Time to end the retire/rehire program.

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Few scams anger me more then the fraud of the nonsensical retire/rehire program which was a program begging to be abused... and a program which, in that regard, had not disappointed.

Here's just the latest in those scams. Frankly, the program cost way too much, and it denies legitimate employment opportunities for many desperate for a job.

Take a gander, fellow ganderers:

Governor, probe target rehiring of state retirees

On the same day that Gov. Chris Gregoire proposed closing a loophole that allows some state retirees to be rehired, a whistle-blower investigation spotlighted the problem at one state agency.

By Jonathan Martin

Seattle Times staff reporter

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On the same day that Gov. Chris Gregoire proposed closing a loophole that allows some state retirees to be rehired, a whistle-blower investigation spotlighted the problem at one state agency.

The investigation, which was triggered by a whistle-blower, found problems with the personnel files of 47 people who'd retired from — and then been rehired by — the state Employment Security Department. Some of the problems were paperwork glitches, but at least six rehires had worked more hours than allowed by state law.

In one case, an employee worked 2,000 hours in one year, more than double the cap of 867 hours allowed by state law for rehires collecting their pensions.

That employee was earning $3,549 a month as a program manager while also earning a state pension, according to the investigation report released by the State Auditor's Office.

The revolving door of retire-rehire has been spotlighted by The Seattle Times and other media as an ethical and financial issue, in part because the state pension system is underfunded.

As part of a broad pension- overhaul plan, Gregoire proposed closing a loophole that has let some higher-education employees retire, begin drawing pensions and then return to work.

Asked about the whistle-blower report, Sheryl Hutchison, an Employment Security spokeswoman, said the agency "scrubbed" its payroll — assuring paperwork was in order and employees were working the correct amount of hours — after being alerted by the auditor and media. Some managers hadn't stayed current on rules, which require a written justification for each retiree who is rehired.

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Like the other scams the state runs on the taxpayers... illegal aliens getting tuition at the in-state rate, taking up slots that would otherwise go to citizens who actually ARE legal, for example... this is one of those programs that has to go.

If you are a retired government employee, then you should not be allowed to draw that retirement no matter how you're employed by government.

It's simple, really.
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