Employment Limitations for TRS Tier 1 Annuitants
During the 2021-22 school year, a retired Tier I member may work in a TRS-covered position for 140 days or 700 hours and not lose benefits. A member's benefits are suspended if the limit is exceeded and the member has not been approved to teach in a subject shortage area.
For the 2022-23 school year, the post-retirement limitations are 120 days or 600 hours. Under the law, the limits are scheduled to return to 100 days or 500 hours on July 1, 2023.
Paid sick, personal and vacation days are subject to the post-retirement employment limitations.
In order for TRS to track the time that annuitants work in post-retirement employment, TRS-covered employers will report the annuitants' time worked in hours. This will allow TRS to notify employers and annuitants when the annuitant is close to exceeding the limits and if the annuitant has exceeded the limits.
Count time worked and the use of accumulated leave time toward the limitation. Each full day (five or more hours) is recorded as five hours, even if the annuitant worked more than five hours on that date. For partial days (fewer than five hours), the actual number of clock hours worked is recorded. Count hours to the nearest quarter hour.
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Total Hours Worked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 hours worked | 3 hours worked | 0 hours worked | 7 hours worked (counted as 5 hours for full day) |
0 hours worked | 8 hours counted toward 600-hour limitation |
Time worked must be counted against the limit.
Only work that requires teacher licensure (including summer school and substitute teaching) is subject to the days or hours post-retirement employment limitation. All time that a teacher or administrator is required to be present for duties requiring teacher licensure is subject to the limitation. For teachers, this includes preparation periods and time before, between, and after classes. For administrators, this includes all time that is required to be spent on administrative duties, such as attendance at board meetings and contract negotiations.
Extra duties that do not require teacher licensure (e.g., coaching, lunchroom supervision, chaperoning) are not subject to the post-retirement employment limitation.
Additional Employment Limitations for TRS Tier 2 Annuitants
In addition to the employment limitations indicated for Tier l annuitants, Tier 2 annuitants have the following additional restrictions:
- The law suspends a Tier 2 member's retirement benefits if the member accepts full-time employment in a position covered by another pension system that has reciprocal rights with TRS.
- For those Tier 2 members who first became a member on or after Jan. l, 2012, the law suspends the annuitant's retirement benefits if the annuitant accepts a contractual position from the same employer from which he/she retired. Failure to notify TRS as well as his/her contractual employer of his/her retirement status prior to accepting contractual employment may result in a Class A misdemeanor and a fine of $1,000.