NYPD Accused of Cheating Army Reservist in Pension Calculation

July 12, 2010 (PLANSPONSOR.com) - The Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s office is suing the New York Police Department for allegedly cheating a retired detective out of pension benefits for two years he fought in Afghanistan and Iraq for the Army reserve.

The New York Daily News reports that when David Goodman, a 29-year police veteran, retired in 2009, the NYPD calculated his pension using his base pay rate for the time he was overseas – not the amount he would have made with built-in overtime.  The U.S. Attorney’s office says that is wrong and is suing the NYPD and its pension fund to force it to recalculate.  

“Our soldiers, who continue to risk their lives every day to keep America safe, deserve the same employment benefits as their civilian colleagues,” U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said, according to the news report.  

The suit could result in bigger pensions for hundreds of city employees. 

Kate O’Brien Ahlers, a spokeswoman for the city Law Department, said the NYPD has an excellent record of treating service members fairly, but it has a difference of opinion with the U.S. Attorney’s office on the pension matter.

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