Committee Advances Bill Letting UVI Hires Draw GERS Annuity While Re‑enrolling in Alternate Plan

The Committee on Government Operations, Veterans Affairs and Consumer Protection voted unanimously Sept. 22 to favorably report bill 36‑0061, which would allow retirees receiving annuities from the Government Employees Retirement System (GERS) to accept employment at the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI), continue receiving their annuity and enroll in the university’s alternative retirement plan.

The measure was introduced on the floor by Senator Carla J. Joseph, who told the committee the bill is intended to help UVI recruit experienced faculty and professional staff without forcing retirees to forfeit retirement pay. “It allows experienced retirees to reenter government service at the University of the Virgin Islands without forfeiting their hard‑earned retirement benefits,” Joseph said during the hearing.

Nut graf: The bill responds to a long‑running policy question about return‑to‑work rules and retirement plan compatibility. GERS, UVI and the university’s president all testified in support or without opposition, while GERS staff flagged a few administrative details that counsel and the sponsor said can be resolved by technical amendment.

Administrator A. E. Dawson Jr., CEO of GERS, told the committee that the carve‑out for UVI employees already exists in Title 17 and that the proposed bill would extend that flexibility to former central‑government retirees who are later hired by UVI. Dawson said the Government Employees Retirement System “expresses no opposition at this time” but noted operational impacts if the bill imposes a different return‑to‑work time limit for UVI than the six‑year government‑wide standard.

UVI President Sophia George said the university strongly supports the measure and described three current employees who would immediately benefit. “This amendment allows our employees to plan their finances, benefit from their annuity for the next four years and gives them time to plan accordingly while ensuring they can also build long‑term savings to an additional retirement plan,” President George said. She confirmed a four‑year period was discussed for the university-specific carve‑out and that she would supply follow‑up details on vesting and salary caps when requested.

Committee members asked about actuarial impact and administrative tracking. Dawson said an exclusive UVI carve‑out “would be neutral” to the system’s finances if employees enrolling at UVI choose TIAA or a similar non‑GERS plan, but added that monitoring two different return‑to‑work periods (UVI four years vs. government‑wide six years) would increase administrative complexity.

Votes at a glance: The committee moved and seconded the bill; roll call recorded seven votes in favor and no recorded opposition. The committee ordered the bill forwarded to Rules and Judiciary for further consideration.

Ending: The committee agreed to resolve the sponsor’s technical amendments with counsel and GERS staff before Rules. President George and Administrator Dawson closed by saying they would provide requested details — including vesting schedules and any salary cap language — ahead of the next committee review.