Increases the number of days a retired municipal employee could work in a calendar year without interruption of pension benefits to ninety (90) days or its equivalent of six hundred thirty (630) hours.

Summary of Rhode Island Senate Bill on Municipal Employee Retirement

This bill would change the rules for retired municipal employees in Rhode Island who want to return to work for a city or town. Under current law, retirees can only work a limited number of days before their pension benefits are paused or stopped. This proposal would allow retired municipal workers to work up to 90 days (or 630 hours) in a single calendar year while continuing to receive their full pension benefits without interruption.

The change would mainly affect retired city and town employees — such as retired public works staff, clerks, administrators, or other local government workers — who want to come back and help their municipality on a part-time or temporary basis. It would also benefit local governments that may want to bring back experienced, retired workers to fill staffing gaps or handle special projects without those workers having to choose between working and keeping their pension.

Currently, this bill has been introduced in the Rhode Island Senate and referred to the Senate Finance Committee, meaning lawmakers are still reviewing it and no final vote has been taken. If passed, this would be a straightforward expansion of the existing "return to work" allowance for retired municipal employees across Rhode Island.