With layoffs now pending in many cash-starved communities, a bill sponsored by the co-chairmen of the Legislature’s Joint Public Service Committee, Senator Harriette Chandler (D) Worcester and Representative Brian Dempsey (D) Haverhill, would allow five additional years of age or creditable service to eligible employees.

Local acceptance would be by the local governing authorities, such as: a city council and mayor in a city; county advisory boards and county commissioners in counties; and the retirement board for regional retirement systems.

As we went to press, acceptance in a town would be by either the Board of Selectmen or Town Meeting.

The bill allows local governing authorities to establish limits on the number of ERIs by Group 1, 2 or 4 classification. Seniority would prevail if applications exceed limits. The maximum deadline for ERI applications would be December 2, 2002 with a retirement deadline of December 31, 2002. Communities would have the option of establishing earlier deadlines.

“We really need this bill,” said Roy Sacco of Belmont, president of the Mass. Association of Contributory Retirement Boards (MACRS). “There are layoffs pending in many communities, including my town. After nine-eleven it’s hard to believe that public safety layoffs are even being considered, but it could happen.”

Weymouth is a city where layoffs are a certainty. Representative Ron Mariano, whose district includes a good chunk of Weymouth, is a strong advocate of municipal early retirement law.

“Weymouth is facing layoffs and wants early retirement legislation,” said Marino. “Early retirement is a preferable alternative to giving employees a pink slip.”

At the state level, over 4,200 employees accepted the Commonwealth’s ERI and retired on March 15 of this year. Several hundred additional employees of state universities and colleges are expected to retire on June 15. These employees were given a later date to coincide with the end of the school year.

Despite the ERI numbers, layoffs have been underway at several state agencies, especially the courts. Additional pink slips are in the offing as the Commonwealth struggles to balance its FY’03 budget, effective this July.