Rhode Island General Laws Title 28. Labor and Labor Relations § 28-30-16. Retirement of judges engaged on or before July 2, 1997, on full pay

(a) Whenever any person engaged as a judge on or before July 2, 1997, has served as a workers' compensation judge for twenty (20) years and has reached the age of sixty-five (65) years, or has served for fifteen (15) years and reached the age of seventy (70) years, he or she may retire from regular active service and subsequently he or she shall receive annually during his or her life a sum equal to the annual salary he or she was receiving at the time of his or her retirement. Whenever a judge or magistrate shall be granted a leave of absence without pay, such absence shall not be credited towards active service time for the purposes of retirement.

(b) Any judge who retires in accordance with the provisions of this section shall at the direction of the chief justice of the supreme court, subject to the retiree's physical and mental competence, be assigned to perform those services that a judge as the chief judge prescribes. When so assigned and performing that service, the retiree shall have all the powers and authority of a judge. The retired judge shall not be counted in the number of judges provided by law for the workers' compensation court.