Committee backs longer filing period for Class C retirement benefits to allow document processing

The Baltimore City Council Labor and Workforce Committee voted unanimously to recommend Bill 25-0043, which increases the required time between filing for and commencing service retirement benefits for Class C members to give employees and the retirement system more time to secure and verify necessary documentation.

David Rand, executive director of the Employees’ Retirement System, explained that the change “allow[s] employees adequate time to obtain required or supplemental legal documents from outside agencies” and gives the system additional time to verify employment dates and salary. Rand told the committee that “sometimes it can take up to 6 weeks, and we need a little bit more than 4 weeks in order to process your retirement.” He also said the 60- to 90-day application submission timeframe in the bill is intended to coincide with Medicare enrollment.

Desiree Lucky of the Law Department said the law department “approves this bill for legal form and sufficiency.” Gabriel from the Department of Finance said the department is “supportive of this legislation” and does not anticipate a major impact on revenues or expenses. There was no public testimony.

A motion to recommend the bill favorably was made and recorded with three affirmative votes from Chair Jermaine Jones, Vice Chair James Torrance and Councilman Ryan Dorsey. At one point a speaker on the record said “So moved, Florence”; the transcript does not identify Florence’s role. The committee’s favorable recommendation advances the bill toward full Council consideration.