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Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2023 - 2024
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | December 2, 2022 11:28 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Judy Ward |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Return to Service Legislation for Part-time Fire Instructors |
| I am re-introducing legislation from the last session that amends State Employees’ Retirement Code. It will permit retirees from the State Employees’ Retirement System (SERS) to return to service and work part-time as a state-certified fire instructor without having their benefits stopped. This was Senate Bill 423 from the 2021-22 session of the General Assembly. I have been contacted by constituents who are SERS retirees. They desire to work part-time as a state-certified fire instructor. When they were active state employees, they were able to work at their full-time job and provide fire instruction at an Educational Training Agency (e.g., Harrisburg Area Community College, Bucks County Community College) or the Pennsylvania State Fire Academy. However, once retired they can no longer work part-time without having their pension benefits stopped. While the SERS Retirement Code provides limited exceptions (emergency hire, salaried member of independent board or commission, independent contractor) for when state retirees may return to work for a SERS-participating employer while continuing to receive their pension payments, these options are not really viable for a retired state employee who would like to work part-time as a state-certified fire instructor. There is a real need for fire instructors. This legislation would help meet that need by allowing retired state employees who are state-certified fire instructors to return to service part-time without having their pensions halted. The measure would prevent members returning to state service from joining another retirement system for which they’d be eligible to join based on their employment. I would also point out that this would not add to an individual’s current pension. Co-sponsors of Senate Bill 423 were Senators Baker, Martin and Yaw. Please join me in cosponsoring this important legislation. If you have questions regarding this legislation, please reach out to Greg Beckenbaugh in my office at 717-787-5490 or gbeckenbaug@pasen.gov. |
Introduced as SB423