The issue of double dipping was in the headlines recently when documents obtained by State Representative Steve Nass revealed that UW Green Bay officials knew they would be rehiring Tom Maki as Vice Chancellor and openly discussed the move only four days after he retired in March.
Tom Maki, Vice Chancellor for Business and Finance, announced his decision to retire on March 7, 2011. He officially retired four days later on March 11.
The Wisconsin Retirement System and Employee Trust Fund allows retired workers to take public jobs and collect pension payments as long as they’ve been retired for at least 30 days.
“The records my office obtained leave little doubt that discussions were underway for Tom Maki’s return prior to his retirement,” said Nass (R-Whitewater) at the time, Chairman of the Assembly Colleges and Universities Committee. “In fact, he drafted his own re-employment contract prior to his retirement. This whole affair just keep getting worse,”
The Governor supports provisions in AB 318, introduced by Representative Duey Stroebel, that would prevent “double-dipping” by government employees. Under AB 318 as currently drafted, future rehired annuitants who work at least half-time would stop receiving an annuity until they terminate employment but current rehired annuitants would be unaffected. AB 318 would allow rehired state annuitants to receive group insurance coverage the same as other state employees. Under AB 318, as drafted, rehired annuitants who work less than half-time would be treated the same as under current law.
Governor Walker’s office announce Friday that not only does he support those provision in AB318, he supports applying the same policy for administration appointees.