Gwinnett to limit how long retirees draw paycheck and pension

Cobb County has a policy that allows retirees to return for part-time or full-time work. However, if the employee returns to work a full-time county job before the age of 65, his or her pension payments stop.

Gwinnett’s policy, set to go into effect in mid-August, would limit retired employees to 1,040 hours of work a year — half that of full-time employees. Pension payments would stop the remainder of the year for those who exceed the hour limit.

Gwinnett County Administrator Jock Connell said the measure has been discussed for more than a couple of years.

“One of the things we are charged with is managing the pension plan because [it] has got to survive 30, 40, 50 years down the road,” he said. “There is some public perception that a person should not be getting a retirement check and also be on the county payroll.”

Connell said in his discussions with the Board of Commissioners, he thinks there is a consensus that the practice should have more limits. The commission is scheduled to consider the policy at its meeting Tuesday.

County records show 39 retired employees were rehired for work in some capacity last year. The same number have received paychecks this year.

The sheriff’s office and the department of court administration have been the biggest employers for retired workers.

“It’s my job to hire the best people for the job,” said Gwinnett County Sheriff Butch Conway. “If I can hire someone with good experience, I’m going to hire them in a heartbeat.”

Conway said he doubts the county’s claim that most citizens object to the practice.

“I don’t think they know the feeling of the citizens,” he said. “They’ve shown they don’t.”

The sheriff’s office paid $577,000 in salaries to eight retired deputies and one retired IT associate last year.

Of that, $44,000 was paid in overtime.

This year, the sheriff’s office has paid out more than $354,000 in salaries to retired employees.

Conway said, as a constitutional officer, he isn’t convinced he is obliged to follow county administrative policies.

He said he already lost five positions in the last round of budget cuts.

“We stay shorthanded,” he said

Court Administrator Philip Boudewyns said retirees are hired back in his department because he has personal knowledge as to the quality of employees who escort jurors and judges around the courthouse. He said he feels certain none of the retired bailiffs hired back had worked more than 1,040 hours.

Court administration paid $40,000 last year for seven bailiffs and an office assistant. It also paid close to $69,000 for two retired magistrates.

The department is on pace to exceed those figures this year, having paid out more than $67,000 in salaries through June.

If the new policy passes, Boudewyns said, he will ensure a monitoring system will be in place to keep hours within the new limits.