Wis. Stat. § 40.26 — WI Code / Chapter 40 / Section 40.26
Reentry into service.
Status: in_force

(1) Except as provided in sub. (1m) and ss. 40.05 (2) (g) 2. and 40.23 (1) (am) , if a participant receiving a retirement annuity, or a disability annuitant who has attained his or her normal retirement date, receives earnings that are subject to s. 40.05 (1) or that would be subject to s. 40.05 (1) except for the exclusion specified in s. 40.22 (2) (L) , the annuity shall be suspended, including any amount provided by additional contributions, and no annuity payment shall be payable after the month in which the participant files with the department a written election to be included within the provisions of the Wisconsin retirement system as a participating employee.

(1m)

(a) Except as otherwise provided in sub. (6) , if a participant receiving a retirement annuity, or a disability annuitant who has attained his or her normal retirement date, is employed in a position in covered employment in which he or she is expected to work at least two-thirds of what is considered full-time employment by the department, as determined under s. 40.22 (2r) , the participant’s annuity shall be suspended and no annuity payment shall be payable until after the participant terminates covered employment.

(b) Except as otherwise provided in sub. (6) , if a participant receiving a retirement annuity, or a disability annuitant who has attained his or her normal retirement date, enters into a contract to provide employee services with a participating employer and he or she is expected to work at least two-thirds of what is considered full-time employment by the department, as determined under s. 40.22 (2r) , the participant’s annuity shall be suspended and no annuity payment shall be payable until after the participant no longer provides employee services under the contract.

(2) Upon suspension of an annuity under sub. (1) or (1m) , the retirement account of the participant whose annuity is so suspended shall be established on the following basis:

(b) Crediting of amounts under suspended annuity. The amount of the annuity payments which would have been paid under the suspended annuity, from the original annuity suspension date to the subsequent retirement date, shall be credited to a memorandum account.

(c) Establishment of subsequent retirement account. Upon becoming a participating employee, a subsequent retirement account shall be established, which includes crediting of interest and any contributions made and creditable service earned during the subsequent participating employment.

(3) Upon subsequent retirement, the suspended annuity shall be reinstated, including any amounts in a memorandum account under sub. (2) (b) . Upon application, the subsequent annuity shall be computed as an original annuity, based upon the participant’s attained age on the effective date of the subsequent annuity, in an optional form as elected by the participant under s. 40.24 .

(5) Except as otherwise provided in sub. (5m) , if a participant applies for an annuity or lump sum payment during the period in which less than 75 days have elapsed between the termination of employment with a participating employer and becoming a participating employee with any participating employer, all of the following shall apply:

(a) The participant shall not qualify for an annuity under s. 40.23 (1) (a) 1.

(b) The participant may not receive any benefit under this chapter on which the receipt of an annuity is a condition.

(c) Any annuity or lump sum payment made to the participant shall be considered to have been made in error and is subject to s. 40.08 (4) . The sum of the payments made in error shall be credited to a memorandum account. The memorandum account is subject to s. 40.04 (4) (a) 2. , 2g. and 2m. and (c) . If the annuity was recomputed under s. 40.08 (1m) , the memorandum account established under this paragraph shall be adjusted pursuant to s. 40.08 (1m) (f) 2. The retirement account of a participant paid in error, and whose annuity was terminated, shall be reestablished as if the terminated annuity had never been effective, including the crediting of interest.

(5m) During the public health emergency declared on March 12, 2020, by executive order 72, sub. (5) does not apply if at least 15 days have elapsed between the termination of employment with a participating employer and becoming a participating employee if the position for which the participant is hired is a critical position, as determined by the secretary of health services under s. 323.19 (3) .

(6) A participant who is hired during the public health emergency declared on March 12, 2020, by executive order 72, may elect to not suspend his or her retirement annuity or disability annuity under sub. (1m) for the duration of the state of emergency if all of the following conditions are met:

(a) At the time the participant terminates his or her employment with a participating employer, the participant does not have an agreement with any participating employer to return to employment or enter into a contract to provide employee services for the employer.

(b) The position for which the participant has been hired is a critical position, as determined under s. 323.19 (3) .

History: 1981 c. 96 ; 1983 a. 255 , 267 , 290 , 538 ; 1987 a. 138 , 372 ; 1989 a. 13 , 218 ; 1991 a. 141 , 152 , 315 ; 1993 a. 213 ; 1995 a. 302 ; 1999 a. 11 ; 2013 a. 20 ; 2015 a. 187 ; 2019 a. 185 .