Officials at the Maine Public Employees Retirement System have yet to determine whether convicted sex offender Gregory Vrooman will collect any benefits. Earlier Department of Public Safety spokesman Steve McCausland said the former state trooper would be eligible.
Vrooman, 46, was terminated after 26 years with the Maine State Police. On April 13, a Lincoln County jury found him guilty of 12 charges, including subjecting a minor to unlawful sexual contact.
Before eligibility can be determined, Vrooman must apply for the benefits. According to MePERS Deputy Executive Director Christine Gianopoulos, the system only begins to calculate the amount a retiree receives after an application is made.
“We have not gotten official word from the state that he has stopped working,” she said April 27.
Under the plan to which Vrooman is subscribed, a worker who has completed 25 years of service may be eligible, regardless of age at the time of retirement.
“Benefits are equal to 2-percent of your average final compensation for each year of service,” Gianopoulos said. The average is based on the three highest-earning years, which usually come near the end of a worker’s career. Until a claim is made, that amount will not be calculated, she said.
There is no limit to the length of time that benefits are received; once a claim is approved payments continue for the retiree’s lifetime.
“We assume certain life expectancies,” she said. “It’s a lifetime benefit. The amount can be affected by whether they want a survivor to receive a part of that benefit, or if they have a divorce agreement in place [that gives] the former spouse a share of that benefit. In general, that’s how the formula works.”
“We don’t know if Mr. Vrooman is eligible to receive retirement benefits,” Gianopoulos said.
Vrooman may also be eligible for other benefits, such as retiree health insurance, but the Division of State Employees Heath and Benefits will not review his account until a claim is made, according to Health Benefits Administrator Tanya Plante.
“It all depend on what his status is at the time he retires,” Plante said. She said benefits are only granted to those who retire from state service.
“You have to be actively at work one day and retired the next to be eligible,” she said. Plante said Vrooman could be eligible if he was under on suspension or on leave, whether paid or not.
“That means he’s still an employee of the state and expected to return at a certain date. If he’s not an active employee at that time then he’s not eligible for benefits.” Plante said, adding a participant must be actively included in the health plan for one full year immediately prior to retirement.
“More than likely, he’s not going to have health benefits, because I don’t think he’ll come back to work,” Plante said.
