Keene v. Retirement Bd. of the R.I. Employees Ret. Sys., 99-4340 (2001)

**Pension Benefits and Post-Retirement Work Rules** This case involved a dispute over when pension benefits must be suspended for retirees who return to work. Keene, a retiree receiving pension benefits from the Rhode Island Employees Retirement System, challenged the Retirement Board's rule about working after retirement. The issue centered on whether the 75-day work limit applied only when working for municipalities that participate in the retirement system, or for any municipality at all. The court sided with the Retirement Board, ruling that pension benefits must be suspended when a retiree works for any municipality—not just those participating in the retirement system—for more than 75 working days per year. The court denied Keene's request for a declaratory judgment that would have narrowed this interpretation. **What This Means for Workers:** This ruling is important for public sector retirees who want to return to work part-time. It confirms that strict limits exist on post-retirement employment, and these limits apply broadly to municipal work regardless of the specific employer's participation in your retirement system. Retirees must carefully track their working days to avoid losing pension benefits, and the rules are interpreted strictly by courts.