August 21, 2008
Gripes about prison grub dismissed by pension system
Inmates aren't alone in complaining about prison cuisine.
Peter Renda Sr., a retired New York City corrections officer, says 20 years of jail food--and job stress--led to his heart attack in 2006.
Renda wanted to retire with three-quarters of his final salary, because he believes his heart condition was work-related. But the NYC Employees Retirement System doesn't agree. It twice denied his application for disability retirement under the "Heart Bill".
According to The Chief, the civil service employees' weekly (link here for subscribers only), Renda says his pre-employment physical in 1986 showed him to be healthy.
He said the stress of the job, combined with eating prison food every day, contributed to his illness. "It's all artery-clogging food filled with a certain amount of calories," he said. "I can almost certainly say that is probably what caused this problem." Jail employees are not allowed to bring food into the facility, and seldom order out.
Denied a disability retirement, Renda retired in September 2006 with a regular pension, which provides half-pay after 20 years of employment.
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