Retired Educators Able to Help Fill School Vacancies Without Clipping Their Pensions
Michigan Department of Education Press Release LANSING – State Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice praised the passage and signing into law of House Bill 4752 – a bipartisan bill that will allow retired educators to fill temporary vacancies in local school districts on a limited basis and continue to receive their retirement pensions.
Dr. Rice appreciated the efforts of bill sponsor State Rep. Matt Koleszar and Governor Gretchen Whitmer for signing the bill into law today. “This new law provides needed relief for local school districts that have temporary vacancies and for recent school retirees who still want to help out their districts on a limited basis,” Dr. Rice said. “If we have experienced educators who still want to help in roles like teachers, substitute teachers, or athletic and academic coaches, there shouldn’t be financial obstacles in their way.” The new law will allow school retirees to continue to receive their retirement pension and retirement health care benefits as long as the educator retired and either waited at least six consecutive months before taking another position or, if taking a position with a local school district sooner than six months, earns $15,100 or less in a calendar year in that position. The new statute is due to sunset in five years in the absence of legislative action to extend it in the future. Previous state law required retired educators to wait nine months before being able to work at a school; otherwise, they would forfeit their retirement pension and health care benefits for the entire month of each month in which the retiree was employed at a local school district. Even with the new law, retired local superintendents are still subject to the previous law. House Bill 4752 passed in the Michigan House of Representatives by a vote of 100-8-2 and in the Michigan Senate by a vote of 37-1.
