Returning to Work

How will your retirement income be affected if you return to work? It depends on where you work. If you return to work for an employer covered by one of the state retirement systems, your benefit could be affected. You can return to work for an employer not covered by a Washington state retirement system without impacting your monthly benefit unless you are a disability retiree.

A new state law allows some TRS, PERS and SERS retirees to work up to 1,040 hours for a school district and still receive their pension. See more about the 1,040 hour exception.

Return to work rules vary by plan:

Plans

Public employees PERS 1
Public Employees’ Retirement System Plan 1

School employees SERS 3
School Employees’ Retirement System Plan 3

Public employees PERS 2
Public Employees’ Retirement System Plan 2

Law enforcement/
firefighters LEOFF 1
Law Enforcement Officers’ and Firefighters’ Retirement System Plan 1

Public employees PERS 3
Public Employees’ Retirement System Plan 3

Law enforcement/
firefighters LEOFF 2
Law Enforcement Officers’ and Firefighters’ Retirement System Plan 2

Teachers TRS 1
Teachers’ Retirement System Plan 1

State patrol WSPRS 1
Washington State Patrol Retirement System Plan 1

Teachers TRS 2
Teachers’ Retirement System Plan 2

State patrol WSPRS 2
Washington State Patrol Retirement System Plan 2

Teachers TRS 3
Teachers’ Retirement System Plan 3

Public safety PSERS 2
Public Safety Employees’ Retirement System Plan 2

School employees SERS 2
School Employees’ Retirement System Plan 2