Chapter Adm 95
VFF-EMT SERVICE AWARD PROGRAM
Adm 95.04 Participating municipalities. Adm 95.05 Contributions to a program. Adm 95.06 Contributions for prior service. Adm 95.07 Vesting and receipt of length of service award. Adm 95.08 Non-vested account closure and leaves of absence. Adm 95.09 Transfer of service to a different program administrator. Adm 95.10 Disability and death benefits. Adm 95.11 Records and certification of service. Adm 95.12 Program administrator qualifications. Adm 95.13 Program administration. Adm 95.14 Participating municipality obligations. Adm 95.15 Program termination. Ch. Adm 95 NoteNote: Chapter VFF-EMT 1 was created as an emergency rule effective September 21, 2001. Chapter VFF-EMT 1 was renumbered chapter Adm 95 under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1. Register December 2015 No. 720. Adm 95.02Adm 95.02 Purpose. The purpose of this chapter is to establish a program for length of service awards to VFF-EMT participants who provide services to municipalities that operate volunteer fire departments or volunteer fire companies, or authorize emergency medical and technical services, and to emergency medical responders in any municipality that authorizes emergency medical responders to provide emergency medical responder services, and to establish qualifications and requirements for private sector individuals and organizations eligible to provide administrative and investment services for length of service award programs. Adm 95.03Adm 95.03 Definitions. In this chapter: Adm 95.03(1)(1) “Account” means a statement or record of all state and municipal length of service award contributions, including all applicable earnings, redistributions, and deductions made on behalf of a VFF-EMT maintained by a program administrator. Adm 95.03(2)(2) “Beneficiary” means a person, trust, or entity designated by a VFF-EMT to receive benefits under a program. Adm 95.03(4)(4) “Credit” means the recognition of the fulfillment of the requirements for performing service toward a length of service award under the program. Adm 95.03(4m)(4m) “Department” means the department of administration as specified in s. 16.25, Stats. Adm 95.03(5)(5) “Emergency medical services” means medical care that is rendered to a sick, disabled, or injured individual based on signs, symptoms, or complaints, prior to the individual’s hospitalization or while transporting the individual between health care facilities and that is limited to the use of the knowledge, skills, and techniques received from training required under s. 256.15, Stats., and ch. DHS 110, as a condition for being issued an emergency medical services practitioner license. Adm 95.03(6)(6) “Fire fighting services” means the organized suppression and prevention of fires. Adm 95.03(7)(7) “Fiscal year” means the period beginning on July 1 and ending on June 30. Adm 95.03(8)(8) “Length of service award program” or “program” means a program as described in section 457 of the internal revenue code that is implemented and administered by a program administrator approved by the department, and that to the extent allowed by federal law, provides a tax-deferred benefit to a VFF-EMT consistent with the internal revenue code, s. 16.25, Stats., and this chapter. Adm 95.03(9)(9) “Municipality” means a city, county, village, or town. Adm 95.03(10)(10) “Net asset value” means the value of an individual length of service award determined by adding the municipal contributions and the state matching contributions, all earnings thereon, and any redistributions as provided in s. Adm 95.08, less investment expenses. Adm 95.03(11)(11) “Participating municipality” means a municipality that meets the program eligibility requirements of s. Adm 95.04 and elects to participate in a program. Adm 95.03(12)(12) “Prior service” means the service performed by a VFF-EMT for a participating municipality before that municipality began participation in a program. Adm 95.03(13)(13) “Program administrator” means a non-governmental individual or organization in the private sector that provides and administers a program or a designee. Adm 95.03(14)(14) “Service” includes fire fighting services, emergency medical responder services, emergency medical services, or rescue services provided to a participating municipality by a VFF-EMT. Adm 95.03(19)(19) “Volunteer fire fighter” or “VFF” means a person that renders fire fighting or rescue services to a participating municipality and does not receive compensation under a contract of employment as a fire fighter. Adm 95.03(20)(20) “VFF-EMT” means a volunteer fire fighter, volunteer emergency medical responder, or volunteer emergency medical services practitioner. Adm 95.03 HistoryHistory: CR 01-123: cr. Register May 2002 No. 557, eff. 6-1-02; CR 08-033: cr. (6m), am. (9), (14) and (20) Register June 2009 No. 642, eff. 7-1-09; corrections in (5) and (16) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register June 2009 No. 642; correction in (6m) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats; correction in (5) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register May 2015 No. 713; (4m) renumbered from (3) under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 