Service by retirees — Break in employment requirement — Reduction of retirement allowance upon reemployment — Reestablishment of membership.
RCW 41.40.037
in effect*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2034-S2.SL ) ***
(1)(a) If a retiree enters employment with an employer sooner than one calendar month after his or her accrual date, the retiree's monthly retirement allowance will be reduced by five and one-half percent for every eight hours worked during that month. This reduction will be applied each month until the retiree remains absent from employment with an employer for one full calendar month. (b) The benefit reduction provided in (a) of this subsection will accrue for a maximum of one hundred sixty hours per month. Any benefit reduction over one hundred percent will be applied to the benefit the retiree is eligible to receive in subsequent months. (2)(a) A retiree from plan 1, plan 2, or plan 3 who has satisfied the break in employment requirement of subsection (1) of this section may work up to eight hundred sixty-seven hours per calendar year in an eligible position, as defined in RCW 41.32.010 , 41.35.010 , 41.37.010 , or 41.40.010 , or as a firefighter or law enforcement officer, as defined in RCW 41.26.030 , or in a position covered by annuity and retirement income plans offered by institutions of higher education pursuant to RCW 28B.10.400 , without suspension of his or her benefit. (b) Between March 23, 2022, and January 1, 2030, a retiree, including a retiree who has retired under the alternate early retirement provisions of RCW 41.40.630 (3)(b) or 41.40.820 (3)(b), who reenters employment more than 100 days after his or her accrual date, and who enters service in a school district in a nonadministrative position shall continue to receive pension payments while engaged in such service, until the retiree has rendered service for more than 1,040 hours in a calendar year. (c) Between April 14, 2023, and July 1, 2026, a retiree, including a retiree who has retired under the alternate early retirement provisions of RCW 41.40.630 (3)(b) or 41.40.820 (3)(b), and who enters service in a nonadministrative position as a licensed nurse for a state agency, shall continue to receive pension payments while engaged in such service, until the retiree has rendered service for more than 1,040 hours in a calendar year. (3) If the retiree opts to reestablish membership under RCW 41.40.023 (12), he or she terminates his or her retirement status and becomes a member. Retirement benefits shall not accrue during the period of membership and the individual shall make contributions and receive membership credit. Such a member shall have the right to again retire if eligible in accordance with RCW 41.40.180 . However, if the right to retire is exercised to become effective before the member has rendered two uninterrupted years of service, the retirement formula and survivor options the member had at the time of the member's previous retirement shall be reinstated. (4) The department shall collect and provide the state actuary with information relevant to the use of this section for the select committee on pension policy. (5) The legislature reserves the right to amend or repeal this section in the future and no member or beneficiary has a contractual right to be employed for more than five months in a calendar year without a reduction of his or her pension.
(1)(a) If a retiree enters employment with an employer sooner than one calendar month after his or her accrual date, the retiree's monthly retirement allowance will be reduced by five and one-half percent for every eight hours worked during that month. This reduction will be applied each month until the retiree remains absent from employment with an employer for one full calendar month.
(b) The benefit reduction provided in (a) of this subsection will accrue for a maximum of one hundred sixty hours per month. Any benefit reduction over one hundred percent will be applied to the benefit the retiree is eligible to receive in subsequent months.
(2)(a) A retiree from plan 1, plan 2, or plan 3 who has satisfied the break in employment requirement of subsection (1) of this section may work up to eight hundred sixty-seven hours per calendar year in an eligible position, as defined in RCW 41.32.010 , 41.35.010 , 41.37.010 , or 41.40.010 , or as a firefighter or law enforcement officer, as defined in RCW 41.26.030 , or in a position covered by annuity and retirement income plans offered by institutions of higher education pursuant to RCW 28B.10.400 , without suspension of his or her benefit.
(b) Between March 23, 2022, and January 1, 2030, a retiree, including a retiree who has retired under the alternate early retirement provisions of RCW 41.40.630 (3)(b) or 41.40.820 (3)(b), who reenters employment more than 100 days after his or her accrual date, and who enters service in a school district in a nonadministrative position shall continue to receive pension payments while engaged in such service, until the retiree has rendered service for more than 1,040 hours in a calendar year.
(c) Between April 14, 2023, and July 1, 2026, a retiree, including a retiree who has retired under the alternate early retirement provisions of RCW 41.40.630 (3)(b) or 41.40.820 (3)(b), and who enters service in a nonadministrative position as a licensed nurse for a state agency, shall continue to receive pension payments while engaged in such service, until the retiree has rendered service for more than 1,040 hours in a calendar year.
(3) If the retiree opts to reestablish membership under RCW 41.40.023 (12), he or she terminates his or her retirement status and becomes a member. Retirement benefits shall not accrue during the period of membership and the individual shall make contributions and receive membership credit. Such a member shall have the right to again retire if eligible in accordance with RCW 41.40.180 . However, if the right to retire is exercised to become effective before the member has rendered two uninterrupted years of service, the retirement formula and survivor options the member had at the time of the member's previous retirement shall be reinstated.
(4) The department shall collect and provide the state actuary with information relevant to the use of this section for the select committee on pension policy.
(5) The legislature reserves the right to amend or repeal this section in the future and no member or beneficiary has a contractual right to be employed for more than five months in a calendar year without a reduction of his or her pension.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=41.40&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026