WI AB196

Allows Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) annuitants who are rehired by WRS-participating employers to continue receiving their annuity payments for up to 60 months without suspension, rather than being required to suspend payments during covered employment.

Requires WRS-participating employers who hire annuitants electing not to suspend their annuity to make payments to the Department of Employee Trust Funds equal to what employer contributions would have been, with funds deposited into the employer reserve account.

Annuitants who elect not to suspend their annuity are ineligible for group insurance benefits provided to active WRS employees and cannot use service in the new position for any WRS benefit purposes.

Annuitants who choose to become active WRS-participating employees again are eligible for group insurance benefits and may accumulate additional years of creditable service.

Repeals obsolete provisions related to WRS annuitants returning to covered employment during the COVID-19 public health emergency declared March 12, 2020.