What are the requirements if applying under the Rehire or Retention categories?

Eligible positions for funding under the Rehire category must have been laid off in the two years prior to the start of the application period on January 3, 2022. Copies of the official, signed, and issued layoff notices will be required at the time of application.

Firefighters who have been issued a formal layoff notice, which includes a specific date for the layoff action, prior to the start of the application period, and those who face imminent layoff – within 120 days of the close of the application period – are eligible for SAFER Program funding under the Retention category. As the application period closes on February 4, 2022, the layoffs must become effective on or before June 4, 2022. Copies of the official, signed, and issued layoff notices will be required at the time of application.

Eligible positions under the Retention category must be employees of the department at the time the application is submitted. Note: if a retention position becomes vacant after the application is submitted, departments must fill the vacancy with a new hire in order to maintain the operational staffing level.

A layoff notice that is not executed within the specified terms will be considered void unless an additional notice is provided within 14 days of the original action date will not qualify for funding in the Rehire or Retention categories. Applicants who do not meet these parameters must apply under the New Hire category.

Any layoff action not executed in accordance with the terms of the official layoff notice, or which does not meet the above requirements, will not qualify for funding in the Rehire or Retention categories. Applicants who do not meet these parameters must apply under the New Hire category.