A provision in the proposed California budget would cut most of the work that retired workers do for the state. Around 5,800 retired workers return to do work for the state each year. Proponents of the plan, including unions, say that retired workers cost the state money and make it hard for employees to assume new responsibilities. Opponents say that retirees fill necessary positions, and that they are much cheaper than other workers. For some departments, retirees fill in positions where replacement or temporary workers can be hard to find, and often have valuable experience and skills.
See "Jerry Brown moves to eliminate retiree workers", Jon Ortiz and Phillip Reese, The Sacramento Bee, June 12, 2012