Senate Bill sb2270

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 2270

    By Senator Bennett





    21-732A-03

  1                      A bill to be entitled

  2         An act relating to public school reemployment;

  3         amending s. 121.091, F.S.; revising provisions

  4         to allow retired teachers and educational

  5         administrators from this state to be reemployed

  6         by district school boards; providing guidelines

  7         and terms of employment; providing an effective

  8         date.

  9  

10  Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Florida:

11  

12         Section 1.  Subsection (9) of section 121.091, Florida

13  Statutes, is amended to read:

14         121.091  Benefits payable under the system.--Benefits

15  may not be paid under this section unless the member has

16  terminated employment as provided in s. 121.021(39)(a) or

17  begun participation in the Deferred Retirement Option Program

18  as provided in subsection (13), and a proper application has

19  been filed in the manner prescribed by the department. The

20  department may cancel an application for retirement benefits

21  when the member or beneficiary fails to timely provide the

22  information and documents required by this chapter and the

23  department's rules. The department shall adopt rules

24  establishing procedures for application for retirement

25  benefits and for the cancellation of such application when the

26  required information or documents are not received.

27         (9)  EMPLOYMENT AFTER RETIREMENT; LIMITATION.--

28         (a)  Any person who is retired under this chapter,

29  except under the disability retirement provisions of

30  subsection (4), may be employed by an employer that does not

31  participate in a state-administered retirement system and may

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 2270
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 1  receive compensation from that employment without limiting or

 2  restricting in any way the retirement benefits payable to that

 3  person.

 4         (b)1.  Any person who is retired under this chapter,

 5  except under the disability retirement provisions of

 6  subsection (4), may be reemployed by any private or public

 7  employer after retirement and receive retirement benefits and

 8  compensation from his or her employer without any limitations,

 9  except that a person may not receive both a salary from

10  reemployment with any agency participating in the Florida

11  Retirement System and retirement benefits under this chapter

12  for a period of 12 months immediately subsequent to the date

13  of retirement. However, a DROP participant shall continue

14  employment and receive a salary during the period of

15  participation in the Deferred Retirement Option Program, as

16  provided in subsection (13).

17         2.  Any person to whom the limitation in subparagraph

18  1. applies who violates such reemployment limitation and who

19  is reemployed with any agency participating in the Florida

20  Retirement System before completion of the 12-month limitation

21  period shall give timely notice of this fact in writing to the

22  employer and to the division and shall have his or her

23  retirement benefits suspended for the balance of the 12-month

24  limitation period.  Any person employed in violation of this

25  paragraph and any employing agency which knowingly employs or

26  appoints such person without notifying the Division of

27  Retirement to suspend retirement benefits shall be jointly and

28  severally liable for reimbursement to the retirement trust

29  fund of any benefits paid during the reemployment limitation

30  period.  To avoid liability, such employing agency shall have

31  a written statement from the retiree that he or she is not

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 2270
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 1  retired from a state-administered retirement system.  Any

 2  retirement benefits received while reemployed during this

 3  reemployment limitation period shall be repaid to the

 4  retirement trust fund, and retirement benefits shall remain

 5  suspended until such repayment has been made.  Benefits

 6  suspended beyond the reemployment limitation shall apply

 7  toward repayment of benefits received in violation of the

 8  reemployment limitation.

 9         3.a.  A district school board may reemploy a retired

10  member as a substitute or hourly teacher, education

11  paraprofessional, transportation assistant, bus driver, or

12  food service worker on a noncontractual basis after he or she

13  has been retired for 1 calendar month, in accordance with s.

14  121.021(39).  Any retired member who is reemployed within 1

15  calendar month after retirement shall void his or her

16  application for retirement benefits. District school boards

17  reemploying such teachers, education paraprofessionals,

18  transportation assistants, bus drivers, or food service

19  workers are subject to the retirement contribution required by

20  subparagraph 7.  Reemployment of a retired member as a

21  substitute or hourly teacher, education paraprofessional,

22  transportation assistant, bus driver, or food service worker

23  is limited to 780 hours during the first 12 months of his or

24  her retirement.  Any retired member reemployed for more than

25  780 hours during his or her first 12 months of retirement

26  shall give timely notice in writing to the employer and to the

27  division of the date he or she will exceed the limitation.

