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It is University policy to comply with Washington State law governing the reemployment of Department of Retirement System (DRS) retirees, and to require that all DRS retirees seeking UW employment follow the normal job application and referral procedures. It is a violation of state law and UW policy for there to be any pre-retirement oral or written agreement between a Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) plan member (PERS, TRS, SERS, LEOFF, or WSPRS) and an employer for employment into a UW position. Violation of the law results in nullification of the individual’s retirement. Criminal and monetary penalties may also apply. An employing official who wishes to hire a DRS plan retiree must submit written documentation explaining why no other candidate for the position is appropriate.
This page explains retiree reemployment requirements, however by state law there are no guarantees of post-retirement employment at the UW. The following information is provided for your benefit and to assist you in understanding the rules that apply to the reemployment of DRS plan retirees. If there is any discrepancy between this information and the current DRS rules, the DRS rules will prevail.
If you are a PERS retiree and want to work at the UW in a position that would normally be PERS-eligible, there are limitations in the number of hours you may work and there may be changes to your benefits coverage and deductions.
It is imperative that you review and understand the information provided by the Department of Retirement Systems regarding reemployment of PERS retirees:
As a rehired retiree, you do not contribute to Social Security from any post-retirement UW pay. This is due to an agreement between the UW and the Social Security Administration. You are not able to “opt in” to paying Social Security.
If you receive Social Security payments, there may be a limit to the amount you can earn through active employment and still retain your full Social Security income. It is your responsibility to understand and keep track of potential income limitations. Please review the Social Security Administration’s website at: www.ssa.gov.
If you wait at least a full calendar month after the effective date of your retirement before returning to work, you can work up to 867 hours in a calendar year and still receive your full retirement benefit (The UW requires that a full calendar month elapse because the normal UW payroll process typically requires at least two full payroll cycles to complete. Returning to employment before a complete calendar month break can impact the UW’s ability to finalize all automated retirement reporting requirements.)
There are no limits on the number of hours that a PERS 1, 2 or 3 plan retiree may work or on your benefits eligibility if you are employed in a UW Retirement Plan eligible position.
If you are a TRS retiree and want to work at the UW in a position that would normally be PERS-eligible, there are limitations in the number of hours you may work and there may be changes to your benefits coverage and deductions. Contact DRS for more information.
If you wait at least 30 calendar days after you retire, you can work up to 1,500 hours in a fiscal year (July 1 to June 30) for a public educational facility. Your pension benefits stop once you work beyond 1,500 hours in a fiscal year (July through June).
If you wait at least 30 calendar days after you retire, you can work up to 867 hours in a calendar year in one or more eligible TRS, PERS, SERS or Leoff position(s).
It is imperative that you review and understand the information provided by the Department of Retirement Systems regarding reemployment of TRS retirees. See Thinking About Working After Retirement? for TRS retirees.
As a rehired retiree, you do not contribute to Social Security from any post-retirement UW pay. This is due to an agreement between the UW and the Social Security Administration. You are not able to “opt in” to paying Social Security.
If you receive Social Security payments, there may be a limit to the amount you can earn through active employment and still retain your full Social Security income. It is your responsibility to understand and keep track of potential income limitations. Please review the Social Security Administration’s website at: www.ssa.gov.
If you are a TRS retiree and interested in working at the UW in a Professional Staff or Faculty position (i.e., a UWRP-eligible position), there are no limits to the number of hours you may work or benefits eligibility.
If you are a LEOFF retiree and want to work at the UW in a position that would normally be PERS-eligible, there may be limitations in terms of when you can return to work and how many hours you can work without losing your pension. Contact the Department of Retirement Systems at 800-547-6657.
It is imperative that you review and understand the information provided by the Department of Retirement Systems regarding reemployment of LEOFF retirees:
As a rehired retiree, you do not contribute to Social Security from any post-retirement UW pay. This is due to an agreement between the UW and the Social Security Administration. You are not able to “opt in” to paying Social Security.
If you receive Social Security payments, there may be a limit to the amount you can earn through active employment and still retain your full Social Security income. It is your responsibility to understand and keep track of potential income limitations. Please review the Social Security Administration’s website at: www.ssa.gov.
If you are a LEOFF retiree and interested in working at the UW in a Professional Staff or Faculty position (i.e., a UWRP-eligible position), there are no limits to the number of hours you may work or benefits eligibility, however normal recruiting processes must be followed.
SERS is not available at the UW. If you are a SERS retiree and want to work at the UW in a position that would normally be PERS-eligible, there may be limitations on when you can return to work and on the number of hours you can work without losing your pension. Contact the Department of Retirement Systems at 800-547-6657.
It is imperative that you review and understand the information provided by the Department of Retirement Systems regarding reemployment of SERS retirees. See Thinking About Working After Retirement? for SERS retirees.
As a rehired retiree, you do not contribute to Social Security from any post-retirement UW pay. This is due to an agreement between the UW and the Social Security Administration. You are not able to “opt in” to paying Social Security.
If you receive Social Security payments, there may be a limit to the amount you can earn through active employment and still retain your full Social Security income. It is your responsibility to understand and keep track of potential income limitations. Please review the Social Security Administration’s website at: www.ssa.gov.
If you are a SERS retiree and interested in working at the UW in a Professional Staff or Faculty position (i.e., a position eligible for UWRP), there are no limits to the number of hours you may work or benefits eligibility.
WSPRS is not available at the UW. If you are a WSPRS retiree and want to work at the UW in a position that would normally be PERS-eligible there may be limitations in terms of when you can return to work and how many hours you can work without losing your pension. Contact the Department of Retirement Systems at 800-547-6657.
It is imperative that you review and understand the information provided by the Department of Retirement Systems regarding reemployment of WSPRS retirees. See Thinking About Working After Retirement? for WSPRS retirees.
As a rehired retiree, you do not contribute to Social Security from any post-retirement UW pay. This is due to an agreement between the UW and the Social Security Administration. You are not able to “opt in” to paying Social Security.
If you receive Social Security payments, there may be a limit to the amount you can earn through active employment and still retain your full Social Security income. It is your responsibility to understand and keep track of potential income limitations. Please review the Social Security Administration’s website at: www.ssa.gov.
If you are a WSPRS retiree and interested in working at the UW in a Professional Staff or Faculty position (i.e., a UWRP-eligible position), there are no limits to the number of hours you may work or benefits eligibility.
All DRS plan (PERS, TRS, LEOFF, etc.) retirees who wish to work at the University of Washington after retirement must meet all criteria to become a retiree before you can be considered for reemployment as a retiree and you must ensure that you are in compliance state law and University policy.
This includes:Failure to adhere to the legal work hour limit consistent with your retirement and reemployment programs can have serious adverse consequences for your retirement status. Reference the hourly limitations by retirement program, above.
Copyright © 2007 University of Washington
