Agenda 10-21-2025; 8-g - Approval of Amendments to the Orange County Code of Ordinances Section 28 – Personnel Regarding Law Enforcement Special Separation Allowance

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Created: 2023‐12‐19 09:11:24 [EST] (Supp. No. 14) Page 4 of 5 4. In the event a law enforcement officer is eligible for the Separation Buyout as described in subsections 1—4 of this section the officer may receive a Separation Buyout as follows;: Years of Creditable Service as a Law Enforcement Officer Percentage of Separation Buyout Value as Calculated by Subsection c. above 5 but less than 10 years 50% 10 but less than 15 years 60% 15 but less than 20 years 70% 20 but less than 25 years 80% 25 but less than 30 years 90% 5. The lump sum separation buyout shall be paid from funds available and shall not exceed the total that would otherwise be paid had the officer been eligible for the Special Separation Allowance as described herein. e. The benefits payable under this section are not subject to any increases in salary or retirement allowances that may be authorized by the Board of County Commissioners. (3) Administrative rulings, opinions and procedures of the Retirement System shall be considered in the administration of retirement benefits. (k) Separate Benefit Fund for Law Enforcement Officers Only. (1) If an employee dies while an active member of the Separate Benefit Fund, a death benefit of $5,000.00 is paid to the designated beneficiary. To qualify the employee must be an active member of six months or the employee's death is accidental, regardless of length of service. To become an active member, the employee must be under age 55, in active service and have completed and returned a written application form. (2) Retired members of the Separate Benefit Fund beneficiaries will receive a death benefit of $3,000.00. To be eligible for this benefit, the employee must have been an active member of the Separate Benefit Fund with at least 20 years of creditable service or retired because of total and permanent disability with at least ten years of creditable service or line‐of‐duty disability. (l) Accidental Death Benefit for Law Enforcement Officers Only. (1) The accidental death benefit automatically protects the employee's survivors if the employee should die in an on‐the‐job accident. The accident must occur while the employee is performing duties as an officer. (2) In addition, the employee's surviving spouse, parent, or other relative will receive $1,000.00 for burial expenses. Each of the employee's dependent children under 18 (or over, if incapable of earning a living) will receive $200.00. The employee's surviving spouse will receive $500.00. If the employee has no surviving spouse, the Retirement System may distribute the $500.00 to the employee's other eligible family members. Under the accidental death benefit, the total amount of payments to the employee's survivors cannot be greater than $2,100.00. (m) A Line‐of‐Duty Death Benefit (For Law Enforcement Officers Only). Law Enforcement Officers may also be entitled to additional benefits to include: (1) $25,000.00 administered jointly by the North Carolina Industrial Commission and the State Auditor. (2) $50,000.00 from the Federal Law Enforcement Assistance Administration. (n) Lump Sum Death Benefit (For Law Enforcement Officers) See Section 28‐38(g) Death Benefit. 11