2023 - The Professional Firefighters of Salem Local 2892 vs. City of Salem NH

Another Arbitrator has agreed with an IAFF New Hampshire Fire Local, the Professional Firefighters of Salem Local 2892, and the Barrault and Associates team that a firefighter retiring from his or her job is entitled to buy back their accrued time even if s/he is not planning to receive their pension monies immediately. Attorney Hailey Ferguson persuaded the Arbitrator that the Town of Salem had violated the collective bargaining agreement when it refused to accept our client’s retirement notification, changed it to a resignation, and then denied him the benefit of buying back thousands of dollars in accrued benefits that he would otherwise be entitled to get upon retirement. Notably, the Arbitrator states in her final award section that “the Town is the losing party” and must pay our client all the benefits listed under the contract and related to retirement.