NSEA Joins in Battle to Preserve Retiree Benefits

A ruling by a Las Vegas District Court Judge in a case involving the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and Clark County firefighters, could require that more than 1,900 retired Clark County teachers be removed from the Public Employee Benefits Program (PEBP).  As a result, NSEA is filing a motion with the Nevada Supreme Court to allow NSEA to both submit a brief and to participate in oral argument before the Supreme Court.

“We believe that the Judge incorrectly interpreted the statutory provisions involved, thereby creating a potentially devastating result. NSEA is committed to seeing that the benefits of all our members are preserved in the most complete form,” said NSEA President Lynn Warne.  “It is hard enough to recruit teachers and support professionals to Nevada and this is bound to make matters worse.”

The PEBP Board also decided to request an expedited hearing and to request a stay of Judge Denton’s Order. NSEA will be supporting both the expedited hearing and the request for a stay.  An expedited hearing is crucial in this matter, since open enrollment for retirees to join the state plan—PEBP—begins January 1 and also because many public employees are contemplating early retirement before September 2008, as a result of SB 544. 

NSEA will continue to monitor the situation and has legal counsel actively seeking justice is done in this case.