Retirement, Reengagement and Abatement - Fire Service policy - Principals of re-engagement

Where employees are re-engaged following retirement into operational roles, then the following will apply: 

• Employees will be re-engaged at the same rates of pay as other employees of the same role. 
• A new Contract of Employment will be formed therefore employees will lose any entitlement to service based enhancements. 
• CFRS, in considering requests for re-engagement, will treat each case on its merit. The employees on-going pension payments will be abated where applicable when they are re-engaged on the principle that the annual rate of pay on re-engagement, plus the annual rate of pension payable under the scheme should not exceed the annual rate of pay they received in the firefighting role immediately prior to retirement. 
• Operational staff who are employed at a higher role than Firefighter may apply for re-engagement at a lower graded role. The same criteria will be applied to these applications as detailed above. 
• Employees may also apply for reengagement at the same or reduced/flexible hours or for a fixed term basis. In addition, the Service may decide that an offer of re-engagement is only made on these basis

Re-training would usually be in the form of: 

• one month – No retraining unless for a new role
• six months – Incident Command Re-assessment and a one day covering the core skills for the role in line with the CFOA Operational competence model. A service/ CCC induction would need to occur
• longer than six months – on a case by case basis. A service/CCC induction would need to occur.

Where employees are re-engaged following retirement into non operational roles (i.e. green book roles) then the usual recruitment and selection policy and procedure applies as does the green book terms and conditions. The employees on-going pension payments may be abated where applicable when they are re-engaged on the principle that the annual rate of pay on re-engagement, plus the annual rate of pension payable under the scheme should not exceed the annual rate of pay they received in the firefighting role immediately prior to retirement.

If the request is approved the individual will first have to resign/retire from their current position (or positions if the employee has more than one role) before being reengaged and will be required to have a break in service of at least one month (or six months – please see Appendix 1 on the Protected Pension Age for 1992 scheme members).

Individuals who have previously retired from the Service and are subsequently reemployed by the Service or the wider County Council (or another Local Authority/FRS) should be aware that Abatement may be relevant and are advised to contact Your Pension Service, seek independent financial advice and inform the Recruiting Manager of their new role.