Public Safety Workers
Tennessee makes disability retirement credit free for public safety workers
The law covers commissioned Department of Safety members and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents. Local governments can also adopt the same no-cost credit for workers who must retire at a set age.
Tennessee now lets certain public safety workers get retirement credit for a period of disability without paying for it. The change applies to commissioned Department of Safety members and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents, with an option for cities and counties to do the same for some mandatory-retirement workers.
- Disability-period retirement credit is now free for certain state public safety workers.
- The change covers commissioned Department of Safety members and TBI agents.
- Local governments can opt in for other mandatory-retirement employees.
- The no-cost rule applies to applications filed on or after July 1, 2026.
- In Tennessee, a period of disability will still count toward retirement without forcing certain public safety workers to pay for the credit
Tennessee now gives certain public safety workers retirement credit for a period of disability at no cost. The law covers commissioned Department of Safety members and Tennessee Bureau of Investigation agents who apply on or after July 1, 2026, and it lets cities and counties extend the same free credit to some workers who must retire at a set age.
That matters because retirement credit can be the difference between a benefit that reflects years on the job and one trimmed by time lost to injury or illness.
When a career pauses
The change is aimed at workers whose service can be interrupted by something they did not choose. Instead of paying to establish retirement credit for a period of disability, eligible members can now keep that time from becoming a gap in their record.
For someone forced off the job by injury or illness, that gap can follow them into retirement. The credit helps preserve the value of the service they already gave.
Cities and counties can copy the rule
The law also reaches local government. Cities, counties and other political subdivisions that adopt a resolution can offer the same no-cost disability-period credit to employees subject to mandatory retirement under state law.
If a local government already had a cost-bearing version in place, it can pass a later resolution and remove the charge. Available vote records show the bill advanced without recorded no votes.