Sponsored by:
Senator M. TERESA RUIZ
District 29 (Essex)
Senator RICHARD J. CODEY
District 27 (Essex and Morris)
Co-Sponsored by:
Senators Diegnan, Pou, Gill and O'Scanlon
SYNOPSIS
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 state of emergency for COVID-19 pandemic.
CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT
As reported by the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee on June 17, 2021, with amendments.
An Act concerning a return to employment by a 1[school]1 teacher 1or a professional staff member who provides special services1 during the 1[public health emergency and]1 state of emergency for the COVID-19 pandemic after retirement from the Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund.
Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:
1. Notwithstanding the provisions of N.J.S.18A:66-53.2 to the contrary, the cancellation, reenrollment, and additional retirement allowance provisions of subsection a. of N.J.S.18A:66-53.2 shall not apply to a former member of the Teachers’ Pension and Annuity Fund who is a 1[certificated]1 teacher 1or who is a professional staff member providing special services, including but not limited to a speech language specialist or a therapist,1 and who, after having been granted a retirement allowance, becomes employed by a board of education in a position of critical need as determined by the State Commissioner of Education on a contractual basis for a term of not more than one year; except that the cancellation, reenrollment, and additional retirement allowance provisions shall apply if the former member becomes employed within 180 days with the employer from which the member retired. Nothing herein shall preclude a former member so reemployed with a board of education from renewing a contract for one additional year; provided that the total period of employment with any individual board of education does not exceed a two-year period, unless so approved by the Commissioner of Education as being in the best interests of the school district; and provided that no such renewal shall provide the former member an election regarding whether or not to be reenrolled.
The former member’s retirement shall have been a bona fide retirement and any employment or reemployment under this section shall not be prearranged before retirement.
This section shall apply only with regard to a 1[certificated]1 teacher 1or a professional staff member who provides special services1 whose reemployment with any board of election commences during the 1[public health emergency and]1 state of emergency declared by the Governor 1[in Executive Order No. 103]1 for the COVID-19 pandemic 1[and during any extensions of that public health emergency and state of emergency]1.
2. This act shall take effect immediately.