Pennsylvania School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS) Retiree Guidelines
Retirees can return to work in a substitute capacity without suspending collection of monthly pension benefits under the Shortage of Personnel emergency exception. This emergency exception extends only for the length of the school year or until the emergency no longer exists. Yearly, Pittsburgh Public Schools acquires approval from PSERS in order to allow PSERS Retirees to work as short-term substitutes. Please see the PSERS Request and School Year Approval for the current school year. For more information on all PSERS emergency exceptions, please review the PSERS Return to Service Exceptions Guide.
In order for retirees to return to work in a substitute capacity, the retiree and Pittsburgh Public Schools must be compliant with the following PSERS guidelines.
Selecting and Accepting Substitute Opportunities
In order to adhere to PSERS guidelines, our District is required to offer substitute assignments to non-retirees before making them available to retirees. Due to this guideline, retirees may not be able to immediately view assignments when assignments are initially entered into the Frontline Absence management system. This occurs because the retirees’ Frontline Absence Management account has a feature that creates a small delay in a retirees’ ability to view and select assignments.
Work Limitations Based on Length of Assignments
Retirees can work in a short-term substitute or approved long-term substitute assignment.
Short-Term Substitute Assignment
As a retiree, you can work every day, as long as you do not work in the same assignment for longer than one week. PSERS understands “short-term substitute assignment” to mean an assignment that does not extend longer than one week.
Long-Term Assignment
As a retiree, if you are expected to work in the same assignment for longer than one week, you must complete the PSERS Long-Term Assignment Approval Form so that Human Resources can acquire approval from PSERS.
Once the PSERS Long-Term Assignment Approval Form is completed, the Human Resources Department will submit a PSERS Long-Term Assignment Request Letter to PSERS and provide you with a copy. If approved, PSERS will send an approval letter to both you and Human Resources.
Please note that Pittsburgh Public Schools must offer the assignment to non-retired certified substitutes first.
For more information, please contact the local PSERS office at 412-920-2014. Our District is unable to provide guidance on how working post-retirement could impact your taxes and encourage you to contact your financial advisor or the Internal Revenue Services (IRS).
