(a)  Notwithstanding any public or general law, or rule or regulation to the contrary, any teacher, administrator, or staff member who has retired under the provisions of title 16, 36, or 45 may, as part of the public health crisis caused by COVID-19, exceed the ninety-day (90) cap on post-retirement employment upon:

(1)  A determination by the local education authority that there exists a specialized need, within their authority, to fill positions on a temporary basis, that may exceed the ninety-day (90) cap on post-retirement employment;

(2)  There exists a good-faith basis that those retired teachers, administrators, and staff members being asked to exceed the ninety-day (90) cap on post-retirement employment possess the skills, training, and knowledge necessary to help address the public health crisis, caused by COVID-19; and

(3)  The local education authority has notified the state retirement board that it has determined that exceeding the ninety-day (90) cap on post-retirement employment is necessary to help address the public health crisis caused by COVID-19.

lawyer at desk

Ask a legal question, get an answer ASAP!
Click here to chat with a lawyer about your rights.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 16-16-24.1

  • Member: means any person included in the membership of the retirement system under the provisions of this chapter. See Rhode Island General Laws 16-16-1
  • Service: means service as a teacher as described in subdivision (12) of this section. See Rhode Island General Laws 16-16-1
  • Teacher: means a person required to hold a certificate of qualification issued by or under the authority of the board of regents for elementary and secondary education and who is engaged in teaching as their principal occupation and is regularly employed as a teacher in the public schools of any city or town in the state, or any formalized, commissioner approved, cooperative service arrangement. See Rhode Island General Laws 16-16-1

(b)  Any teacher, administrator, or staff member who has retired under the provisions of title 16, 36, or 45, and has been employed or re-employed under the provisions of this section, shall not be entitled to additional service credits for such employment.

(c)  Unless extended by the general assembly, this section shall sunset upon the conclusion of the 2021-2022 school year.

History of Section.
P.L. 2022, ch. 7, § 1, effective March 28, 2022; P.L. 2022, ch. 8, § 1, effective March 28, 2022.