Minnesota Legislature
2021-2022 Regular Session
Health care worker retirement annuities extended
A new law, effective March 5, 2022, tweaks and extends a 2020 law to prevent unintended consequences for health care workers.
Minnesota law lets retirees return to public employers and continue to receive pension payments, provided they work less than a full-time schedule.
However, a law enacted in May 2020 as COVID-19 was becoming prevalent, allowed retired health care workers receiving a retirement annuity from a Public Employee Retirement Association or the Minnesota State Retirement System on or after March 13, 2020 to work as many hours as needed without suspension or reduction of the retiree’s pension payments. That language expired Dec. 31, 2021.
Sponsored by Rep. Kristin Bahner (DFL-Maple Grove) and Sen. Mary Kiffmeyer (R-Big Lake), a new law extends the expiration date to Dec. 31, 2023. It also corrects language to ensure that health care workers who did not meet the technical requirements of the session law will not be required to repay their annuity.
HF3136/SF2957*/CH34