Information for All Rehired Retirees
Rehired retirees bring an unparalleled level of experience to temporary positions. More than half of the temporaries employed through Temporary Solutions are retired from North Carolina state government or drawing non-state government retirement benefits such as through a private company or Social Security.
Mandatory Separation Requirement
Temporaries may not work for more than 11 consecutive months without a lapse in employment of 31 or more days. This is called the Mandatory Separation Requirement. Retirees who certify that they are not available for or seeking permanent employment are exempt from the mandatory separation requirement and may work more than 11 consecutive months without being separated. This certification is made in the employee’s onboarding packet.
Earnings Limits
Rehired retirees may be subject to earnings limits with the Social Security Administration and/or their previous employer and should consult with these entities before returning to the workforce.
Additional Information for Rehired Retirees Drawing Retirement Benefits from the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System (TSERS)
Before returning to work after retiring from North Carolina state government, retirees should review all North Carolina Return-to-Work laws as well as rehired retiree resources provided by the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System (TSERS) and the State Health Plan. Those resources include but are not limited to:
Six-Month Requirement
Retirees drawing retirement benefits from TSERS must be retired for at least six months before returning to work in North Carolina state government. Retirees who perform work with a North Carolina state government employer within six months of their retirement are subject to TSERS financial penalties.
TSERS Earnings Limit
After meeting the six-month return-to-work requirement, rehired North Carolina state government retirees are allowed to annually earn whichever is greater:
- 50% of your gross pre-retirement salary (excluding termination payments) or
- $39,660 (2023 amount)
Work Schedule
Rehired North Carolina state government retirees typically work 29 or fewer hours on average per week per year. Working more than this amount may affect your State Health Plan benefit.
Disclaimer
While this website is intended to be as accurate as possible, the explanation is subject in all respects to the detailed provisions of the North Carolina law. It must be understood that the explanation in this website cannot alter, modify, or otherwise change the controlling legal documents or N.C. General Statutes in any way, nor can any right accrue by reason of any statement or omission of any statement in this website.