Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Public Safety Retirement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Correctional educators ask to be eligible for higher retirement group to reflect workplace risk
Summary
Correctional educators from the Department of Correction asked the committee to pass House Bill 2757 so institutional teachers would be recognized with retirement benefits that reflect the hazardous environment where they work, arguing the role exposes them to regular physical risk.
Correctional educators from the Massachusetts Department of Correction testified in favor of House Bill 2757 to ensure institutional teachers receive retirement benefits that reflect the hazards of working inside correctional facilities.
Scott Rogers, a teacher at North Central Correctional Institution in Gardner and chapter president for institutional school teachers with SEIU Local 509, described daily risks in correctional classrooms and workshops and said educators “walk behind the wall” to do their work without security staff constantly present.
“Our work that we do here in the education division is absolutely critical... it would bring us in line with other correctional professionals that we work with every single day, and would recognize the risks that we face and the importance of our work,” Rogers told the committee. He and other witnesses said educators have been assaulted in the workplace and that the role affects mental and emotional health.
Rogers said institutional teachers are currently Group 1 and can move to Group 2 after 10 years, but he argued many are not eligible for Group 2 despite facing risks comparable to other correctional staff. He asked the committee to report HB2757 favorably to align retirement benefits with workplace hazards.
Ending: Advocates asked for a favorable report; no fiscal estimates or retirement board position were included in the hearing record.
