Frequently Asked Questions

State Retirees


1. What is the Boomerang?
The Boomerang program is a centralized database of retired state employees that have identified an interest in accepting temporary employment as a retired annuitant within a state department. State departments can use the Boomerang program to identify potential applicants for retired annuitant employment opportunities.

2. Am I eligible to work as a retired annuitant for the State of California?
Eligibility to work as a retired annuitant is based on a number of factors related to your employment with the State of California. To determine if you are eligible, refer to the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) booklet, “Working After Retirement” for more information. Additionally, the CalPERS Website (www.calpers.ca.gov) may also contain updated law changes that might affect your ability to work after retirement. You should refer to these resources for additional information.

3. If I am receiving disability retirement benefits, can I still work as a retired annuitant?
Any retiree that is receiving disability retirement benefits is required to request permission from CalPERS to work while receiving these benefits. Government Code Section 21228 enables a retiree to continue to receive his/her disability benefits, if the position is significantly different from the one from which he/she disability retired. Once the hiring department has determined they are interested in offering you a retired annuitant position, the Personnel Office will work with the retiree and CalPERS to obtain the necessary documentation and approvals. If you are also receiving Social Security disability benefits, you should check with the Social Security Administration to determine what affect your employment as a retired annuitant might have on those benefits.

4. If I am receiving or have received unemployment benefits within the last 12 months, can I still work as a retired annuitant?
Per Government Code Section 21224, a retired annuitant cannot return to State employment if he/she has received unemployment insurance compensation from any employer that provided retirement benefits under the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) during the 12-month period prior to an appointment as a retired annuitant.

· If you have received unemployment insurance payments in the last 12 months, based on prior employment as a retired annuitant with the State of California or any other employer that provided you retirement benefits under PERS, you are not eligible to return to State service at this time.

· If you are currently working as a retired annuitant for a State department and it is determined that you did receive unemployment insurance benefits, your department will terminate your employment at the end of the current pay period. You will not be eligible to return to work as a retire annuitant for 12 months after your termination.

5. Can I work as a retired annuitant for any state department, or just the one from which I retired?
A State of California retiree can work for any state department.

6. What classifications can I work/apply for as a retired annuitant?
If you register in the Boomerang program, the hiring state department may contact you for positions that you might qualify to be considered for employment. However, generally, you can be appointed to the same, a lower, or closely related classification. Ultimately, the department’s Personnel Office will be responsible for determining your eligibility for appointment.

7. Will all state departments use the Boomerang program to hire retired annuitants and can I work at a department that does not use it?
The Boomerang program is available to all state departments. However, retirees may still seek and apply for retired annuitant vacancies at any state department by visiting the Department of Human Resources (CalHR) website to search for Retired Annuitant Jobs.

8. Do I have to register in the Boomerang program to be hired as a retired annuitant?
Not all state departments will choose to use the Boomerang program. However, the Boomerang program serves as a centralized resource that participating state departments may use to identify individuals who are interested in working as a retired annuitant. Retired annuitant jobs may also be posted on the Department of Human Resources (CalHR) Web site at www.CalCareers.ca.gov.

9. Why should I register, what are the benefits?
The greatest benefit is that the database is a centralized resource for participating state departments to identify retirees who want to return to work on a temporary basis. You can identify how you want to be contacted, your availability to work, your skills and experience which may ensure you are only contacted for the types of work you are interested in accepting.

10. Who will see my personal information and what information do I have to provide?
Only authorized persons will be able to access the Boomerang program. Typically, this will be the department’s Personnel Office staff and hiring supervisors. Personnel Office staff will be able to view all of the personal information input by the retiree. Hiring supervisors will be able to view all of the same information. You can be assured that the state is very committed to ensuring the security of your personal information. The Boomerang program uses security and encryption technology to protect your information from unauthorized access and complies with all privacy and public records laws. While you do not have to provide all of the information requested, some of the information is required to be included in the Boomerang program. When you register for the Boomerang program, you will note that all data fields that are required will be marked with an asterisk (*). These fields contain your personal information that enable us to verify your eligibility to work as a retired annuitant, and those necessary to contact you for employment opportunities. While some of the information, such as your skills and employment preferences (*e.g., days and hours, work locations) are not mandatory, they will assist hiring supervisors in matching you with vacancies. Therefore, if you choose not to fill in this information, your name may not appear when hiring supervisors conduct searches for individuals that possess the particular skills and employment preferences they are seeking for their positions.

11. How can I find available jobs?
State departments will continue to post retired annuitant job opportunities on the Department of Human Resources website at www.CalCareers.ca.gov. You may choose to browse retired annuitant opportunities on the website or wait until you are contacted by a hiring state department using the Boomerang program.

12. How will I be contacted, and who will be contacting me?
Participating state departments will utilize the Boomerang program to locate potential applicants. Either the department’s Personnel Office or a hiring supervisor that has the hiring need will contact you. You will have the ability to select your preferred method of contact (e.g., telephone, e-mail, etc.). You may also log into the Boomerang program to update and change your contact information and preferred method of contact, at any time.