1., Stats., corrections in (4m), (8) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 6., corrections in (4m), (10), (11) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2015 No. 720; CR 18-011: cr. (4s), am. (5), cr. (5m), r. (6m), am. (14), r. (16), am. (20) Register June 2018 No. 750, eff. 7-1-18. Adm 95.04Adm 95.04 Participating municipalities. Adm 95.04(1)(1) A municipality that operates a volunteer fire department or that contracts with a volunteer fire company organized under ch. 181 or 213, Stats., that authorizes emergency medical responders to provide emergency medical responder services or that authorizes volunteer emergency medical services practitioners to provide emergency medical services, is eligible to become a participating municipality. Adm 95.04(2)(2) An eligible municipality may participate in a program by adopting a resolution or ordinance stating that it shall abide by all statutes, administrative rules, regulations, and procedures pertaining to a length of service award program. The adopted resolution or ordinance shall be on a form approved by the department and provided to the program administrator or the department upon request. Adm 95.04 NoteNote: To request approval of a form for a resolution or ordinance, contact the Service Award Program, c/o Department of Administration, Division of Intergovernmental Relations, P.O. Box 8944, Madison, Wisconsin 53708 or (608) 266-7043.
Adm 95.04(3)(3) Each participating municipality shall develop standards for determining the service required of the volunteer fire fighters, emergency medical responders, and emergency medical services practitioners it sponsors under the program in order to qualify for credit and an annual contribution. Adm 95.04(4)(4) Municipalities that jointly operate or contract with a volunteer fire department or a volunteer fire company or that jointly authorize volunteer emergency medical services practitioners, or that jointly authorize emergency medical responders to provide emergency medical responder services, may operate as a single participating municipality under the program, and may be required to do so by the program administrator. Adm 95.04(5)(a)(a) A VFF-EMT may perform service for credit toward a length of service award to more than one volunteer fire department, volunteer fire company, emergency medical responder service, or entity authorized to provide volunteer emergency medical services. Adm 95.04(5)(b)(b) A VFF-EMT may have only one account for each volunteer fire department, volunteer fire company, emergency medical responder service, or entity authorized to provide volunteer emergency medical services to which the VFF-EMT provides service. Adm 95.04 HistoryHistory: CR 01-123: cr. Register May 2002 No. 557, eff. 6-1-02; CR 08-033: am. (1), (3), (4) and (5) Register June 2009 No. 642, eff. 7-1-09; correction in (2) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 6., Stats., Register December 2015 No. 720; CR 18-011: am. Register June 2018 No. 750, eff. 7-1-18. Adm 95.05Adm 95.05 Contributions to a program. Adm 95.05(1)(1) Municipal contributions. A participating municipality shall determine the amount it will contribute on behalf of each VFF-EMT it sponsors under a program. A participating municipality shall cause an account to be opened with the program administrator for each sponsored VFF-EMT. A participating municipality’s contributions shall be paid at least annually to the program administrator. Adm 95.05(2)(a)(a) On a calendar year basis, the department shall pay all amounts matched under s. 16.25 (3) (d) 1., Stats., directly to the program administrator, up to the maximum appropriated under s. 20.505 (4) (er), Stats., and subject to any proration required under s. 16.25 (3) (d) 2., Stats. Adm 95.05 NoteNote: 2021 Wisconsin Act 58 repealed s. 16.25 (3) (d) 2. and renumbered s. 16.25 (3) (d) 1. Adm 95.05(2)(b)(b) Subject to the time period for a protest or appeal under s. Adm 95.16, a participating municipality shall pay all contributions for a calendar year to the program administrator on or before February 15 of the following year in order to receive a matching contribution from the department. Adm 95.05(2)(c)(c) The department may not match contributions made by a participating municipality for prior service. Adm 95.05(3)(3) Annual adjustment. Annually on July 1, the department shall make any adjustments necessary to the matched funds to be paid in the subsequent calendar year to reflect changes in U.S. consumer price index for all urban consumers, using the method set forth in s. 16.25 (3) (d), Stats. Adm 95.05 HistoryHistory: CR 01-123: cr. Register May 2002 No. 557, eff. 6-1-02; corrections in (2), (3) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 6., Stats., correction in (2) (b) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2015 No. 720; CR 18-001: am. (2) (a), (b) Register June 2018 No. 750, eff. 7-1-18. Adm 95.06Adm 95.06 Contributions for prior service. Adm 95.06(1)(a)(a) A participating municipality may make contributions for prior service provided that the VFF-EMT has performed service to that municipality, which may include a combination of prior service and service