Double Dippers Make Some See Stars
Double dipping (“retired” public employees receiving a public pension, but still working and being paid by another public agency) makes some people see stars. According to a recent National Public Radio story, at least 10 states are considering enacting bans on double dipping by public employees.
The NPR story also included a report from Ohio (a state that permits double dipping) that describes journalists’ frustration over lack of access to basic information about Ohio pension payments to people who are working at other public jobs. Ohio, it turns out, has a statutory prohibition against releasing such information – apparently with the purpose of deflecting incipient criticism of public pension funds.
The State of Washington has no such specific exemption for public pension fund or salary information. But there continues to be an exemption under RCW 42.56.250(3) for the release of employee home addresses and other personal information.
