Policy: Post-Retirement Employment/Rehired Annuitants, UW-Platteville

University Policy: Human Resources

This policy establishes the parameters for hiring retired employees (annuitants) of a Wisconsin entity covered by the Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS).  All hires of annuitants must also comply with the requirements of state law (Wis. Stat., § 40.23(1)a(1), Wis. Stat. § 40.26, as amended, and ETF 10.08, Wisconsin Administrative Code), including rules relating to proper separation from employment.  Contracts to rehire individuals previously employed at any institution in the UW System or at another Wisconsin entity covered by the WRS are not to be discussed, negotiated, or entered into prior to or during the required break in service.  The length of the required break in service is governed by the employment termination/retirement date of the annuitant.  It is required that the University’s Office of Human Resources Payroll and Benefits Specialist or the Director of Human Resources review any plan to rehire an annuitant prior to contacting an annuitant regarding potential employment.  If contacted by an annuitant, direct the annuitant to the Office of Human Resources. 

1. The employment of annuitants is intended to address short-term needs of the university, and is not to be used as a substitute for hiring on-going employees.  Consequently, the appointment period for a rehired annuitant generally cannot exceed one year.

2. The hiring of an annuitant is permitted only in specific circumstances.  The dean/director or designee recommends the appointment, and the appointment must be approved by the Vice Chancellor for Administration & Finance.  Circumstances for hiring an annuitant include, but are not limited to: 

• The individual is needed on an interim basis while recruiting for a permanent employee, or while decisions about the necessity of, or financial support for, the position are completed;
• The individual’s expertise and experience are needed for a specific project;
• The individual is needed to teach classes when it is not possible to hire a faculty or instructional academic staff member;
• Emeriti may be hired to fill teaching, research and other roles when other resources are not available, or the hire is based on specific knowledge and/or skills;
• Retired tenured faculty subsequently hired to teach academic classes who are hired as instructional academic staff;
• The individual may be hired as an LTE for specific events or projects in which the appointment adheres to the UW-Platteville LTE Policy;
• Other exceptional circumstances exist and can be documented

3. Annuitants may be hired into positions similar to those from which they retired at UW-Platteville without an open recruitment with the approval of the Vice Chancellor for Administration & Finance or designee.  Hiring annuitants into substantially different positions requires that university recruitment policies be followed.  Annuitants hired through a competitive civil service process are not subject to the one-year limitation described in paragraph 1 of this policy.

4. Continuation of annuitant’s appointment beyond one year requires the advance approval of the Vice Chancellor for Administration & Finance or designee.

5. The rehired annuitant must sign a statement attesting to the fact that he/she has met all the requirements of a valid, good faith termination.

6. Contact the Office of Human Resources with questions about this policy.

Approved by Chancellor Dennis Shields, July 8, 2013