Legislative Affairs

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. To help address COVID-related labor shortages in schools, the Departments of Education and Treasury announced several resources are available to help districts:

• IRS FAQs: Offers technical guidance to public/private employers who sponsor pension plans for employees.
  • The IRS reminds 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 1/2 or the plan's normal retirement age. 
    
    
• USED/Treasury K-12 Labor Shortages Webinar Series: Pre-Register to attend here. 
  • Wednesday, October 27 at 4PM ET to help school districts navigate shortages for teachers and substitute teachers.
  • Thursday, October 28 at 4PM ET to help school districts address other staff shortages, such as school bus drivers and food service workers.

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ASBO USA
asbousa@asbointl.org
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Last month, the US Department of Education conducted a two-part webinar series on Using American Rescue Plan Funds and Other Federal Supports to Address State and Local Teacher and School Staff Labor Shortages. Please find several links to the webinar recordings and other resources referenced during the presentations, which were shared by USED for state and local education leaders this week.

Webinar Recordings

Part 1:  Using American Rescue Plan Funds and Other Federal Supports to Address State and Local Teacher Labor Shortages: https://youtu.be/bF3ZXjfdumc

Part 2:  Using American Rescue Plan Funds and Other Federal Supports to Address State and Local School Staff Labor Shortages: https://youtu.be/HBr6hIrJ4cw

 

Webinar Resources

• Volume 2 of USED's COVID Handbook: https://www2.ed.gov/documents/coronavirus/reopening-2.pdf
• The Collaboration for Effective Educator Development, Accountability, and Reform (CEEDAR) Center at the University of Florida offers resources to consider root causes and solutions for shortages in special education staffing, including a data analysis tool. https://ceedar.education.ufl.edu/shortage-toolkit/
• Prioritizing People: Purposeful investments to better support student and teacher mental health  https://f.hubspotusercontent30.net/hubfs/7523030/Partner%20Events/FuelEd%20%7C%20Teach%20Plus%20%7C%20Prioritizing%20People%20Report.pdf
• State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund website: https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/coronavirus/assistance-for-state-local-and-tribal-governments/state-and-local-fiscal-recovery-funds
• Interim Final Rule: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2021-05-17/pdf/2021-10283.pdf
• State and Local Fiscal Recovery Fund Frequently Asked Questions: https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/SLFRPFAQ.pdf
• Coronavirus-related relief for retirement plans and IRAs FAQs https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/coronavirus-related-relief-for-retirement-plans-and-iras-questions-and-answers

 

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ASBO USA
asbousa@asbointl.org
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 10-25-2021 10:49
From: ASBO USA
Subject: USED/Treasury Resources: K-12 Labor Shortages

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. To help address COVID-related labor shortages in schools, the Departments of Education and Treasury announced several resources are available to help districts:

• IRS FAQs: Offers technical guidance to public/private employers who sponsor pension plans for employees.
  • The IRS reminds 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 1/2 or the plan's normal retirement age.
    
    
• USED/Treasury K-12 Labor Shortages Webinar Series: Pre-Register to attend here. 
  • Wednesday, October 27 at 4PM ET to help school districts navigate shortages for teachers and substitute teachers.
  • Thursday, October 28 at 4PM ET to help school districts address other staff shortages, such as school bus drivers and food service workers.

------------------------------
ASBO USA
asbousa@asbointl.org
------------------------------