New Jersey 2022-2023 Regular Session

New Jersey Assembly Bill A5471

Introduced
5/18/23  

Caption

Permits teacher and professional staff member who provides special services retired from TPAF to return to employment for up to two years without reenrollment in TPAF if employment commences during 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years.

Impact

If enacted, A5471 will facilitate a smoother transition back to teaching or other professional services for educators who have retired, while also allowing school districts to address urgent staffing gaps. By allowing retirees to receive both a retirement allowance and a salary during their reemployment, the bill incentivizes re-engagement of experienced educators. However, the legislation also requires that any reemployment must not be prearranged prior to retirement, thus ensuring the integrity of the retirement system. This could potentially lead to an influx of experienced professionals back into school systems struggling to meet the educational demands of their students.

Summary

Assembly Bill A5471 aims to address staffing shortages within New Jersey's educational system by permitting certain retired teachers and professional staff members, specifically those providing special services like speech language specialists or therapists, to return to work without re-enrolling in the Teachers' Pension and Annuity Fund (TPAF). The bill applies to those who retired and wish to return to employment in 'positions of critical need' as designated by the State Commissioner of Education. This provision is effective for the 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years, allowing a contracted re-employment period of up to two years.

Contention

While supporters advocate for the bill as a necessary solution to filling critical roles in schools, concerns may arise regarding its implications on the pension system and the long-term sustainability of such employment practices. Critics could argue this may undermine the intention of retirement benefits, leading to calls for a review of how reemployment after retirement affects pension plans and educational standards. Additionally, the requirements for 'bona fide' retirement and the definition of 'critical need' could lead to debates on what constitutes genuine staffing shortages and how they are assessed by the state.

Companion Bills

NJ S3835

Same As Permits teacher and professional staff member who provides special services retired from TPAF to return to employment for up to two years without reenrollment in TPAF if employment commences during 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years.

Previously Filed As

NJ S3835

Permits teacher and professional staff member who provides special services retired from TPAF to return to employment for up to two years without reenrollment in TPAF if employment commences during 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years.

NJ A5422

Permits teacher, and professional staff member who provides special services, who retired from TPAF to return to employment for up to two years without reenrollment in TPAF if employment commences during the 2023-2024 school year.

NJ S3798

Permits teacher, and professional staff member who provides special services, who retired from TPAF to return to employment for up to two years without reenrollment in TPAF if employment commences during the 2023-2024 school year.

NJ A1193

Permits teacher and professional staff member who provides special services retired from TPAF to return to employment for up to two years without reenrollment in TPAF if employment commences during 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years.

NJ A2941

Permits non-instructional staff member retired from PERS to return to employment in school district for up to two years without reenrollment in PERS if employment commences during 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years.

NJ S1559

Permits non-instructional staff member retired from PERS to return to employment in school district for up to two years without reenrollment in PERS if employment commences during remainder of 2021-2022 and entirety of 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years.

NJ S2412

Permits non-instructional staff member retired from PERS to return to employment in school district for up to two years without reenrollment in PERS if employment commences during remainder of 2023-2024 and entirety of 2024-2025 school years.

NJ S3404

Eliminates salary reference for retired members of PERS returning to employment in teaching staff positions.

NJ A4462

Eliminates salary reference for retired members of PERS returning to employment in teaching staff positions.

NJ HB1271

Retired teachers returning to employment.

Similar Bills

NJ S3835

Permits teacher and professional staff member who provides special services retired from TPAF to return to employment for up to two years without reenrollment in TPAF if employment commences during 2023-2024 and 2024-2025 school years.

NJ A5422

Permits teacher, and professional staff member who provides special services, who retired from TPAF to return to employment for up to two years without reenrollment in TPAF if employment commences during the 2023-2024 school year.

NJ S3798

Permits teacher, and professional staff member who provides special services, who retired from TPAF to return to employment for up to two years without reenrollment in TPAF if employment commences during the 2023-2024 school year.

NJ S2412

Permits non-instructional staff member retired from PERS to return to employment in school district for up to two years without reenrollment in PERS if employment commences during remainder of 2023-2024 and entirety of 2024-2025 school years.

NJ A2941

Permits non-instructional staff member retired from PERS to return to employment in school district for up to two years without reenrollment in PERS if employment commences during 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 school years.

NJ S1559

Permits non-instructional staff member retired from PERS to return to employment in school district for up to two years without reenrollment in PERS if employment commences during remainder of 2021-2022 and entirety of 2022-2023 and 2023-2024 school years.

KY SB2

AN ACT relating to student safety.

OK HB2545

State military forces; enacting the Oklahoma Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act; emergency.