Tennessee makes disability retirement credit free for public safety workers

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.