Retiree Return to Work Information

Returning to Work after Retirement

Return-to-work rules for SCRS (South Carolina Retirement System) members changed January 2, 2013. To return to work after you retire, you must first have a complete, bona fide severance or termination of employment. After 30 days of retirement, you may be hired by an employer covered by one of the retirement systems administered by PEBA. For Class Two members, the TERI period counts toward the 30-day break requirement. If you return to covered employment sooner than 30 consecutive calendar days after retirement, your monthly annuity will be suspended while you remain employed by a covered employer. A severance from employment is required at the end of the TERI program before a member may receive his accumulated benefits or return to covered employment. 

Earnings Limitations 

This rule, which can have a large impact on your income, does not limit the amount you can earn from covered employment. Instead, it limits your retirement benefit once your earnings from covered employment exceed the $10,000 limit. There are exceptions to the earnings limitation: 

Members who retired before January 2, 2013, regardless of age at retirement.

  • SCRS members who retired on or after January 2, 2013, but were age 62 or older on their date of retirement.

  • PORS members who retired on or after January 2, 2013, but were age 57 or older on their date of retirement. 

  • Teachers who meet a critical needs exception. The S.C. Department of Education must annually certify that a member is working in a critical needs area, either academic or geographic..

  • Class One law enforcement officers who retired under PORS prior to January 1, 2018, and are employed as critical needs school resource officers. PEBA must be notified of the officer’s exemption, and this exemption is contingent on continued approval in each year’s budget. 

  • Members who receive compensation for service as an elected official, service as an appointee of the Governor with confirmation by the South Carolina Senate or service by appointment or election by the General Assembly.