RetirementPlus Legislation
Mass. educator unions demand fair fix to decades-long issue with RetirementPlus program
We are asking for a fair fix in the FY26 state budget
Local leaders representing member-educators in 219 Massachusetts school districts delivered a powerful message to state lawmakers: Fix the RetirementPlus injustice now.
Union leaders representing the Massachusetts Teachers Association, AFT Massachusetts, Boston Teachers Unionand hundreds of local education associations delivered a joint letter to legislative budget conference committee members to fix a longstanding inequity that has locked thousands of veteran educators out of enhanced retirement benefits.
These public school teachers dedicated their careers to Massachusetts students but fell victim to an often confusing rollout when RetirementPlus was launched in 2001, and now union leaders are calling on lawmakers to include a critical fix in the final FY2026 budget.
UPDATE: June 17, 2025
The Massachusetts House has included language in its version of the budget that would create a fair and clear pathway for teachers hired before July 1, 2001, to have a new opportunity to join RetirementPlus. Unfortunately, the Senate did not include this language in its version of the budget. The next step in the budget process is for a conference committee to develop a compromise version that will be sent to the Governor's desk. This conference committee will determine whether a new enrollment opportunity for RetirementPlus is included in the final version of the FY26 budget. The language in the House budget is nearly identical to the RetirementPlus section found in MTA’s priority bill, H.2932/S.1884, which are on a separate legislative track and timeline.
We are asking MTA members to contact their legislators’ and ask that they urge the members of the conference committee to support the inclusion of the House’s RetirementPlus language (section 64B of H.4001) in the final version of the budget. Please use the link below to send your legislators’ an email requesting their support to address this issue.
CALL AND EMAIL YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS NOW: Ask them to urge the conference committee to include a RetirementPlus fix in the final version of the FY26 budget.
Go here to find phone numbers for your legislators and emails are here.
Lead Sponsors: Rep. Alice Peisch (D-Wellesley) and Rep. Rob Consalvo (D-Boston | Sen. Liz Miranda (D-Boston)
These bills allow teachers hired before July 1, 2001, who did not provide a written election to participate in RetirementPlus, to have a second opportunity to do so.
H.2932 | S.1884 | Fact Sheet | Read about letter from 219 MTA & AFT Mass. Letter to Legislators
Bills have been filed by Rep. Alice Peisch (D-Wellesley) and Rep. Rob Consalvo (D-Boston), and Sen. Liz Miranda (D-Boston) allowing teachers hired before July 1, 2001, who did not “elect” to join RetirementPlus to have a new opportunity to do so. These bills are nearly identical to a bill (H.5136) that passed the House in 2024. The MTA has once again made the passage of this bill one of its legislative priorities and is asking members to reach out to their legislators to request their help in getting this bill passed into law.
Background
In 2001, when RetirementPlus was first introduced, many teachers encountered a confusing enrollment process. Some never received an enrollment form while others were led to believe they were automatically enrolled in Retirement Plus, only later learning that they were not. The MTA has worked to rectify these issues administratively, however, an August 2023 ruling by the Division of Administrative Law Appeals has made it clear that legislation is needed to fix this problem.
In the ruling, DALA stated “that a 2001 teacher cannot join the § 5(4) benefits program [RetirementPlus] after missing the mid-2001 deadline, even in sympathy-provoking cases, and even if the teacher received no notice about the § 5(4) program” from their retirement system. This unfortunate but clear statement from DALA makes passing legislation the only way to rectify this unfair process.
Read Our Legislative Priorities Frequently-Asked Questions Email your legislators
Take Action: Urge your legislators to support RetirementPlus in the FY26 budget
.png?h=628&w=1200&la=en&hash=BF21CDB6820C8872989D71F58B1CB880854BA7E4)
Please contact your state legislators and ask them to support RetirementPlus in the FY26 budget.
About RetirementPlus legislation
Learn about several bills under consideration by the Joint Committee on Public Service that would allow teachers hired before July 1, 2001, and who did not “elect” to join RetirementPlus, to have a second opportunity to do so. This webinar was presented on Nov. 14, 2023. The bills were filed in the 2023-24 legislative session.