Cutting costs…

Any way we can! As part of a broader effort to bring the retirement schemes of public employees at the national and local level in line with each other, the Ministry of Internal Affairs has asked all the prefectural governments to reduce their employees’ pension benefits by some amount. This has led to a rash of people trying to retire early. Can you blame them?

駆け込み 警察官も 「１５０万円分大き い」

自治体職員の退職手当引き下げを盛り込 んだ改正条例施行を前に、駆け込み退職を 希望する警察官が相次いでいる.

年度内に改正される見込みの愛知、兵庫 両県警では、少なくとも約２３０人の警察 官と警察職員が早期退職の意向を示してい る。条例施行前に退職すれば退職金は施 行後より平均１４０万～１５０万円多くな るためだが、治安維持に影響が出かねない として、人事異動の前倒しなどを検討する 動きも出ている。

退職手当を巡っては、国家公務員の手当 を減額する改正国家公務員退職手当法が昨 年１１月に成立したことを受け、総務省が 全国の自治体に対しても、職員の退職手 当の引き下げを要請。これを受け、東京や 徳島など少なくとも７都県では既に改正条 例が施行されたほか、兵庫県や愛知県など で３月までに条例が改正される見込み だ。埼玉県では公立学校の教員ら約１２０ 人が早期退職を希望したことが判明してい る。

３月１日から職員の退職金が引き下げら れる愛知県警では、退職予定の約２９０人 のうち約１４０人が早期退職の意向を示し ている。２月中に退職した場合の退職金 は、施行後と比較して、平均で約１４０万 ～１５０万円の差が生じる。３月分の給料 を差し引いても、約１００万円多くもらえ る見込みだ。

通常の定期異動は３月中～下旬のため、 ２月中に退職する警察官や警察職員が殺到 すれば、約１か月弱の空白ができる可能性 もある。県警は、署長などの重要管理職 や１人勤務の駐在所など、空白が生じると 業務に影響が出かねないポストについて は、臨時の異動などで対応する方針だ。

県警は「正規に決まった制度を利用して の退職であれば、止めることはできない。 本人の意向に委ねるしかない」としてい る。

早期退職を決意したある警視は「重要な 仕事との自負はあるが、自宅マンションの ローンもある。あてにしていた退職金が１ ５０万円分も減るのは苦しい」と打ち明け る。

（2013年1月23日 読売新聞）
http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/kyoiku/news/20130123-OYT8T01117.htm

Stampede – policemen too “1,500,000 yen is a lot”

Ahead of a reform measure aimed at lowering the retirement allowance of municipal employees, a stampede of policemen are saying they want to retire.

With the reform projected within the year, approximately 230 police officers and police staff in Aichi and Hyogo prefectures have indicated they want to retire as soon as possible. If they retire before the reform passes, their retirement will be approximately 1.4-1.5 million yen more than it would be after the reform passes. That said, because of the impact this might have on maintaining safety, movements to study accelerating personnel shifts are also under way.

Regarding the retirement allowance, the reform to the national public employee pension law that would reduce the allowance for national public employees was passed in November of last year, and the Department of Internal Affairs has requested that local public employees also have their pensions reduced. In response, at least 7 prefectures, including Tokyo and Tokushima have already passed reform legislation, and Aichi and Hyogo prefectures, among others, are planning to pass them by March. In Saitama Prefecture, approximately 120 teachers at public schools have also voiced a desire to retire early.

For employees at the Aichi Prefectural Police Department that will see their pensions reduced starting March 1, of the 290 planning for retirement, approximately 140 have requested early retirement. If they retire in February, they will receive on average 1.4-1.5 million yen more than if they retire after. Even if their quarterly salary is deducted, they would still receive an estimated 1 million yen more.

Because of standard staff reassignments occurring during the second half of March, if police officers and staff rush to retire in February, there could be an approximate one month vacuum. Within the Prefectural Police, if there is a vacancy in managerial rolls like the police chief or single man operations that could cause an impact in operations, they are considering special reassignments as a response.

The Prefectural Police made a statement saying, “If the retirements are in accordance with rules and procedures, we cannot stop it. We must honor the wishes of the individual.”

One policeman who has requested early retirement said, “I have an important job, but I also have a home loan. It would be difficult if I lose 1.5 million yen in retirement money.”