At least 849 public employees have received special permission to collect government paychecks while also collecting public pensions, according to data posted today on SeeThroughNY, the Empire Center’s transparency website.
The waivers, issued under Section 211 of the state Retirement and Social Security Law, allow public-sector retirees to return to work and exceed the $30,000 limit on earnings from public employers while collecting public pensions. Retirees who are age 65 or older are exempt from the waiver requirement. Applications for waivers, including those that have been rejected, can be viewed here.
As of July 1, 2016, the latest data show, 849 public employees had received such waivers, which was down slightly from the 861 waivers effective July 1, 2015. Waivers are often granted retroactively, concealing the number in force at any given time. Agencies are not required to proactively disclose the waivers, which are only available to the public thanks to efforts by the Empire Center to obtain and process them.
Among the waivers in effect on July 1:
- 372 were approved for New York City, with 137 going to District Attorney offices;
- 249 were approved for local governments, with the most going to Nassau County (34), Suffolk County (23) and Orange County (15);
- 185 were approved for New York State agencies, including 88 at the Law Department and 32 at SUNY; and
- 43 were approved for school districts outside New York City.
A 2014 analysis of active waivers by the Empire Center found more than half were being used to employ retired law enforcement officers in investigative positions, such as District Attorney offices. Public employers are required by law to first conduct “extensive recruitment efforts” to find a qualified non-retired person before a waiver is granted; however, it is unclear that these efforts are being carried out.
The Empire Center, based in Albany, is an independent, nonpartisan, not-for-profit think tank dedicated to promoting policies to make New York a better place to live, work and do business.
You may also like
NYC Fire Pensions Hit New High
New York City firefighters and fire officers retiring last year after full careers were entitled to , up 11 percent from the prior year, according to new data added to SeeThroughNY, the Empire Read More
$5.5 Billion NYCERS Pension Payments Include $70 Million in Back Pay
The pension plan covering most New York city government agencies, including the City’s subway system, had 47 members with pension payments of at least $200,00 last year, 11 more than in 2021, according to Read More
Six-figure NYSLRS pensions quadruple in ten years
The number of New York State and Local Retirement System (NYSLRS) retirees eligible for six-figure pensions quadrupled over the last seven years. Read More
Public School Retiree Pensions Set New Record
Average pension benefits for newly retired public educators outside New York City reached a record high last year Read More
Most Long Island Educators Paid at Least $100,000 Last Year
18% of all public-school teachers and administrators employed by school districts outside New York City were paid over $100,000 last year Read More
$139K Average Pension for New Full-Career FDNY Retirees
Nearly three-quarters of those retiring last year from the City of New York’s Fire Department (FDNY) were eligible for six-figure pensions Read More
Double-Dippers Increase by Nine Percent in 2018
The number of government retirees allowed to collect both a paycheck and public pension has grown by 9 percent, according to data posted today on SeeThroughNY, the Empire Center’s transparency website. Of the 933 active “double-dippers,” eight are eligible to take home more than $300,000, and at least 30 can take home more than $200,000. Read More
NYS School Pension Data Available at SeeThroughNY
Maximum pension benefits averaged $68,902 for the 2,598 members of the New York State Teachers Retirement System (NYSTRS) who retired last year with at least 30 years of credited service time, according to data posted today on SeeThroughNY, the Empire Center’s transparency website. Read More