Working After Retirement – KPERS, Correctional KPERS and KP&F

Many retirees decide to return to work. However, this can affect your benefits. If you work for a non-Retirement System employer, there are no restrictions. If you work for a Retirement System employer, some rules apply to you.

30-Day Waiting Period
KPERS Earnings Limit
KP&F Earnings Limit
Exceptions to the Earnings Limit
How the Limit Works
Working for a Different KPERS Employer
Did You Really Change Employers?

Information for Retired Judges

30-Day Waiting Period

You must wait 30 days after your retirement date to go back to work for any Retirement System employer. Your retirement date is not your last day at your employer. It is usually the first day of the month following your last
day at work.

To calculate the 30-day waiting period, count the day after your retirement date as day one.

Example
If your retirement date is July 1, July 2 is day one and you cannot begin employment with any Retirement System employer until August 1.

KPERS Earnings Limit

As a KPERS member, you have a $20,000-per-year earnings limit if:

• You retired on or after July 1, 1988, and
• You go to work for an employer you worked for during your last two years of KPERS participation.
  The State of Kansas is considered one employer.

KP&F Earnings Limit

As a KP&F member, you have a $15,000-per-year earnings limit if:

• You retired on or after July 1, 1988, and
• You go to work for an employer you worked for during your last two years of KP&F participation.

Exceptions to the Earnings Limit

• Certain legislative support staff
• "Daily call" K-12 substitute teachers - Daily call substitutes are teacher temporary and paid on a daily basis for their services. They are not required to work every day. Please see your designated agent for details. Long-term substitutes do have an earnings limit.
• Licensed nurses at certain State institutions - Any retirees who retire under "Early Retirement" (i.e. age 55 with ten years of service) after April 18, 2005, are not eligible and they will continue to have the $20,000 earnings limit .

Retired judges have other options for returning to work.

How the Limit Works

If you reach the earnings limit, you have two choices.

Choice #1:
End employment for the rest of the calendar year.
Continue to receive your retirement benefits.

Choice #2:
Continue working and your retirement benefits will stop for the rest of the calendar year.
Benefits will begin again in January the following year or if you end employment, whichever happens first.

Your employer notifies KPERS when you reach the earnings limit. Complete KPERS Retiree Earnings Limitation form (KPERS-15S) or KP&F Retiree Earnings Limitation form (KP&F-15S) to indicate your choice.

Working for a Different KPERS Employer

If you go back to work for a different employer - one you didn't work for during the last two years of your KPERS participation - you do not have an earnings limit. You also do not make any contributions and your employment
does not affect your retirement benefits. However, your employer needs to make KPERS contributions for the
position you fill if:

• You were first employed on or after July 1, 2006.
• The position would otherwise be a KPERS-covered position.

Did You Really Change Employers?

The State of Kansas is considered one employer. State agencies, boards, commissions and Board of Regents institutions are all part of the State of Kansas. Going from one to another is not considered changing employers. Moving from a KPERS to a KP&F position, or vice versa, is considered a change and you would not have an earnings limit.

Every school district is a different employer. If you retired from a school district, you can go to work for a different school district with no earnings limit as long as you did not work there during your last two years of KPERS participation. (No earnings limit for "daily call" K-12 substitute teachers.)