Understanding Post Retirement Reemployment
In accordance with C.G.S. 10-183v, a retired member may be reemployed in a Connecticut public school teaching assignment and receive no more than forty-five per cent of the *maximum full-time annual salary rate for the assigned position. Connecticut public school teaching service is defined as employment in a position for which certification issued by the Connecticut State Department of Education is required (this includes Charter Schools, Magnet Schools and Technical Schools) or employment as a member of the professional staff of the State Department of Education or any of the public state colleges or universities. Any retired member who receives salary in excess of such amount (during a school year) is required by statute to reimburse the Connecticut Teachers’ Retirement Board (CTRB) for the excess salary. Notice of such employment shall be sent by the employer and employee to the CTRB at the time of hire and at the end of the assignment. The salary of such teacher shall be fixed at an amount at least equal to that paid other teachers in the same school system with similar training and experience for the same type of service.
*Maximum salary level for teachers and/or administrators is the highest rate of pay within the collective bargaining agreement; for superintendents, it is the salary that would be used to advertise the position; for teaching at any of the public state colleges or universities the limit is based on the credentials of the retiree. If someone has earned their doctorate degree, the earnings limit would be based on 45% of the maximum salary for a professor; for all other retired rehires the earnings limit would be based on 45% of the associate professor pay scale.
A retired member can work in a Subject Shortage Area, or at a school located in a Priority School District, for one school year and, with prior approval from the CTRB, for a second school year with no limitation on earnings, no impact on the member’s pension, and no requirement to reimburse the CTRB. The limits of one school year and two school years apply both cumulatively and in aggregate to the combination of all of a retired member's post retirement reemployment during their entire retirement, combining all work in all Subject Shortage Areas and in all schools located in all Priority School Districts into a single total. The limits do not apply individually or separately to postretirement reemployment in different Subject Shortage Areas, or in different schools located in the same Priority School District or in different Priority School Districts.
Effective July 1, 2017, health insurance from the reemploying district is no longer legally required to be offered, but is not prohibited. Individuals are ineligible for the TRB health subsidy if receiving coverage from a new employing district. The board of education from where the member retired must continue to offer health insurance. Individuals maintaining coverage through the district they last taught in when retiring are eligible for the TRB health subsidy. A retiree enrolled in the TRB health plan can remain in the TRB plan. Reimbursement of the TRB plan premiums by the new employer would be considered a fringe benefit and would be included under the 45% Reemployment threshold.
A reemployed retired member may not make retirement contributions or earn any additional benefits for the period of reemployment. The retirement Payment Plan Option (Plan N, C or D) elected by the member at the time of retirement remains in effect during the period of reemployment. If a reemployed member dies while reemployed, the amount that would be payable to the designated beneficiary/beneficiaries will be based on the terms and conditions of the Retirement Application that was filed with this office.