Commission continues early retirement offer

St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners has agreed to continue an early-retirement incentive for most county employees.

Commissioners approved the concept Tuesday, keeping in place an offer initiated last year. Five county employees out of 19 eligible accepted the offer in 2017.

As they were last year, requirements to qualify for the offer include stipulations that the employee is vested for retirement with Municipal Employees’ Retirement System, 60 years of age or older and has at least 10 years of service with the county. The offer is not available to sheriff’s department or Commission On Aging employees because they subscribe to a different pension plan, county administrator Teresa Doehring said.

She said 20 people qualify this year.

This year’s offer is a lump payment of $500 for each full year as a county employee, though capped at $4,500. In addition, the offer includes $4,500 annually toward a health care savings plan until the recipient turns 65. That amount was $6,000 annually last year.

About 180 people in all work at the courthouse.