SACRAMENTO – Assemblymember Lloyd Levine (D-Van Nuys) today hailed the Assembly floor passage of AB 2132 – the Public Service Workers Retirement Act – which would allow firefighters, police officers, and other PERS retirees, who retire as full vested members of CalPERS to retain the highest level of retirement for which they qualify when they reenter the work force.

Under current law, people entitled to retirement benefits by CalPERS are only eligible to receive the benefit package provided by their most recent employer. Occasionally, the most recent employer offers a less attractive benefit package than a previous employer. In effect, going back to work punishes the worker.

“California needs to encourage well qualified people to continue their public service,” Assemblymember Levine said. “When retirees fail to take jobs for which they are qualified because they are forced to choose between continued service to the state and their retirement we all lose. AB 2132 will fix this problem.”

The effects of the current system are two fold: people unfamiliar with the system may unwittingly give up their attractive retirement package, and people familiar with the system may be reluctant to take jobs that are well suited to their expertise.

AB 2132 expands opportunities for state employers to hire qualified workers, and for retirees who still have talent to offer as state employees to continue working for the state.

The bill, which cleared the Assembly floor on a 47-9 vote, now goes to the Governor for his consideration.