SB 149

Under current law, if a Wisconsin Retirement System annuitant, or a disability

annuitant who has attained his or her normal retirement date, is appointed to a

position with a WRS-participating employer, or provides employee services to a

WRS-participating employer in which he or she is expected to work at least

two-thirds of what is considered full-time employment by the Department of

Employee Trust Funds, the annuity must be suspended and no annuity payment is

payable until after the participant again terminates covered employment.

This bill creates an exception to this requirement for an annuitant who retired

from employment with a participating employer and who is subsequently rehired or

provides employee services after retirement, if 1) the annuitant is a retired law

enforcement officer or fire fighter; 2) at the time the person initially retires from

covered employment with a participating employer, the person does not have an

agreement with any participating employer to return to employment; and 3) the

person elects to not become a participating employee at the time the person is rehired

by a participating employer or enters into a contract to provide employee services

after retirement. In other words, the bill allows an annuitant who was a law

enforcement officer or fire fighter to return to work with an employer who

participates in the WRS, and elect to not become a participating employee for

purposes of the WRS, and instead continue to receive his or her annuity.

Because this bill relates to public employee retirement or pensions, it may be

referred to the Joint Survey Committee on Retirement Systems for a report to be

printed as an appendix to the bill.