Qualifying employment 90-Day trial
The return-to-work program is designed to enable disabled members who have not been medically released to return to the work force without losing benefits for which they may be entitled.
If you have not been released by your medical provider but wish to try to return to PERS-qualifying employment, you may begin a 90-day trial. A qualifying position is a position with one or more PERS-covered employer(s) in which the employee is anticipated to work a total of 600 or more hours in a calendar year.
If you are re-employed by a PERS-covered employer, you will have a 90-day trial period during which your disability claim will be held open. Disability retirement benefits will not be paid during this 90-day trial period.
If you are unable to continue employment for the full 90 days due to your disabling condition, your disability retirement benefits may be reinstated without reapplying. Current medical documentation is required and should promptly be sent to PERS.
If you are able to continue employment beyond 90 days, your disability claim will be closed, and your account balance will be reinstated to the amount that was in your account at the time you became disabled.
Non-qualifying employment
You may return to work with a PERS-covered employer for non-qualifying work. Your position(s) with one or more PERS-covered employers must be under 600 total hours in a calendar year. (Over 600 hours in a calendar year is a qualifying posi-tion.) You and your employer must monitor your hours carefully. If you exceed 599 hours in a calendar year, your position will become qualifying, your disability benefits will be discontinued, and you will be invoiced for all benefits paid to you for the calendar year.
Your employer reports your wages to PERS. Your disability retirement benefits will be adjusted by any gross income paid to you which, when added to your gross disability retirement benefit, exceeds your gross monthly salary at the time you retired on disability.