28  The division shall suspend his or her retirement benefits for

29  the remainder of the first 12 months of retirement.  Any

30  person employed in violation of this subparagraph and any

31  employing agency which knowingly employs or appoints such

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 2270
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 1  person without notifying the Division of Retirement to suspend

 2  retirement benefits shall be jointly and severally liable for

 3  reimbursement to the retirement trust fund of any benefits

 4  paid during the reemployment limitation period.  To avoid

 5  liability, such employing agency shall have a written

 6  statement from the retiree that he or she is not retired from

 7  a state-administered retirement system.  Any retirement

 8  benefits received by a retired member while reemployed in

 9  excess of 780 hours during the first 12 months of retirement

10  shall be repaid to the Retirement System Trust Fund, and his

11  or her retirement benefits shall remain suspended until

12  repayment is made.  Benefits suspended beyond the end of the

13  retired member's first 12 months of retirement shall apply

14  toward repayment of benefits received in violation of the

15  780-hour reemployment limitation.

16         b.  Notwithstanding the provisions of sub-subparagraph

17  a. and s. 122.16, a district school board may reemploy a

18  teacher or educational administrator on a full-time basis

19  after that teacher or educational administrator has

20  participated for the maximum period in the Deferred Retirement

21  Option Program pursuant to subsection (13) and has been

22  retired for 30 days. Reemployment does not void any state

23  retirement benefit for which the employee is eligible.

24  However, the employee may not be reenrolled in the defined

25  benefit program of the Florida Retirement System but must be

26  enrolled in the Public Employee Optional Retirement Program

27  pursuant to s. 121.4501.

28         4.  A community college board of trustees may reemploy

29  a retired member as an adjunct instructor, that is, an

30  instructor who is noncontractual and part-time, or as a

31  participant in a phased retirement program within the Florida

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 2270
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 1  Community College System, after he or she has been retired for

 2  1 calendar month, in accordance with s. 121.021(39).  Any

 3  retired member who is reemployed within 1 calendar month after

 4  retirement shall void his or her application for retirement

 5  benefits.  Boards of trustees reemploying such instructors are

 6  subject to the retirement contribution required in

 7  subparagraph 7.  A retired member may be reemployed as an

 8  adjunct instructor for no more than 780 hours during the first

 9  12 months of retirement.  Any retired member reemployed for

10  more than 780 hours during the first 12 months of retirement

11  shall give timely notice in writing to the employer and to the

12  division of the date he or she will exceed the limitation.

13  The division shall suspend his or her retirement benefits for

14  the remainder of the first 12 months of retirement.  Any

15  person employed in violation of this subparagraph and any

16  employing agency which knowingly employs or appoints such

17  person without notifying the Division of Retirement to suspend

18  retirement benefits shall be jointly and severally liable for

19  reimbursement to the retirement trust fund of any benefits

20  paid during the reemployment limitation period.  To avoid

21  liability, such employing agency shall have a written

22  statement from the retiree that he or she is not retired from

23  a state-administered retirement system.  Any retirement

24  benefits received by a retired member while reemployed in

25  excess of 780 hours during the first 12 months of retirement

26  shall be repaid to the Retirement System Trust Fund, and

27  retirement benefits shall remain suspended until repayment is

28  made.  Benefits suspended beyond the end of the retired

29  member's first 12 months of retirement shall apply toward

30  repayment of benefits received in violation of the 780-hour

31  reemployment limitation.

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 2270
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 1         5.  The State University System may reemploy a retired

 2  member as an adjunct faculty member or as a participant in a

 3  phased retirement program within the State University System

 4  after the retired member has been retired for 1 calendar

 5  month, in accordance with s. 121.021(39).  Any retired member

 6  who is reemployed within 1 calendar month after retirement

 7  shall void his or her application for retirement benefits.

