COVID-19 FAQs — Updated 6/18/2021

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Are the hours and earnings restrictions on post-retirement employment back in effect now that the State of Emergency has ended? (Updated 6/18/2021)
  • Is there an early retirement incentive program for Massachusetts teachers? (Updated 4/16/2021)
  • Are MTRS offices open to the public? (Updated 6/16/2021)

Are the hours and earnings restrictions on post-retirement employment back in effect now that the State of Emergency has ended? (Updated 6/18/2021)

Yes, although the hours and earnings limits on post-retirement employment in the MA public sector were waived throughout the COVID-19 State of Emergency, that waiver ended on June 15, 2021. On June 16, 2021, Governor Baker signed a bill into law extending many of the pandemic related policies, but the waiver of post-retirement hours and earnings limits was not included in that law.  Thus, the limits are back in effect and will be applied to hours worked and earnings received from June 15, 2021 through the end of the calendar year.

The Legislature may extend additional pandemic related policies.  If the waiver of the post-retirement hours and earnings limits is extended, we will update this message accordingly.

As a reminder, Chapter 53 of the Acts of 2020 established the waiver on March 10, 2020, and Chapter 227 of the Acts of 2020 extended the waiver period end date. For detailed information, please review both PERAC Memo #21, 2020 and PERAC Memo #35, 2020.

To learn more about post-retirement hours and earnings restrictions, visit our Working after retirement page.

If you have any questions, please contact us at GenInfo@trb.state.ma.us.

Is there an early retirement incentive program for Massachusetts teachers? (Updated 4/16/2021)

The early retirement incentive (ERI) proposal from the Massachusetts Teachers Association (MTA), filed in February by co-sponsors State Senator John C. Velis and State Representative Carol A. Doherty, has been referred to the Joint Committee on Public Service. The proposed legislation, An Act to provide a retirement enhancement opportunity for certain members of the Massachusetts Teachers Retirement System, is now identified in the House as H.2620 and in the Senate as S.1791.

Please note that the ERI proposals were filed by the MTA, and not the Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System (MTRS). If you have specific questions on the bill, review the MTA provided Fact Sheet, Questions and Answers, Webinar Replay, and contact the MTA.

While the filed bills have been assigned to a committee, they have not yet been scheduled for a public hearing and have not had any initial votes in the legislature. You can track the progress of the bills on the Joint Committee on Public Service website. The journey from a proposed bill to a law is a deliberative process and does not always end with a passed law, as summarized on the MTA Legislative Action page.

If the proposed legislation impacts you and your decision to potentially retire, the MTRS encourages you to review the MTA resources and check both the MTA and MTRS websites periodically for updates.

Are MTRS offices open to the public? (Updated 6/16/2021)

MTRS offices are now open for limited walk-in services. Please note that MTRS staff are currently transitioning back to the office; thus, our walk-in services are currently limited to the drop-off and review of your application for completeness (retirement, refund, or service purchase) and subject to a 15-minute maximum. Walk-in services are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.

Masks are required for visitors and staff, regardless of vaccination status, until further notice as many of our members work with an unvaccinated age group.

If you cannot find the information you need on our website, we strongly encourage you to contact us by phone or email before driving to either our Charlestown or Springfield office. Our representatives can most likely answer your questions or take your requests for additional services.

Walk-in services cannot include:

  • Creditable service estimates
  • Determining your eligibility to purchase creditable service, or your estimated cost
  • Projecting your retirement benefits

To obtain these services, please submit your request by phone or email; we will acknowledge your request, and it will be processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

As a reminder, you can access these popular resources online:

Visit the Contact page for full details on walk-in services and directions to our offices. Thank you in advance for your understanding and cooperation.