Florida Statutes
Part I - General Provisions (Ss. 121.011-121.40)
121.122 - Renewed membership in system.

(1) Except as provided in s. 121.053, effective July 1, 1991, through June 30, 2010, any retiree of a state-administered retirement system who is initially reemployed in a regularly established position with a covered employer, including an elective public office that does not qualify for the Elected Officer’s Class, shall be enrolled as a compulsory member of the Regular Class of the Florida Retirement System. Effective July 1, 1997, through June 30, 2010, any retiree of a state-administered retirement system who is initially reemployed in a position included in the Senior Management Service Class shall be enrolled as a compulsory member of the Senior Management Service Class of the Florida Retirement System as provided in s. 121.055. A retiree is entitled to receive an additional retirement benefit, subject to the following conditions:
(a) Such member must resatisfy the age and service requirements as provided in this chapter for initial membership under the system, unless such member elects to participate in the Senior Management Service Optional Annuity Program in lieu of the Senior Management Service Class, as provided in s. 121.055(6).
(b) Such member is not entitled to disability benefits as provided in s. 121.091(4).
(c) Such member must meet the reemployment after retirement limitations as provided in s. 121.091(9), as applicable.
(d) Upon renewed membership or reemployment of a retiree, the employer of such member shall pay the applicable employer contributions as required by ss. 112.363, 121.71, 121.74, and 121.76.
(e) Such member is entitled to purchase additional retirement credit in the Regular Class or the Senior Management Service Class, as applicable, for any postretirement service performed in a regularly established position as follows:
1. For regular class service prior to July 1, 1991, by paying the Regular Class applicable employee and employer contributions for the period being claimed, plus 4 percent interest compounded annually from first year of service claimed until July 1, 1975, and 6.5 percent interest compounded thereafter, until full payment is made to the Florida Retirement System Trust Fund; or
2. For Senior Management Service Class prior to June 1, 1997, as provided in s. 121.055(1)(j).
The contribution for postretirement service between July 1, 1985, and July 1, 1991, for which the reemployed retiree contribution was paid, shall be the difference between such contribution and the total applicable contribution for the period being claimed, plus interest. The employer of such member may pay the applicable employer contribution in lieu of the member. If a member does not wish to claim credit for all of the postretirement service for which he or she is eligible, the service the member claims must be the most recent service.

(f) No creditable service for which credit was received, or which remained unclaimed, at retirement may be claimed or applied toward service credit earned following renewed membership. However, service earned as an elected officer with renewed membership in the Elected Officers’ Class may be used in conjunction with creditable service earned under this section, provided the applicable vesting requirements and other existing statutory conditions required by this chapter are met.
(g) Notwithstanding any other limitations provided in this section, a participant of the State University System Optional Retirement Program, the State Community College Optional Retirement Program, or the Senior Management Service Optional Annuity Program who terminated employment and commenced receiving a distribution under the optional program, who initially renews membership as required by this section upon reemployment after retirement, and who had previously earned creditable Florida Retirement System service that was not included in any retirement benefit may include such previous service toward vesting and service credit in the second career benefit provided under renewed membership.
(h) A renewed member who is not receiving the maximum health insurance subsidy provided in s. 112.363 is entitled to earn additional credit toward the maximum health insurance subsidy. Any additional subsidy due because of such additional credit may be received only at the time of payment of the second career retirement benefit. The total health insurance subsidy received by a retiree receiving benefits from initial and renewed membership may not exceed the maximum allowed in s. 112.363.

(2) Except as otherwise provided in subsections (3), (4), and (5), a retiree of a state-administered retirement system who is initially reemployed in a regularly established position on or after July 1, 2010, may not be enrolled as a renewed member.
(3) A retiree of the investment plan, the State University System Optional Retirement Program, the Senior Management Service Optional Annuity Program, or the State Community College System Optional Retirement Program who is reemployed with a covered employer in a regularly established position on or after July 1, 2017, shall be enrolled as a renewed member of the investment plan unless employed in a position eligible for participation in the State University System Optional Retirement Program as provided in subsection (4) or the State Community College System Optional Retirement Program as provided in subsection (5). The renewed member must satisfy the vesting requirements and other provisions of this chapter.
(a) A renewed member of the investment plan shall be enrolled in one of the following membership classes:
1. In the Regular Class, if the position does not meet the requirements for membership under s. 121.0515, s. 121.053, or s. 121.055.
2. In the Special Risk Class, if the position meets the requirements of s. 121.0515.
3. In the Elected Officers’ Class, if the position meets the requirements of s. 121.053.
4. In the Senior Management Service Class, if the position meets the requirements of s. 121.055.

