Benches Overlook

Working After Retirement

Thinking About Returning to Work at FCPS?

Before you do, make sure you understand the rules for working after retirement: FCPS Regulation 4774.

ERFC can help answer any questions you may have about how your pension could be affected. Before accepting a position, please give us a call at 703-426-3900, M-F, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Three retirees

How Will Returning to Work at FCPS Affect My ERFC Benefit?

ERFC-Covered Position

Critical Shortage Position

Starting July 1, 2024, if you have completed a bona fide break in service and return to a critical shortage position that's covered by ERFC, your ERFC benefit payments will not be suspended. You must submit the following forms to the FCPS Office of Talent Acquisition (OTA)once you're hired:

- Certification of Eligibility for Critical Shortage Position (ERFC 14)
- Certification of Eligibility for Critical Shortage Teachers and Administrators (VRS-160)

The Department of Education (DOE) has identified the following as critical shortage teaching endorsement areas for the 2024-25 school year.

- Elementary Education PreK-6
- Special Education PreK-12
- Middle Education Grades 6-8
- English (Secondary)
- Science (Secondary)
- Career and Technical Education
- Mathematics Grades 6-12 (including Algebra 1)
- History and Social science (Secondary)
- Foreign Language PreK-12
- School Counselor PreK-12

Non-Critical  Shortage Position 

If you retire and return to an FCPS non-critical shortage position that's covered by ERFC, your ERFC benefit payments will need to be suspended. To do that, you must email ERFC a Request Termination of Monthly Benefit (ERFC 15) the month prior to returning to eligible employment with FCPS. You'll then become an active member again and both employer and member contributions will be reinstated. When you leave that position and re-retire, you're pension will be reinstated.

Please Note:
If you don't submit an ERFC 15—leading to an excess pension payment—you must repay ERFC the overpayment amount received.

Non-Covered Position

If you retire and return to an FCPS position that's not covered by ERFC, such as a part-time teaching position, your ERFC retirement benefits will continue without interruption during your period of re-employment.

A female substitute teacher holding a small canvas in an art class

Retirees Make Excellent Substitutes

After a bona fide break in service, you can apply to be an FCPS substitute teacher or a substitute instructional assistant. Please note that summer is not included in the bona fide break in service. For example, if you retired in June and were a 10-month employee, you could return to substitute at FCPS in October. Apply online at the FCPS Instructional Talent Gateway

Questions?

Visit the FCPS Office of Substitute Employment. You can also contact them by calling 571-423-3030 (Choose Option #1) or by emailing substitute@fcps.edu.

For additional information, please consult FCPS Regulation 4311.11.

How Will Returning to Work at FCPS Affect My VRS Benefit?

Please visit the VRS website for information regarding the impact of returning to work on your VRS benefit.