is 20% of actual cost, with access to some additional grandfathered plans.
I believe the police are on a different plan than GIC which is a bit better. My wife is on GIC as a community college prof, however, she will not be in the job long enough to vest for lifetime. There plans are not as good as what I had in private industry - for example, our Harvard Pilgrim plan is pretty much "Any MD or hospital not affiliated with Partners".
If anyone can confirm that retiring MSP are told "You are on you own as to health insurance", please post the info. I would be shocked, shocked I tell you, to find that was the case.
I consider it a lot considering what the job entails. Especially for Troop F, is that where they send the MSP troopers before retirement?
Unless greatly different than other municipal schedule 4 jobs like my firefighting job. There is no "Lifetime" health insurance. Rough numbers you need 35 yrs of service to max out pension at 80% of your basepay overtime is NOT included. If you choose the plan where your wife gets it if you die first then it is less than that. Overtime is not always optional and can really suck when you have a family and you are getting off a 24 or 48 and told you are here for another 24 at 7am. New hires need to be 57 yrs old to draw regardless of years in. We do not contribute to SS so we are not eligible for that. And the overwhelming majority of public safety workers to not have any employer matched 457 (our 401). Disability retirements go out at 72% (i believe tax free) but there are limitations on what you can work after without forfeiting. Our pensions are employee contributed at i think 11%. I, like many of my coworkers, took pay cuts and health insurance benefit cuts to do a job we love doing. I definitely agree those pike troopers deserve jail , etc. Just wanted to correct some misinformation on benifits. Now msp could differ some but I think its all pretty much the same from the troopers i know.
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I know you do not get lifetime health for free. If you retire before medicare age, are you allowed to buy heath at the employee rate?
Some people confuse being allowed to continue insurance at below market rate with not getting insurance. Are you thrown to the wolves or allowed to continue to by insurance at a rate not available to the general public?
Some people confuse being allowed to continue insurance at below market rate with not getting insurance. Are you thrown to the wolves or allowed to continue to by insurance at a rate not available to the general public?
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I just found the following:
Employee Insurance & Retirement Benefits
The reference to "health-only benefits" refers to qualified retirees of MA employees covered by GIC to continue to buy insurance at the employee rate (20% or 25% of market, depending on when one started the job). Some state jobs are not GIC and often have better terms because of their high risk job classification.
So the question is - do you state employees enter the same marketplace I do at pre-retirement, or do you have access to subsidized options?
I have heard retirees saying things like "we pay for our health insurance" (omitting the 75% paid by the state) or "we paid for retirement" (omitting mention of the tapayer funded guarantee against market losses).
Employee Insurance & Retirement Benefits
The reference to "health-only benefits" refers to qualified retirees of MA employees covered by GIC to continue to buy insurance at the employee rate (20% or 25% of market, depending on when one started the job). Some state jobs are not GIC and often have better terms because of their high risk job classification.
So the question is - do you state employees enter the same marketplace I do at pre-retirement, or do you have access to subsidized options?
I have heard retirees saying things like "we pay for our health insurance" (omitting the 75% paid by the state) or "we paid for retirement" (omitting mention of the tapayer funded guarantee against market losses).
I work for a municipality. I will pay 25% of my premium until I go on medicare. I wasn't disputing this. I was saying your lifetime health insurance was wrong, I have no idea if I can buy it at a discounted rate while paying 100% of the premium or not once I am on medicare. I guess I can try to find out.
Not quite.... by MSP standards, it is the home of this though...
Much like the fire department at Logan... which is basically the home of the best fire jobs in the
state.
-Mike
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We are both right - I chose my words imprecisely. What I should have said is "If you work for a muni, you get subsided insurance for the rest of your life" (Medicare is a subsidy as well). My point was that a state/muni employees "insurance problem" is solved by the state while those who pay for it are, until Medicare age, thrown to the wolves.
I consider this "lifetime health insurance" at a massively subsidized rate.
![[laugh]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/012.gif "Laugh [laugh]")
So let me get this straight. You think there is a problem with public employees who have paid into medicare their whole career, reach medicare age. Then opt to continue with their health insurance at a reduced rate and pay 100% of the premium? I would like to see the numbers on this. I think you are seeing problems where they don't exist. I don't think most retirees can afford that There are cops and police that don't even take the health insurance offered. In many workplaces one would be compensated for this... and as far as how much of the premium municipalities pick up is negotiated at the local level into their labor contract. I have heard as little as 50% up to 95%.
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