- Massachusetts State Retirement Board
The Massachusetts Senate, on September 30, 2021, joined the House of Representatives by unanimously overriding Governor Baker’s previous veto of the proposed legislative increase in post-retirement work hours. As a result, the new annual limit for retirees is 1,200 and was made effective retroactive to July 1, 2021. The legislation did not impact the dollar limits or disability retiree reporting requirements.
(By way of background, the Legislature, as part of the FY 2022 state budget, had approved increasing the annual hours limit from 960 to 1,200, which the Governor vetoed. However, the House and the Senate overrode the veto.)
According to a memo issued by the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission (PERAC) on October 22, 2021, with the passage of Chapter 76 of the Acts of 2021 a Chapter 32 retiree may work up to 1,200 hours in the public sector in a calendar year. Click here to read the full PERAC MEMO 29/2021.
From January 1 to June 15, 2021, retirees working in the public sector were exempt from earnings restrictions due to legislation.
Generally, public retirees are limited to 1,200 hours of service and/or an earnings limit based on the difference between the retiree’s pension benefit and the current salary of the position from which they retired. Retirees can earn an additional $15,000 once they have been retired for a year.
Retirees are responsible for tracking their hours and/or earnings limits. Current guidelines for working and receiving a public retirement benefit are available on the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission (PERAC) website: https://www.mass.gov/guides/working-receiving-a-public-retirement-benefit.