I know a way to put thousands maybe a million people back to

[doc03]

work today. Stop the double dipping on government jobs. For example our Superintendent of schools retired and draws a pension and now works as an assistant. The head mechanic at the school bus garage retired and draws his pension and went back to his job. A guy I graduated high school with retired at 50 from the Highway Patrol and now draws that pension and got hired back in as a maintenance man at the Patrol Barracks and when he is 65 he will then get another pension from that job. I work in private industry if I retire I can't draw a pension and go back to my old job and earn a second pension. I expect to be flamed for this because I suspect there are many on this board in similar situations.

[FreakinDJ]

1. Sounds like the 80s under Reaganomics

[existentialist]

2. No flame from me.

You have a valid point.


There are, of course, counterarguments, but your point is solid. It is something worth open and honest debate, and anyone throwing flames is just refusing to honestly discuss the issue raised.

[doc03]

5. I have no problem if someone say retires from

a government job and then goes to work for private industry. But how in the hell can you retire form your job and draw a pension and go back to work and build up a second pension at the same employer. I could have taken a 30 year pension from my employer and when you sign the papers for the pension you must agree not to work for them or a competitor.

[FreakinDJ]

10. If you retire with a Military Pension should you be allowed to work for the Gov

that was Reagan's Double Dipper Law

So the guy who served 25-30 years in Vietnam and Korea dodging bullets would get screwed but Political Flunkies who loose their Assemblymen race retain their pension and get a political appointee position as a State Water Resources Manager for $400K a year

Makes perfect sense to me

[Warpy]

3. Pensions need to be subject to the same kind of work restrictions

that Social Security is, limited hours and capped pay before benefits are reduced. That would discourage double and triple dipping right there.

Either you retire on a pension or you work a job to earn another pension on top of it. You shouldn't be able to collect a paycheck and a pension at the same time.

Note I don't have any problem with people receiving, say, both military and civil service pensions once they retire. However, paying a pension while still paying a full time paycheck is obscene. Too many people need work and pension funds are stretched thin.

[madinmaryland]

4. I have to disagree with you in regards to your assertion.

The Unions have fought hard to get the pensions these workers are receiving. As we see just about everyday, companies and corporations are reneging on the promises they made to their employees in regards to the contracts they signed. I am glad that at least the government is honoring their commitments to their employees, especially those who risk their lives everyday to serve their community.

[The Wielding Truth]

6. I agree totally. Pension is part of the reason you work.It is wrong

to renege on that agreement. If you wish to have more money and work for it, that is your right, too.

[tk2kewl]

22. not to mention even a good gov't pension (PD, FD) provides you with 1/2 pay

in some areas you won't get by on that.

and the salaries the pensions are based on are not comparable to private sector salaries in most instances.

there are certainly abuses out there. but most can be addressed under existing laws (i.e. bogus disability pensions where the percentage is upped)

[doc03]

7. I work in private industry and I am a Union member and

my Union has fought long and hard for pensions. My Union is strictly against any such thing, the reason we fought for a pension and retirements is so when you get older you can cease work and a new person gets a job. Nobody is forced to retire where I work, I know people that worked into their 70's but you can't retire and draw a pension then come back and keep someone else out of a job.

[FreakinDJ]

13. So when I retire on my IBEW pension - is it ok for me to make parts

in my machine shop?

[doc03]

16. No problem. Would you be able to go back to the IBEW

and build up a second pension while drawing your pension from the Union?

[FreakinDJ]

17. Of course not

By Reagan's "Double Dipper Law punished Vietnam and Korean War veterans more then any other group.

Just how many years are you supposed to survive running through jungles and dodgeing bullets

[area51]

8. Creating jobs

Another way to create jobs would be to stop the two wars of choice, bring the soldiers home, offer them free or low-cost training in healthcare professions, and begin a transition to single-payer healthcare.

[doc03]

11. Like that's going to happen, I think if you look at

what goes down in Massachusetts today you will see just how unpopular that idea would be.

[happy_liberal]

21. or retrain them to work cleaning up the environment, making windmills and solar panels

would work wonders toward restoring our image to the world.

[hedgehog]

9. I know several people who have retired, then re-hired by their former employers as

private contractors. They end up getting treated better than when they were full time employees because the managers realize they can walk at any time.

The pension is deferred earnings from the first job. If someone is properly hired for a second job after retirement, what's the problem? As long as they are doing the job and they were hired in a fair process, I see nothing here but jealousy.

A lot of people complain about pensions that are ballooned by overtime in the last few years of work. I've seen that work to a person's detriment when someone took early retirement after missing a lot of work the last year because of cancer. (ie he worked fewer hours his last year than the years before, so his pension was reduced because of his last year of work)

If someone gets their pension based on hours of work in the last few years, and they get paid for 40 hours of overtime every week those last few years, they're going to make out well. It's management's problem is the contract doesn't restrict overtime hours to something reasonable.

[doc03]

14. Well heck I'll be 62 in a couple months and I will

have a very good income from my SS, pension and 401k. So I will just keep on working anyway and keep someone else that needs the money to feed their family on unemployment, it's the Republican way. I don't see it as jealousy I see it as just plain greed and selfishness. In my case though the f-----g Union thinks I should retire a give some young punk a chance.

[hedgehog]

25. The comparison would be for you to retire, walk out the door,

and then go around to HR and apply for a job, not for you to continue to work at your existing job while also collecting your pension.

[doc03]

27. That's what I am talking about, it is done all the time, they

retire go on a pension and go right back on the same job. I don't see anything wrong with someone continuing to work as long as they want but they shouldn't be able to collect a pension from the same employer.

[liberal N proud]

12. My brother planed on doing just that from the Air Force

He worked 20 years and retired with the intention of getting back on doing the same job as a civilian.

He was pissed when he didn't get the job.

Now he just blames Obama because he didn't get the double dip job.

[FreakinDJ]

18. Well he should blame Reagan for the law preventing that

[harkadog]

20. What Congress passed that law?

[NeeDeep]

15. Sounds like human nature to me

What's wrong with being a loyal employee and being rewarded with a pension. These "guvment" jobs are typically bureaucratic and necessary and boring and not high paying. BTW are you going to arbitrate who works and who doesn't?

[rucky]

19. Yes, yes & more yes!

Getting into a teaching job is extremely difficult because of this.

[crazyjoe]

23. what are you "anti union" ? those are all union jobs, negociated in good faith

and paid for by tax payers, and don't forget the health insurance for life.
are you a paid operative from the right?

[happy_liberal]

24. You know who doesn't deserve a pension?

Congress...

Interesting post, thanks. I had no idea this was going on but should have guessed.

[Cass]

26. You won't get flamed from me. Double-dipping has been an issue in Florida also.

I'd like to see this practice abolished. In Florida they made a change to the double-dipping law in that you must be "retired" for 6 months before you can come back to the job and still collect the pension. I think that's inadequate. I'd like to see the loophole closed altogether.

[Duer 157099]

28. Well in this race to the bottom that we're in with the world labor force

pretty soon those will be the only people who can even afford to live anymore, people who get a pension or two and then still have to work as a Walmart greeter.

It's the shits for the rest of us without even one pension, much less a job.

[mistertrickster]

29. Totally agree. If you're retired, then quit working. nt