Audit Report on Pensioners of the New York City Fire Department Working for the City after Retirement

AUDIT REPORT IN BRIEF

The Comptroller’s Office performed an audit to identify New York City Fire Department Pension Fund (FIRE) retirees who may be illegally re-employed ("double-dippers" or "disability violators"), and to quantify the amounts of any improper payments to individuals who appear to be violators of New York State Retirement and Social Security Law (RSSL), §210 through §216, or New York City Charter § 1117, during calendar year 2002.

The audit found that one individual who received $39,480 in pension payments during 2002 that appear to violate applicable sections of State and City laws. This individual was in apparent violation of § 1117 of the New York City Charter because he was collecting a disability pension while earning more than $1,800 (including pension payments) a year at a New York City agency.

To address these issues the report recommended that FIRE should:

• Investigate the individual identified as concurrently receiving a pension while being re-employed in public service. FIRE officials should also commence prompt recoupment action against this individual if he is found to be illegally collecting a pension.
• Forward to the Department of Investigation, if the circumstances warrant such action, the name of this individual if he is found to be illegally collecting a pension.
• Ascertain whether previous pension overpayments have been recouped and whether current pensions have been suspended for those individuals who have been cited in previous audits as "double-dippers" or "disability violators."

Send special reminders to service retirees under the age of 65, and to all disability retirees, that clearly state their responsibilities regarding public service re-employment.