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4. Establish a `endow of opportunity' in which employees can take advantage of the early reffimment incentive (e.g., between 6/l/2003 and 10/1/2003). This will ensure that the city does not forget to "close the door'" on the prow once it is no longer needed. 5. Avoid early retirement incentives that are tied too directly to age requirements or that cap at a certain age. For example, an early retirement incentive that pays the city's contribution toward health insamnce until age 65 or until Medicare-eligible may be challenged as disc_r_mimtory based on age. Instead, the city should offer a flat dollar amount (e.g., 5,000). 6. Avoid early retirement incentives that have uncertain/uncapped costs to the city (e.g., paying health insurance prerniums until the employee finds another job with group health insurance). Instead, cap the costs at a limited number of months or a dollar amount. 7 Consider the impact of losing a substantial number of highly experienced employees all at once (e.g., losing the most experienced police officers who help train new reerdts). At rnim'murn, the city should plan for the loss of that expertise, perhaps by asking the experienced employees to conduct training or write manuals before they leave employment. 8. Consider employees who are not yet 65 but are eligible for a public pension fund and how that might impact continuation of health and dental benefits. State law typically requires the city to provide indefinite group Health and dental coverage to early retirees who qualify to receive a public pension. G. Carefully consider voluntary termination programs, The city may want to consider offering employees a severance benefit if they agree to a voluntary termination of their employment, It is important that the city offer an additional severance benefit (one that is not available under ordinary circumstances) to the employee in return for their agreement to voluntarily t to employment. In the private sector, the severance benefit often tapes the form of a dollar arnount (or one week's pay) multiplied by the number of years of service (e.g. } $1 .000 x # of years of service or I week of pay for each year of se ice). It is equally important that the city require the employee to sign a waiver of all rights to sue* to file a complaint of dismirnination against the city, or to request a Veteran's Preference hearing in return for the additional severance benefit, Also, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act requires certain waiting periods (see section on early retirement incentives) during which the employee can change his or her mind before the agreement is final. Finally, it is important to notify the employee of his or her right to consult an attorney before signing the agreement. The best practice is to offer this opportunity across - the- board or within selected job classes and to be prepared to give a business reason why certain job clas= have been selected and others have not' The city should work with an attorney on the agreement to be signed by participating employees. H. Carefully consider voluntary leave and other cost - saving measures. Another fairly painless way to sage personnel costs is to implement a voluntary unpaid leave program or reduce work hours for ali employees across- the - board. while there may be a