COVID Relief May Ease the Pain of Employers Hit by Staff Shortages

COVID relief: IRS helps employers wanting to rehire retirees or retain employees after retirement age

Oct. 22, 2021

WASHINGTON — To help address COVID-related labor shortages, the Internal Revenue Service today reminded employers that they generally will not jeopardize the tax status of their pension plans if they rehire retirees or permit distributions of retirement benefits to current employees who have reached age 59 ½ or the plan's normal retirement age.

With the COVID-19 pandemic, many employers, including governmental employers (such as public school districts), are looking for ways to encourage retirees to return to the workforce to fill open positions and experienced employees to stay on the job.

The IRS is providing help to these employers in two new frequently asked questions (FAQs), designed to offer technical guidance to public and private employers who sponsor pension plans for their employees. The FAQs highlight existing ways that employers can meet their employment objectives and still comply with the plan qualification rules.

Under the FAQs, an employer can generally choose to address unforeseen hiring needs by rehiring former employees, even if those employees have already retired and begun receiving pension benefit payments. Also, if permitted under plan terms, those employees may continue receiving the benefits after they are rehired. Moreover, an employer can generally choose to make retirement distributions available to existing employees who have reached age 59 ½ or the plan's normal retirement age. This may assist in the retention of employees eligible for retirement.

Further details can be found in the two new FAQs now posted on IRS.gov. Also, next Wednesday and Thursday (Oct 27 and 28) from 4-5 pm ET, the Department of the Treasury and the Department of Education will be holding webinars for education leaders and other stakeholders to discuss approaches to addressing school staff labor shortages, including a discussion about these new FAQs.

Webinar 1: Teacher and substitute teacher shortages
Time: Oct 27, 2021 04:00 PM Eastern Time. Participants should pre-register.

Webinar 2: Staff shortages, such as school bus drivers and food service workers
Time: Oct 28, 2021 04:00 PM Eastern Time. Participants should pre-register.