In 2001, Massachusetts introduced RetirementPlus, a program that allows teachers to retire a little earlier if they increase the amount they contribute to their pension to 11 percent of their salary. Teachers hired before July 1, 2001, needed to elect to join RetirementPlus when it was enacted through an often-confusing process that led many to believe they were automatically enrolled, only later learning that they were not.

H.4361 would create a fair and clear pathway for teachers hired before July 1, 2001, to have a new opportunity to join RetirementPlus. A recent ruling by the Division of Administrative Law Appeals (DALA) has made it clear that legislation is needed to fix this problem.

The House of Representative as has passed this language twice so we are asking you to contact your State Senator to ask that they support the Senate's immediate passage of H.4361.

CALL AND EMAIL YOUR STATE SENATOR NOW! Ask them to pass H.4361 now. This bill will give teachers a new opportunity to enroll in RetirementPlus. Find your Senator's phone numbers here.

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H.2769 / S.1921 would create a fair system for long-serving teachers to retire with dignity and economic security.

Educators raising young children (most typically women) often are compelled to reduce their work hours to balance family responsibilities. In doing so they may become ineligible for student loan forgiveness and their pension can be negatively impacted. Under current law, an employee who works less than full-time, but more than half-time, is not credited with a full year of service for the purpose of calculating their pension benefits and there is no opportunity to later purchase this time. For example, a teacher who works half-time for 5 years would accrue 2.5 years of service, resulting in a difficult choice: Retire with a smaller pension or work years beyond the normal retirement age.

This bill would:

• Allow teachers who reduced their work time to meet the demands of child-rearing or family care an opportunity to buy back up to five years of service toward their retirement.
• Address the unfair 2010 rule change, which gave full-time retirement credit to teachers who only worked part-time between 1990 to 2010, but only partial (prorated) retirement credit to teachers who switched between full-time and part-time work during that same period.

To be eligible to purchase service under this bill, a teacher must:

• Be a member of the Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System or the Boston retirement system.
• Currently working full-time.
• Have accrued at least 20 years of creditable service.
• Worked at least half-time for the school year for which they wish to purchase service.