June 10, 2021-Thursday the Senate passed the Post-Retirement Work Waiver Extension amendment as part of legislation that addressed policies related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The current waiver was set to expire when the Governor’s state of emergency order expired on June 15th.
June 10, 2021-Thursday the Senate passed the Post-Retirement Work Waiver Extension amendment as part of legislation that addressed policies related to the COVID-19 pandemic. The current waiver was set to expire when the Governor’s state of emergency order expired on June 15th.
Senator Mike Brady (D-Brockton), who filed the amendment, took the floor on Thursday to advocate for the extension. The amendment, which passed on a voice vote with no objections, would extend the waiver until December 15, 2021. The extension will allow retirees to continue to work under the waiver and not be subject to the hours and earnings restrictions that are normally in place.
Retirees will be able to continue the vital work they have been doing over the past 14 months to support their communities throughout the pandemic without fear of being over the hours or earnings for the rest of the year.
Thank you to the members who reached out to their Senators urging them to support Senator Brady’s amendment. It is no doubt that the advocacy done was critical to success, in particular, with the quick turnaround time on the legislation.
It should be noted that the restriction of 960 hours and earnings restriction of the difference between a retiree’s public pension benefit and the annual salary their former job currently pays, plus an additional $15,000 will be in effect from December 16, 2021, until December 31, 2021. At this point we anticipate that the “normal” post-retirement public employment rules will be in place from late December forward.
We anticipate the House will take up a version of similar legislation next week. We will be working with our allies in the House to seek the extension as part of their legislation.