13. When and how often will I be contacted?
As hiring opportunities become available, state departments will use the Boomerang program to identify potential retirees that match the classification, skills and employment preferences the hiring supervisor has selected for their position. The frequency of when and how often you are contacted will depend on the availability of jobs for the classification, skills and locations you have indicated interest in being considered for employment.

14. What if I am not contacted?
It may be possible that you are not contacted for retired annuitant employment based on a number of factors, such as the limited number of positions for your previous classification, your stated availability for employment, and the temporary employment needs of state departments. However, you may wish to review your employment preferences to determine if you have limited the scope of your interest to the degree that affects your being considered for retired annuitant positions. You may also seek out retired annuitant opportunities by checking jobs posted on the Department of Human Resources website at www.CalCareers.ca.gov.

15. What is the hiring process and will I have to be interviewed?
The hiring process will vary by department; however, you may be contacted when a position is available that meets your employment options. You may also be asked to submit a state application form (this may be needed by the department to verify your eligibility to work as a retired annuitant) or resume. You will likely be asked to appear for an interview to discuss the specifics of the position (e.g., duties to be performed, work location and hours, etc.). In some instances, the hiring department may accomplish this through a telephone interview.

16. Will I need to submit an application?
The hiring state department has the discretion of requesting the retiree to submit an application package, including a state application (STD 678). Log into your CalCareer account, click on the Application Templates (STD 678) tab to complete your state application. This may be necessary for the department to verify your previous employment history and determine your eligibility for hire.

17. How many hours can I work as a retired annuitant?
Employment as a retired annuitant is limited to 960 hours per fiscal year (July - June) for any CalPERS employer (e.g., state department, university, etc.). This limit applies to the retiree, and not each appointment. Therefore, if you work for more than one department or multiple jobs within the same department, combined, they may not exceed the yearly maximum. You should refer to the California Public Employees Retirement System (CalPERS) booklet, “Working After Retirement” for specific information.

18. Is there a minimum number of hours I must work?
There is no minimum number of hours that you must work, only a maximum number that you cannot exceed per year – 960 hours per fiscal year (July - June). Depending on the needs of the hiring department and your availability, the hiring supervisor will estimate the number of hours they anticipate your services will be needed.

19. Can I work for more than one Department?
A retired annuitant may work for any state department, either concurrently or at different times. However, the retiree is still limited to 960 maximum hours in a fiscal year (July - June).

20. How will my salary be determined?
Your salary will be based on the classification you are being hired into. It is at the discretion of the hiring department to offer you any salary within the minimum and maximum of the classification that you are otherwise qualified to receive.

21. How will working as a retired annuitant affect my retirement benefits?
The maximum number of hours an individual can work as a retired annuitant was established by CalPERS to protect individuals from affecting their benefits. Therefore, it is imperative that you work closely with the hiring department(s) to ensure you do not exceed 960 hours per fiscal year (July - June). If you also work for other non-CalPERS employers, you should contact CalPERS and/or the Social Security Administration to determine if other types of employment will affect your benefits.

22. Am I eligible for any benefits?
A retired annuitant appointment is a temporary position and does not entitle you to receive any additional benefits.

23. When do I get paid for the hours I have worked?
While the actual date a retired annuitant receives his/her paycheck may vary, it generally takes approximately 10 business days after the end of the pay period to receive payment.

24. What will my deductions be?
The deductions may vary based upon your circumstances, but do not include retirement contributions, health benefits and other types of miscellaneous deductions covered by your retirement check issued by CalPERS. You should discuss this with the hiring department’s Personnel Office to ensure you understand which deductions are mandatory or elective for your situation.

25. Will I have to pay into social security?
If you are currently receiving social security retirement benefits, you will not have any deductions for social security. However, there may be some instances where some of your wages may be subject to social security withholding. It is recommended that you discuss this with the hiring department’s Personnel Office and the Social Security Administration if you work for more than one employer.

26. Will the time I work as a retired annuitant count towards my retirement benefits?
A retired annuitant does not accrue additional state service credit or benefits working as a retired annuitant.

27. Will I earn vacation and sick leave credits for the time I work as a retired annuitant?
A retired annuitant does not qualify to earn vacation, sick leave or other types of leave credits.

28. Will I get paid for holidays?
A retired annuitant does not get paid for any holiday for which he/she does not actually work.

29. Will I get paid for travel?
If the position for which you are hired requires travel, you will be reimbursed for business-related expenses as established by the Department of Personnel Administration. Whether or not you get paid for any time you are on travel status will depend upon the situation. You should consult with the hiring supervisor to determine whether or not travel is involved or if you will be paid for any travel time.

30. Why can't I see the "Conditions of Use" from the registration page?
The “Conditions of Use” feature on the Boomerang web site requires that your system allows pop-up windows. If you are unable to view the “Conditions of Use” information, you may have a pop-up blocking program running on your computer. A pop-up blocker is any program that is designed to prevent pop-up ads from appearing while you browse the Internet. In order to read the Boomerang “Conditions of Use”, you may need to temporarily disable your pop-up blocker.

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