CALPERS crackdown on retired annuitant is a positive move for Humboldt County

I have written before about the number of retired annitants employed by Humboldt Superior Court and the Humboldt County District Attorney's Office. In some cases, despite the double dipping, there is a benefit to having such employees. There are some good employees that HCSO and the DA's office are availing themselves of and others not worth mentioning.

The retired annuitants do not need the money as someone who needs their first or only job. Just learned of someone who is no longer in the Humboldt DA's office within the last month.

The California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS) began a renewed crackdown on retired annuitant rules in 2025, emphasizing strict enforcement of existing regulations.

In June 2025, CalPERS issued Circular Letter No. 200-021-25 to remind public agencies of their strict compliance obligations under the Public Employees' Retirement Law (PERL) and the Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 (PEPRA). The letter was a response to increased auditing and scrutiny of how retired annuitants are appointed and employed. 

Key enforcement areas highlighted in the crackdown include:

960-hour annual limit: Retired annuitants cannot work more than 960 hours per fiscal year for any CalPERS-covered employer. This applies even if the retiree works for multiple employers. Some temporary exceptions may be granted during a declared state of emergency, such as the one in Los Angeles and Ventura counties in May 2025.

Hourly pay rate: Retired annuitants must be paid an hourly rate that is no less than the minimum and no more than the maximum hourly rate for comparable active employees. They cannot receive any additional benefits or compensation in lieu of benefits.

Bona fide separation: A retiree's appointment as a retired annuitant cannot be a continuation of their pre-retirement employment. In most cases, a retiree must observe a 180-day wait period before returning to work for the same or another CalPERS employer.

Interim appointments: Public agencies must conduct open recruitment for a permanent hire before placing a retired annuitant in a vacant position on an interim basis. Failure to do so can result in the retiree being reinstated.