Back to work after West Virginia TRS: 60 days, then 140

The 60-day separation (SB 712)

Anyone retiring effective August 1, 2025 or later must completely end any employment relationship (permanent, part-time, substitute, per diem, temporary, coach, or leased) with every West Virginia TRS participating employer for at least 60 consecutive days from the effective retirement date, with no prearranged agreement to return; a retiree may not apply for or discuss re-employment during the 60 days. Otherwise the retirement is voided and all annuity payments must be repaid. W. Va. Code §18-7A-3 ('Bona fide separation from service upon retirement'); §18-7A-13a(f); CPRB SB 712 notice (2025), p. 1; CPRB form WVTF0255 (June 15, 2026), p. 1

Our engine, counting your retirement date as day 1. Check with CPRB

The 140-day limit

A retiree may work for a West Virginia TRS participating employer as a substitute, temporary, coach, per diem or part-time employee (other than as a college teacher, and not as a permanent or regular employee) for no more than a 140-day contract per fiscal year without losing benefits. Above 140 days (one or several employers), the benefit is reduced by the 'prior service allowance' (different for every retiree) for each month an excess day is worked, for the rest of the fiscal year. Each paid day counts as a day; substitute teaching days = hours worked / a full-time teacher's standard hours per day. 162 CSR 4 §§ 6.2, 6.2.3, pp. 7-8; W. Va. Code §18-7A-38; CPRB form WVTF0255 (June 15, 2026), p. 1, Section 2; West Virginia TRS Tier I brochure (2023), p. 2, Working After Retirement

For example, 455 hours of substitute teaching at 6.5 standard hours a day counts as 70 days. Working day 141 in a fiscal year goes over the limit. 162 CSR 4 §§ 6.2, 6.2.3, pp. 7-8; W. Va. Code §18-7A-38; CPRB form WVTF0255 (June 15, 2026), p. 1, Section 2; West Virginia TRS Tier I brochure (2023), p. 2, Working After Retirement

• If you retire on or after August 1, 2025, you must have no work of any kind with a West Virginia TRS employer for at least 60 consecutive days after your retirement date, and no prearranged agreement to return. Don't even discuss re-employment during those 60 days. Breaking this voids your retirement and you must repay every payment.W. Va. Code §18-7A-3, -13a(f); CPRB SB 712 notice (2025); CPRB form WVTF0255 (June 15, 2026), p. 1
• After that, you can work as a substitute, temporary, part-time or per diem employee or coach for up to 140 days a fiscal year without losing benefits. Above 140 days, your benefit is reduced for each month you work an extra day, for the rest of the fiscal year.162 CSR 4 § 6.2, p. 7; CPRB form WVTF0255 (June 15, 2026), p. 1; W. Va. Code §18-7A-38
• For substitute teaching, days are counted as total hours worked divided by a full-time teacher's standard hours per day.W. Va. Code §18-7A-38(c)
• Retired teachers can work as critical-need substitutes for unlimited days if the county has a State Board-approved critical need policy and no non-retired certified substitute is available.W. Va. Code §18A-2-3(d); CPRB form WVTF0015 (Nov. 3, 2025)
• You can teach college courses on a non-contract basis for under 7 credit hours a semester without losing benefits.162 CSR 4 § 6.2.1, p. 7; West Virginia TRS Tier I brochure (2023), p. 2

Your retirement date is the first of a month (see retirement ages). Before you plan to substitute, weigh whether one more year of full-time work pays more.

Full-time jobs

A retiree regularly employed full time (a contract of 200 days or more) with a West Virginia TRS employer has the benefit reduced by the prior service allowance from the month that employment starts until the month after it ends. CPRB form WVTF0255 (June 15, 2026), p. 2; W. Va. Code §18-7A-13a(b)

Critical-need substitutes

A retired teacher may work as a critical-needs substitute teacher for an unlimited number of days in a fiscal year without affecting the monthly benefit if the county board has a State Board-approved critical need and shortage policy (renewed each year), no non-retired certified substitute is available, and the superintendent's affidavit (CPRB form WVTF0015) is approved before the retiree works beyond the limit. Speech pathologists, school nurses and counselors count as teachers. A retiree who retires and starts critical-needs substitute work in the same fiscal year loses the part of the benefit attributed to the annuity reserve for that period; filling a vacant position without loss requires retirement before the July 1 preceding that fiscal year. A similar affidavit exists for critical-need substitute bus operators (WVTF0016). W. Va. Code §18A-2-3(d); CPRB form WVTF0015 (Nov. 3, 2025), pp. 1-2; CPRB Retirees web page

Reporting

The employer must report a retiree's employment to CPRB immediately; WVTF0255 must be completed each year for the 140-day option. CPRB form WVTF0255 (June 15, 2026), p. 1; W. Va. Code §18-7A-13a(g); 162 CSR 4 § 6.2.2, p. 8

The calculator shows your own first day back.

Questions