Retirees returning to work must wait 30 days
For a lot of people, retirement is a time to sit back and relax, or time to do some traveling. But some retirees like to stay busy by volunteering. They may even decide they want to go back to work after they retire.
As a retiree, you can go back to work for a Department of Retirement Systems (DRS) employer and still receive your pension benefit as long as you follow a few rules.
If you’re in PERS, TRS or SERS, you must wait at least 30 days after your effective retirement date before returning to work for any DRS employer. Also, you may not have any pre-arranged agreement, verbal or written, to return to work with your current employer before retiring.
If you return to work for a non-DRS employer: Your pension benefit is not affected.
(Example: Local businesses like a coffee shop or grocery store.)
If you return to work for a DRS employer: Your pension benefit could be affected.
(Example: Schools, Police, Fire, Department of Transportation.)
Review the return to work page for more details including exceptions for certain jobs.
Subscribe for more DRS news
More news
Don’t get surprised at tax time: Look at your spending and income for 2025
Tax season sneaks up on many of us and if you’re not planning ahead, April…
DRS benefits unaffected by federal shutdown
Retirement benefits for Washington’s retired public workers in a DRS plan are not affected by…
This October, follow this retirement recipe
Sometimes saving for retirement can feel like trying to cook a recipe without clear instructions….