performed after the municipality began participating in a program. The number of years of prior service for which the participating municipality may contribute shall not exceed the number of years of total prior service performed by the VFF-EMT to that municipality. A participating municipality may impose additional eligibility requirements for accepting prior service. Adm 95.06(1)(b)(b) Subject to applicable internal revenue code restrictions as determined by the program administrator, the minimum contribution payable by a participating municipality for each year of prior service credited to a VFF-EMT shall be $100. A participating municipality may pay a different amount for prior service than the amount paid for service performed after the municipality began participating in a program. Adm 95.06(1)(c)(c) Subject to applicable internal revenue code restrictions as determined by the program administrator, a participating municipality that makes contributions for prior service may pay those contributions over a number of years not to exceed 20, and may include interest on such payments to reflect the fact that they are being added for prior service over a number of years in lieu of a lump sum payment. Adm 95.06(1)(d)(d) For purposes of determining the department’s matching contribution under s. Adm 95.05 (2), any contributions made by a participating municipality for prior service shall be accounted for separately from contributions for service performed after the municipality began participating in a program. Adm 95.06(1)(e)(e) If a participating municipality ceases to exist or ceases its participation in a program, it shall pay the balance owed on any account for contributions made for prior service no later than under the schedule of payments set forth in its agreement with the program administrator. Adm 95.06(2)(2) If a municipality’s records are insufficient to establish eligibility for the purchase of prior service for a VFF-EMT, the municipality shall conduct a thorough investigation and, using the standards for determining the service required to qualify for annual contributions under s. Adm 95.04 (3), shall make a decision based upon good faith belief and the best information available as to the prior service claimed. Adm 95.06 HistoryHistory: CR 01-123: cr. Register May 2002 No. 557, eff. 6-1-02; CR 08-033: am. (1) (a) Register June 2009 No. 642, eff. 7-1-09; correction in (1) (d) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 6., Stats., corrections in (1) (d), (2) made under s. 13.92 (4) (b) 7., Stats., Register December 2015 No. 720. Adm 95.07Adm 95.07 Vesting and receipt of length of service award. A VFF-EMT is required to provide 10 years of service for which credit has been given before the VFF-EMT may receive any benefits under the program. Adm 95.07(1)(a)(a) A VFF-EMT who has provided 15 years of service for credit to a participating municipality shall be fully vested and paid a length of service award upon reaching age 60. Adm 95.07(1)(b)(b) A VFF-EMT may elect to receive their length of service award under this subsection by notifying the program administrator and the participating municipality within the time period required by the program administrator or the applicable program. A VFF-EMT receiving an award under this subsection shall receive the full net asset value of their account. Adm 95.07(1)(c)(c) Upon receiving payment of a length of service award, a fully vested VFF-EMT age 60 or older may continue to provide service for credit toward a length of service award under a new account, but shall be paid any subsequent contributions made on the VFF-EMT’s behalf by the participating municipality or the department immediately after they are received by the program administrator. Adm 95.07(2)(a)(a) A VFF-EMT who has discontinued providing eligible service after performing a minimum of 10 years of service for credit shall be partially vested and may elect to receive a partial length of service award under this subsection at any time after reaching age 53, by notifying the program administrator and the participating municipality within the time period required by the program administrator or the applicable program. Adm 95.07(2)(b)(b) A VFF-EMT electing to receive a partial length of service award under this subsection shall be entitled to receive the award in the next calendar year following the date of the election. The VFF-EMT shall receive 50% of the net asset value of their account as of the date of the election for the first 10 years of service for credit performed. For each year of service for credit more than 10, but less than 15, performed by the VFF-EMT, ten percent of the net asset value of the account as of the date of the election shall be added. A VFF-EMT who has reached the age of 53 but has not reached the age of 60 and who has 15 or more years of service shall receive 95% of the net asset value of the account as of the date of the election. The amounts not paid to a VFF-EMT under this subsection shall be forfeited and equally distributed among all other open VFF-EMT accounts sponsored by that municipality at the time of the forfeiture.
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