Incentive & Pension

Beginning in July 1982 with KRS 95A.250 it was determined that eligible local governments shall be entitled to receive annually a supplement for each qualified professional firefighter it employs, plus an amount equal to the required employers' contribution on the supplement to the defined benefit pension plan, or to a plan qualified under Section 401(a) or Section 457 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954 as amended. 

Program Overview

The Incentive & Pension program is available to each local government which meets the requirements described by KRS 95A.230. To be eligible for incentive pay, a firefighter must have a minimum of three hundred (300) training hours, work at least two thousand eight (2,080) hours and earn at least eight thousand dollars ($8,000) annually. To maintain eligibility, all paid firefighters in the department must complete one hundred (100) hours of training annually. A department wishing to participate in the program shall complete an application. These applications can only be submitted from February 1 through April 30 to become eligible for participation in the Incentive & Pension program beginning July 1st. 

Funds Requests

Requests for funds must be submitted every month. The Incentive & Pension Funds Request form must be submitted by the 5th of the month for which funds are being requested. A roster listing the firefighters receiving Incentive & Pension funds must also be submitted monthly. Payment is processed one time per month.

The Incentive Eligibility Request form must be completed for any new firefighter a department requests be added to the Professional Firefighter Foundation Incentive & Pension Program. 

Effective July 1, 2010, a fire department will have 30 days to notify the Fire Commission office, in writing, about a newly eligible certified firefighter (see Incentive Eligibility Request Form for requirements). If a certified firefighter transfers to a department from a department that he/she was receiving incentive pay, that firefighter will receive incentive pay from the date the Fire Commission office is notified in writing from the new department.

If the Fire Commission office is not notified within 30 days of a lateral firefighter's hire date with the new department, the firefighter will not start receiving incentive pay until the date the Fire Commission office receives a letter of notification. 

Partial months are prorated and calculated on a daily rate. Pension rates for a new firefighter will be calculated at the rate of the majority of your department unless a difference is specified in your letter. For assistance calculating the payment for a firefighter who becomes eligible or leaves your department mid-month, please contact the Fire Commission office. 

Exact dollar amounts are required when requesting funds; figures must not be rounded off. For example, if requesting the remaining .04 cents in June, a notation should be made on the request form to alert the administrator it is not a mathematical error. 

Funds Recipient Modifications

It is mandatory that fire departments notify the Kentucky Fire Commission, in writing, of any changes made to firefighters receiving Incentive Pay.

If a firefighter is called to, or released from, active duty in the military, or on leave due to an allowable sickness, injury or other medical cause, there must be written documentation on file with the Fire Commission. Requests will NOT be processed without this documentation.

Notification documentation can be submitted via fax or emailed to fireincentive@kctcs.edu. Promptly submitting modification requests will help in keeping adjustments, back-pay, and overpayments to a minimum.

Documentation must include the following:

• Firefighter Name
• Firefighter Number
• Effective Date
• Reason (Newly Eligible, Military, Terminated, Retired, etc.)
• Military Activation/Release Orders (if applicable)

Effective January 1, 2012, monthly payments to firefighters on active military duty have ceased; upon return from active military duty, the firefighter will be paid their full outstanding amount.

Quarterly Reports

Fire departments are required to submit quarterly reports detailing the dollar amount received and the number of eligible firefighters. Quarterly reports are due after receipt of Incentive & Pension Funds payments in March, June, September and December, and are considered delinquent after the 15th of the following months: May, August, November and February. Failure to submit quarterly reports in a timely manner may result in Incentive & Pension Fund payments being withheld or terminated as per KRS 95A.240 (2).

 

Questions regarding the Incentive & Pension Program should be directed via email to fireincentive@kctcs.edu or via telephone at (859) 256-3324.

 

Forms

Incentive & Pension Application
Incentive & Pension Funds Request
Adjustment Worksheet
Incentive & Pension Quarterly Report 
Incentive & Pension Quarterly Report Roster 
Incentive Eligibility Request Form