Bailey Sponsoring Bill To Help EMS Staff Shortages

State Senator Paul Bailey pushing forward a bill that would allow retired EMS workers to return to work without impacting retirement benefits.

The state’s retirement system currently does not allow these workers to return to work without suspending benefits.

“This actually came from Tommy Copeland within the Putnam County EMS Department,” Bailey said. “He contacted me several months ago. Basically, we have a lot of our EMS employees that are retiring, but they would like to return back to work because we are in a shortage.”

Bailey said the legislation would create a 24-month pilot program. Bailey said the period would be spent to see if workers are actually willing to return while also gauging if the job market will improve.

“That should give us a clear indication as to whether or not our job market will improve, and we have more younger people entering the EMT/EMS field,” Bailey said.

Bailey said the legislation passed in state and local committee, so the bill now enters Senate Finance Committee. Bailey said retirees must have been retired for 9-months to qualify.