 8  The State University System is subject to the retired

 9  contribution required in subparagraph 7., as appropriate. A

10  retired member may be reemployed as an adjunct faculty member

11  or a participant in a phased retirement program for no more

12  than 780 hours during the first 12 months of his or her

13  retirement.  Any retired member reemployed for more than 780

14  hours during the first 12 months of retirement shall give

15  timely notice in writing to the employer and to the division

16  of the date he or she will exceed the limitation.  The

17  division shall suspend his or her retirement benefits for the

18  remainder of the first 12 months of retirement.  Any person

19  employed in violation of this subparagraph and any employing

20  agency which knowingly employs or appoints such person without

21  notifying the Division of Retirement to suspend retirement

22  benefits shall be jointly and severally liable for

23  reimbursement to the retirement trust fund of any benefits

24  paid during the reemployment limitation period.  To avoid

25  liability, such employing agency shall have a written

26  statement from the retiree that he or she is not retired from

27  a state-administered retirement system.  Any retirement

28  benefits received by a retired member while reemployed in

29  excess of 780 hours during the first 12 months of retirement

30  shall be repaid to the Retirement System Trust Fund, and

31  retirement benefits shall remain suspended until repayment is

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 2270
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 1  made.  Benefits suspended beyond the end of the retired

 2  member's first 12 months of retirement shall apply toward

 3  repayment of benefits received in violation of the 780-hour

 4  reemployment limitation.

 5         6.  The Board of Trustees of the Florida School for the

 6  Deaf and the Blind may reemploy a retired member as a

 7  substitute teacher, substitute residential instructor, or

 8  substitute nurse on a noncontractual basis after he or she has

 9  been retired for 1 calendar month, in accordance with s.

10  121.021(39).  Any retired member who is reemployed within 1

11  calendar month after retirement shall void his or her

12  application for retirement benefits. The Board of Trustees of

13  the Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind reemploying such

14  teachers, residential instructors, or nurses is subject to the

15  retirement contribution required by subparagraph 7.

16  Reemployment of a retired member as a substitute teacher,

17  substitute residential instructor, or substitute nurse is

18  limited to 780 hours during the first 12 months of his or her

19  retirement.  Any retired member reemployed for more than 780

20  hours during the first 12 months of retirement shall give

21  timely notice in writing to the employer and to the division

22  of the date he or she will exceed the limitation. The division

23  shall suspend his or her retirement benefits for the remainder

24  of the first 12 months of retirement.  Any person employed in

25  violation of this subparagraph and any employing agency which

26  knowingly employs or appoints such person without notifying

27  the Division of Retirement to suspend retirement benefits

28  shall be jointly and severally liable for reimbursement to the

29  retirement trust fund of any benefits paid during the

30  reemployment limitation period.  To avoid liability, such

31  employing agency shall have a written statement from the

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 2270
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 1  retiree that he or she is not retired from a

 2  state-administered retirement system.  Any retirement benefits

 3  received by a retired member while reemployed in excess of 780

 4  hours during the first 12 months of retirement shall be repaid

 5  to the Retirement System Trust Fund, and his or her retirement

 6  benefits shall remain suspended until payment is made.

 7  Benefits suspended beyond the end of the retired member's

 8  first 12 months of retirement shall apply toward repayment of

 9  benefits received in violation of the 780-hour reemployment

10  limitation.

11         7.  The employment by an employer of any retiree or

12  DROP participant of any state-administered retirement system

13  shall have no effect on the average final compensation or

14  years of creditable service of the retiree or DROP

15  participant.  Prior to July 1, 1991, upon employment of any

16  person, other than an elected officer as provided in s.

17  121.053, who has been retired under any state-administered

18  retirement program, the employer shall pay retirement

19  contributions in an amount equal to the unfunded actuarial

20  liability portion of the employer contribution which would be

21  required for regular members of the Florida Retirement System.

