It's important to understand the EAR limits if you:
- retired after Jan. 1, 2021 as a service retiree or are a disability retiree (regardless of retirement date),
and - are working for a TRS-covered employer under the one-half time or less exception.
To help you determine how many days or hours you may work each calendar month, please refer to the information below.
A few notes to keep in mind: When calculating your time worked in the calendar month, be sure to include any paid leave as time worked. In addition, working any portion of a day counts as working one full day.
Note: Fiscal Year 2025 runs from September 2024 – August 2025.
If you’re a return-to-work retiree enrolled in TRS-Care and eligible for Medicare, you can enroll in TRS-ActiveCare if you return to work for a TRS employer who participates in TRS-ActiveCare and work 10 or more hours per week.
When Allowable Limits Are Exceeded
If a service retiree's employment exceeds the EAR limits, the retiree may be at risk of forfeiting some or all of their annuity.
Service retirees who retired after Jan. 1, 2021 are subject to the "three strikes" rule. More information about the three strikes process can be found in the TRS EAR Brochure.
Surcharges are additional contributions that must be paid to TRS on employed TRS retirees who retired after Sept. 1, 2005 and who work more than one-half time during a month.
House Bill 2 (89th Texas Legislative Session), repeals the prohibition that public education employers are prohibited from directly or indirectly passing the costs of pension and applicable health care surcharges for retirees returning to work full time.