Amendment ID: S35-23

Amendment 23

Retirement Credit for Essential Workers

Mr. Collins moves that the proposed new text be amended by adding the following new sections:

SECTION XX

Chapter 32 of the General Laws is hereby amended by inserting the following new section after Section 4:-

SECTION 1. (a) The following words shall have the following meanings

“Employee”, a person by employed by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts; its political subdivisions, state and community colleges and universities under the board of higher education and the University of Massachusetts.

“COVID-19 Essential Employee Retirement Credit Bonus,” three years added to age or years of service or a combination thereof for the purpose of calculating a retirement benefit

SECTION 2. (a) Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the secretary of administration and finance shall identify all employees who have volunteered to work or who have been required to work at their respective worksites or any other worksite outside of their personal residence during the COVID-19 state of emergency declared by the Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts on March 10, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

(b) On or before June 30, 2021, the secretary of administration shall work with employers of employees defined in this section to identify and provide a list of employees and their home mailing address to the state retirement board and all other relevant retirement boards documenting the employees’ eligibility for the COVID -19 Essential Employee Retirement Credit Bonus defined in Section 3 of this Act hereinafter referred to as “credit”.  Said retirement boards shall notify in writing each employee who will be eligible for the credit.

SECTION 3. (a) Notwithstanding chapter 32 of the General Laws or any other general or special law to the contrary, and not before receiving from the secretary of administration and finance the report required under subsection (a) of section 2, the state board of retirement and all other relevant retirement boards shall establish and make the credit available to eligible employees. Said credit shall be available for use by eligible employees at any time on or after the effective date of this act.