Section § 75080

Explanation

This law discusses what happens to the retirement benefits of a judge retired for disability who engages in work afterward. If they work in any other job, their benefits continue unless specified otherwise. If assigned to a court post-retirement, their retirement pay is reduced by their new salary. If they earn too much from other jobs, their benefits are reduced accordingly, and they must report their income monthly. If the work they do post-retirement is similar to the duties they couldn't perform due to disability, their benefits stop permanently. The law also details reporting requirements and states that once a retired judge reaches regular retirement age, their benefits aren't reduced due to previous earnings. Moreover, a retired judge working after disability retirement can't earn service credit in another public retirement system. The legislature can change these benefits as needed.

(a)CA Government Code § 75080(a) If, after retirement for disability, a retired judge engages in the practice of law or other gainful occupation, the retirement allowance otherwise payable to him or her shall continue and shall not be reduced, except as provided in this section.
(b)CA Government Code § 75080(b) If a retired judge becomes entitled to any salary for assignment to a court by the Chairperson of the Judicial Council after retirement under Section 75060, the retirement allowance otherwise payable to him or her shall, during the time he or she is entitled to receive that salary or other compensation, be reduced by the amount of that salary or compensation.
(c)CA Government Code § 75080(c) Except as provided in subdivision (d), if a judge who is retired for disability engages in the practice of law or any other gainful occupation in which the compensation earned in any month when combined with the judge’s allowance exceeds 75 percent of the salary payable to the judge holding the judicial office to which the retired judge was last elected or appointed, the retirement allowance otherwise payable to the judge shall be reduced by the amount of any earnings in excess of that amount. The judge shall report the compensation earned during each month to the board by the eighth day of the following month.
(d)CA Government Code § 75080(d) If a judge who is retired for disability engages in the practice of law or other gainful occupation that requires the discharge of duties substantially similar to those duties that he or she was found, pursuant to Section 75060, to be unable to discharge efficiently because of his or her mental or physical disability, the retirement allowance otherwise payable to him or her shall cease permanently.
(e)CA Government Code § 75080(e) Persons affected by this section shall report all compensation earned in a form and manner required by the Board of Administration of the Public Employees’ Retirement System under penalty of perjury. The board shall have the authority to require these persons to grant the board permission to request wage information for the purposes of verifying the reported compensation earned. The Employment Development Department shall report compensation in a form and manner required by the board in accordance with Section 1798.24 of the Civil Code. The board shall reimburse the Employment Development Department for the costs that the department incurs in searching for and providing that information.
(f)CA Government Code § 75080(f) When a person described in subdivision (c) reaches the age at which he or she would have been eligible for retirement, pursuant to Section 75025, had he or she not incurred the disability, his or her retirement allowance shall be made equal to the amount it would be if not reduced under that subdivision, and shall not again be modified for any cause.
(g)CA Government Code § 75080(g) A judge who is retired for disability or becomes entitled to any salary for assignment to a court by the Chairperson of the Judicial Council after retirement under Section 75060 shall not be eligible to receive service credit in another public retirement system or under this chapter or to be reinstated to this system.
(h)CA Government Code § 75080(h) The Legislature reserves the right to increase or reduce the benefits prescribed by this section as it may find appropriate.

Section § 75080.5

Explanation

This law states that if a retired judge is appointed or elected to serve again as a judge, they must end their retirement status and rejoin the Judges' Retirement System. However, if a retired judge is just temporarily assigned to serve under Section 68543.5, they don't have to rejoin the retirement system and won't earn additional retirement benefits or service credits for that temporary assignment.

(a)CA Government Code § 75080.5(a) Except as described in subdivision (b), if a person who is retired under this system is appointed or elected to serve as a judge, he or she shall reinstate from retirement and again become a member of the Judges’ Retirement System pursuant to this chapter.
(b)CA Government Code § 75080.5(b) This section shall not apply to a retired judge who is assigned to serve in a court pursuant to Section 68543.5, and he or she shall not earn service credit or be entitled to retirement benefits under this part for that assignment.

Section § 75083

Explanation

This law states that a retired judge who is appointed to act as a master or referee by the Supreme Court or a court of appeal will be paid extra if their retirement pay is less than the salary of a current judge from the court they retired from. Additionally, if they are working in a county where they don't live, they will be reimbursed for necessary travel and lodging expenses. These extra payments and expenses will be covered by the state.

Any judge retired pursuant to this chapter who is appointed by the Supreme Court or any court of appeal, or division thereof, to act as a master or referee in any proceeding pending before those courts or before the Commission on Judicial Performance, shall be paid while so acting, in addition to his or her retirement allowance (taken without reduction on account of any election pursuant to Article 3.5 (commencing with Section 75070)) the difference, if any, between the retirement allowance and the compensation of a judge of the court from which he or she retired.
When appointed to act as referee in a county other than that in which he or she resides, he or she shall also be allowed his or her necessary expenses for travel, board, and lodging incurred in the discharge of that appointment.
The extra compensation and expenses, if any, shall be chargeable to the state.