Retiree Eligibility

A State Retiree/Retired Annuitant is a person retired from California state civil service. The state may rehire this person as a retired annuitant to work up to 960 hours in a fiscal year (July 1 through June 30) without the loss of CalPERS retirement benefits.

Temporary employment as a 'retired annuitant' with a Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) employer is not allowed if you are younger than the normal retirement age unless both of the following conditions are met.

• There is no verbal or written agreement to return to work as a 'retired annuitant' between you and the employer before you retired.
• There is a bona fide break in service of 60 days between your retirement date and the date your temporary employment, as a 'retired annuitant' will begin.

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 PERS during the 12-month period prior to an appointment as a retired annuitant.

• If you 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 retired annuitant for 12 months after your termination.

For more information, refer to the CalPERS Publication Employment after retirement.