22  Effective July 1, 1991, contributions shall be made as

23  provided in s. 121.122 for retirees with renewed membership or

24  subsection (13) with respect to DROP participants.

25         8.  Any person who has previously retired and who is

26  holding an elective public office or an appointment to an

27  elective public office eligible for the Elected Officers'

28  Class on or after July 1, 1990, shall be enrolled in the

29  Florida Retirement System as provided in s. 121.053(1)(b) or,

30  if holding an elective public office that does not qualify for

31  the Elected Officers' Class on or after July 1, 1991, shall be

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 1  enrolled in the Florida Retirement System as provided in s.

 2  121.122, and shall continue to receive retirement benefits as

 3  well as compensation for the elected officer's service for as

 4  long as he or she remains in elective office. However, any

 5  retired member who served in an elective office prior to July

 6  1, 1990, suspended his or her retirement benefit, and had his

 7  or her Florida Retirement System membership reinstated shall,

 8  upon retirement from such office, have his or her retirement

 9  benefit recalculated to include the additional service and

10  compensation earned.

11         9.  Any person who is holding an elective public office

12  which is covered by the Florida Retirement System and who is

13  concurrently employed in nonelected covered employment may

14  elect to retire while continuing employment in the elective

15  public office, provided that he or she shall be required to

16  terminate his or her nonelected covered employment.  Any

17  person who exercises this election shall receive his or her

18  retirement benefits in addition to the compensation of the

19  elective office without regard to the time limitations

20  otherwise provided in this subsection.  No person who seeks to

21  exercise the provisions of this subparagraph, as the same

22  existed prior to May 3, 1984, shall be deemed to be retired

23  under those provisions, unless such person is eligible to

24  retire under the provisions of this subparagraph, as amended

25  by chapter 84-11, Laws of Florida.

26         10.  The limitations of this paragraph apply to

27  reemployment in any capacity with an "employer" as defined in

28  s. 121.021(10), irrespective of the category of funds from

29  which the person is compensated.

30         11.  An employing agency may reemploy a retired member

31  as a firefighter or paramedic after the retired member has

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 1  been retired for 1 calendar month, in accordance with s.

 2  121.021(39). Any retired member who is reemployed within 1

 3  calendar month after retirement shall void his or her

 4  application for retirement benefits. The employing agency

 5  reemploying such firefighter or paramedic is subject to the

 6  retired contribution required in subparagraph 8. Reemployment

 7  of a retired firefighter or paramedic is limited to no more

 8  than 780 hours during the first 12 months of his or her

 9  retirement. Any retired member reemployed for more than 780

10  hours during the first 12 months of retirement shall give

11  timely notice in writing to the employer and to the division

12  of the date he or she will exceed the limitation. The division

13  shall suspend his or her retirement benefits for the remainder

14  of the first 12 months of retirement. Any person employed in

15  violation of this subparagraph and any employing agency which

16  knowingly employs or appoints such person without notifying

17  the Division of Retirement to suspend retirement benefits

18  shall be jointly and severally liable for reimbursement to the

19  Retirement System Trust Fund of any benefits paid during the

20  reemployment limitation period. To avoid liability, such

21  employing agency shall have a written statement from the

22  retiree that he or she is not retired from a

23  state-administered retirement system. Any retirement benefits

24  received by a retired member while reemployed in excess of 780

25  hours during the first 12 months of retirement shall be repaid

26  to the Retirement System Trust Fund, and retirement benefits

27  shall remain suspended until repayment is made. Benefits

28  suspended beyond the end of the retired member's first 12

29  months of retirement shall apply toward repayment of benefits

30  received in violation of the 780-hour reemployment limitation.

31         Section 2.  This act shall take effect July 1, 2003.

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    Florida Senate - 2003                                  SB 2270
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 1            *****************************************

 2                          SENATE SUMMARY

 3    Revises provisions related to the reemployment of retired
      teachers and administrators from this state. Establishes
 4    guidelines and terms of reemployment. (See bill for
      details.)
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