Attorney General Dave Yost is drawing from his retirement account with the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) while being paid as an active employee on the state’s payroll.
When asked for details about the situation, Bethany McCorkle, Yost’s spokesperson wrote, “Dave Yost filed paperwork with OPERS to begin receiving his pension. He remains committed to public service and his duty as Attorney General.”
The news that Yost is drawing a public pension and being paid by the state is not sitting well with Liz Walters, Ohio Democratic Party chair.
“It’s just so frustrating and borderline enraging. Worker families all across Ohio are struggling to get by and Dave is using the office of attorney general to pad his own pockets,” Walters said.
The practice of so-called “double dipping” is legal.
School employees have often done it. But it’s less common for public officials to do it, especially high-ranking statewide office holders like Yost.
Some former and at least one current state lawmaker has done it.
The retire and rehire process allows the person going through it to draw a full public pension on top of their salary.
It can be advantageous for the employer if it no longer has to pay as much in salary or benefits. It’s unclear what terms may have been negotiated in Yost’s case.
Yost earned nearly $125,000 in 2021 according to his financial statements.
