Posted Friday, December 14, 2012 --- 11:02 a.m.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- A new report finds state agencies and the University of Wisconsin-System rehired 2,783 people who had retired between 2007 and 2011.

The Legislative Audit Bureau's study provides the most comprehensive picture yet of how widespread rehiring retirees has become in government. State law allows retirees to go back to work and go on collecting their annuities as long as they were out for at least 30 days and didn't reach re-hire deals before they left.

But the practice drew criticism last year after word surfaced a UW-Green Bay administrator had prepared a re-hire contract before he retired.

The audit bureau's report found the state Department of Employee Trust Funds found four instances between August 2009 and June 2012 where good-faith separations hadn't occurred but noted making those determinations is difficult.

Copyright 2012: Associated Press