Florida
Members must forfeit future retirement benefits when they commit certain crimes, including felonies involving misuse of public office, any felony against a victim younger than 16 or one involving sexual battery against a victim younger than 18.
Illinois
No public-pension benefits shall be paid to any person convicted of any felony relating to or arising from or in connection with his/her service. Trustees of each pension fund determine if the felony plea meets this standard.
Maryland
No law allows forfeiture of a public pension.
Massachusetts
Generally, retirement boards are required to deny or rescind pensions of any public employee convicted of a crime related to his/her official duties, though an employee may be entitled to receive accumulated retirement contributions. In some cases, such as misappropriating funds or property in the city of Boston, the employee could be subject to forfeiture of accumulated retirement contributions unless the city is reimbursed for the misappropriated money.
Michigan
The rights to vested retirement benefits and all accumulated contributions may be forfeited for any public employee convicted of a felony arising from his/her official duties.
New Jersey
The board of the state or any local pension fund can order forfeiture of all or part of a pension of a public employee for misconduct occurring during his/her public service. Public officials convicted of certain crimes involving their official duties face mandatory forfeiture of a pension. Contributions are considered part of the employee's salary and not part of the pension benefit.
New York
No law allows forfeiture of a public pension.
- Michael Hinkelman and Catherine Lucey
Source: National Association of State Retirement Administrators
