Post-retirement employment of annuitants under the Wisconsin Retirement System and granting rule-making authority

What it would have done

Summary by the Legislative Reference Bureau, the Legislature's nonpartisan drafting office. It's their wording, not ours.

Under current law, when a participant in the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) terminates covered employment and begins to receive an annuity he or she may return to covered employment and either terminate the annuity and again become a participating employee in the WRS or, instead, continue to receive the annuity, as well as wages from covered employment. If a participant continues to receive the annuity, the participant may not be a participating employee in the WRS and, in the case of state employment, is not eligible for group insurance benefits provided to participating employees, and may not use any of his or her employment service as a rehired annuitant for any WRS purposes. If the participant terminates the annuity, the participant returns to participating employee status and is eligible for all group insurance benefits provided other participating employees, as well as is able to accumulate additional years of creditable service under the WRS for the additional period of covered employment.

This bill provides that, beginning on the bill's effective date, if a participant in the WRS, who is receiving an annuity, or a disability annuitant who has attained his or her normal retirement date, is appointed to a position in covered employment in which he or she is expected to work at least one-half of what is considered full-time employment by the Department of Employee Trust Funds (DETF), as determined by rule, the participant's annuity must be terminated and no annuity payment is payable until after the participant terminates covered employment. In addition, such a participant cannot again become a participating employee in the WRS, with the result that no additional years of creditable service may be acquired as a result of the post-retirement employment. The bill, however, does provide that for annuitants who again become state employees, they are eligible to receive group insurance benefits provided to other state employees who are participating employees in the WRS.

Who's behind it

4 senators are its authors⁠. All 4 are Republicans.

26 more lawmakers signed on in support⁠.

What it would cost

State agencies filed a cost estimate. Each opens as a PDF from the Legislature.

• Fiscal Estimate From ETF

Versions and amendments

Every text the Legislature printed for this bill, including proposed changes. Each opens on the Legislature's site.

• Amendment SSA1-SB239