Connecticut House Bill HB05754

Connecticut 2021 Regular Session

• Introduced: 1/28/21
• Refer: 1/28/21

Caption

An Act Excluding Mileage Reimbursements And Overtime Pay From The Calculation Of Retirement Income.

Impact

By implementing these changes, the bill aims to achieve financial savings for the state. Excluding mileage reimbursements and overtime from the retirement income calculations will likely help in reducing the total amount of money that the state must allocate for pension payouts. Advocates of the bill argue that this approach will lead to a more sustainable financial model for public employee pensions, easing fiscal pressures on state budgets in the long term.

Summary

House Bill 05754 proposes a significant change to the calculations used to determine retirement income for state employees. Specifically, the bill seeks to exclude both mileage reimbursements and overtime pay from the salary calculations that are used to calculate retirement benefits. This legislative move is designed to reduce the financial burden on the state, especially considering the ongoing concerns about unfunded pension liabilities that have been accumulating over the years.

Contention

However, the bill also raises potential concerns among employees and stakeholders. Critics might argue that removing overtime pay from the retirement income calculation could disincentivize employees from taking on additional hours that contribute to their overall income. This might particularly affect those in positions where overtime constitutes a significant part of their compensation. While the intent is to save the state money, there is a risk that it could impact employee morale and retention, particularly in challenging economic times.