Firefighters must act on two key areas if they are to avoid missing out financially, the Fire Brigades Union has said.
Firefighters are given six months to buy back lost service after returning to duty following periods of absence, and with the six-month anniversary of the first strike now having passed, the FBU is encouraging all members to ensure their applications are in soon.
In addition, firefighters who have retired or left the service must write to their former employers to protect their positions, as they are not automatically protected from recent amendments to pension schemes.
Recent changes could worsen the position of retired firefighters in three key areas, the union has said: returning to work for a fire authority, accessing deferred pension early on ill-health grounds and the receipt of additional pension benefit.
