Reinstatement from Retirement

If you return to work for a CalPERS employer in a permanent, part-time or full-time position, you must reinstate from retirement into active employment. This means:

• You become an active CalPERS member again.
• You can retire again later.
• You resume earning retirement service credit.
• Your retirement benefits stop.

If you plan to reinstate with an employer other than the one you retired from, your retiree health benefits could be affected. Consult with your former and prospective employer and CalPERS Health Benefits concerning your eligibility for health benefits at re-retirement. The Golden Handshake service credit is permanently lost if you reinstate from retirement.

If you retired with a concurrent retirement salary exchange with any reciprocal or nonreciprocal retirement system(s), reinstatement terminates that salary exchange. If the other systems’ salaries were used in the calculation of your retirement, your subsequent retirement from CalPERS will be based solely on your CalPERS salaries. Contact the other retirement system(s) to find out the effect, if any, your reinstatement with CalPERS may have on your retirement benefits from the other system(s).

Applying for Reinstatement

You cannot reinstate from retirement before you've been hired by a CalPERS employer. You must have a firm start date or hire date in order to reinstate from service retirement into active employment.

1. Review Reinstatement from Retirement (PUB 37) (PDF) before you decide to return to active employment.
2. Complete and submit the reinstatement application form located in the publication.

Once CalPERS receives your completed reinstatement application, we'll notify you in writing and verify the dates your retirement ends and your reinstatement starts.