(b) Creditable service, including credit toward the retiree health insurance subsidy provided in s. 112.363, does not accrue for a renewed member’s employment in a regularly established position with a covered employer from July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2017.
(c) Employer and employee contributions, interest, earnings, or any other funds may not be paid into a renewed member’s investment plan account for any employment in a regularly established position with a covered employer on or after July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2017, by the renewed member or the employer on behalf of the renewed member.
(d) To be eligible to receive a retirement benefit, the renewed member must satisfy the vesting requirements in s. 121.4501(6).
(e) The renewed member is ineligible to receive disability benefits as provided in s. 121.091(4) or s. 121.591(2).
(f) The renewed member is subject to the limitations on reemployment after retirement provided in s. 121.091(9), as applicable.
(g) The renewed member must satisfy the requirements for termination from employment provided in s. 121.021(39).
(h) Upon renewed membership or reemployment of a retiree, the employer and the renewed member shall pay the applicable employer and employee contributions required under ss. 112.363, 121.71, 121.74, and 121.76. The contributions are payable only for employment and salary earned in a regularly established position with a covered employer on or after July 1, 2017. The employer and employee contributions shall be transferred to the investment plan and placed in a default fund as designated by the state board. The renewed member may move the contributions once an account is activated in the investment plan.
(i) A renewed member who earns creditable service under the investment plan and who is not receiving the maximum health insurance subsidy provided in s. 112.363 is entitled to earn additional credit toward the subsidy. Such credit may be earned only for employment in a regularly established position with a covered employer on or after July 1, 2017. Any additional subsidy due because of additional credit may be received only at the time of paying the second career retirement benefit. The total health insurance subsidy received by a retiree receiving benefits from initial and renewed membership may not exceed the maximum allowed under s. 112.363.
(j) Notwithstanding s. 121.4501(4)(f), the renewed member is not eligible to elect membership in the pension plan.

(4) A retiree of the investment plan, the State University System Optional Retirement Program, the Senior Management Service Optional Annuity Program, or the State Community College System Optional Retirement Program who is reemployed on or after July 1, 2017, in a regularly established position eligible for participation in the State University System Optional Retirement Program shall become a renewed member of the optional retirement program. The renewed member must satisfy the vesting requirements and other provisions of this chapter. Once enrolled, a renewed member remains enrolled in the optional retirement program while employed in an eligible position for the optional retirement program. If employment in a different covered position results in the renewed member’s enrollment in the investment plan, the renewed member is no longer eligible to participate in the optional retirement program unless employed in a mandatory position under s. 121.35.
(a) The renewed member is subject to the limitations on reemployment after retirement provided in s. 121.091(9), as applicable.
(b) The renewed member must satisfy the requirements for termination from employment provided in s. 121.021(39).
(c) Upon renewed membership or reemployment of a retiree, the employer and the renewed member shall pay the applicable employer and employee contributions required under s. 121.35.
(d) Employer and employee contributions, interest, earnings, or any other funds may not be paid into a renewed member’s optional retirement program account for any employment in a regularly established position with a covered employer on or after July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2017, by the renewed member or the employer on behalf of the renewed member.
(e) Notwithstanding s. 121.4501(4)(f), the renewed member is not eligible to elect membership in the pension plan.

(5) A retiree of the investment plan, the State University System Optional Retirement Program, the Senior Management Service Optional Annuity Program, or the State Community College System Optional Retirement Program who is reemployed on or after July 1, 2017, in a regularly established position eligible for participation in the State Community College System Optional Retirement Program shall become a renewed member of the optional retirement program. The renewed member must satisfy the eligibility requirements of this chapter and s. 1012.875 for the optional retirement program. Once enrolled, a renewed member remains enrolled in the optional retirement program while employed in an eligible position for the optional retirement program. If employment in a different covered position results in the renewed member’s enrollment in the investment plan, the renewed member is no longer eligible to participate in the optional retirement program.
(a) The renewed member is subject to the limitations on reemployment after retirement provided in s. 121.091(9), as applicable.
(b) The renewed member must satisfy the requirements for termination from employment provided in s. 121.021(39).
(c) Upon renewed membership or reemployment of a retiree, the employer and the renewed member shall pay the applicable employer and employee contributions required under ss. 121.051(2)(c) and 1012.875.
(d) Employer and employee contributions, interest, earnings, or any other funds may not be paid into a renewed member’s optional retirement program account for any employment in a regularly established position with a covered employer on or after July 1, 2010, through June 30, 2017, by the renewed member or the employer on behalf of the renewed member.
(e) Notwithstanding s. 121.4501(4)(f), the renewed member is not eligible to elect membership in the pension plan.

History.—s. 14, ch. 90-274; s. 8, ch. 92-122; s. 9, ch. 93-193; s. 6, ch. 93-285; s. 14, ch. 97-180; s. 12, ch. 98-138; s. 10, ch. 98-413; s. 7, ch. 99-9; s. 12, ch. 99-392; s. 21, ch. 2000-151; s. 12, ch. 2009-209; s. 7, ch. 2012-222; s. 10, ch. 2017-88.

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