Senator Sparks Urges Clarity for Return-to-Work Rules
State Senator Warns PERS Over Return-to-Work Insurance Confusion
A state senator serving on the PERS Board of Trustees says confusion over health coverage for retirees returning to government jobs must be resolved by December or lawmakers will intervene.
At the PERS Board of Trustees Administrative Committee meeting Oct. 29, state Sen. Daniel Sparks said he had pressed both the Department of Finance and Administration and PERS staff for answers on how insurance rules apply to retirees who return to work under the state's "return to work" program. "I've spoken with DFA. I have spoken with the folks at PERS board. I need clarity before December because we will address it statutorily if it has to be," Sparks said. He added that responsibility for the confusion had been difficult to pin down, saying, "Y'all been blamed as a board. DFA has been blamed. Everybody's pointed at somebody else."
Sparks's comments point to a breakdown between the legislature's return-to-work law and its implementation by agencies. The program is meant to help fill staffing shortages in critical-need jobs while generating pension contributions, but unresolved insurance questions have reportedly discouraged some retirees from returning. Sparks's warning sets up a possible legislative fix in the 2027 session if the issue remains unresolved.