Updated October 21, 2026. Quick answer: The New Hampshire Retirement System limits how many hours a retiree may work part-time for an NHRS-participating employer. NHRS says the maximum is 1,352 hours a calendar year, or 1,664 hours for a retiree already working part-time for a participating employer on January 1, 2019, and a new retiree cannot work part-time for one for the first 28 days. Going over the limit costs the state annuity portion of the pension for 12 months.
What this covers
NHRS has a Working After Retirement page and a longer FAQ on part-time employment of retirees. The FAQ opens with “Below are answers to some frequently asked questions (FAQ) concerning the statutes governing part-time, post-retirement employment of retired members of the New Hampshire Retirement System”. This page follows both documents and quotes them.
For the wider set of NHRS choices, see New Hampshire NHRS retirement decisions and public pension retirement decisions.
Who it applies to
The FAQ says the law affects “Anyone who retired from an NHRS-participating employer, receives a pension benefit from NHRS, and works part time for an NHRS-participating employer” with limited exceptions outlined in statute. It does not apply to a beneficiary: “The part-time definition only applies to actual retirees, not beneficiaries.”
The rules, one by one
Each right-hand cell is a sentence from NHRS’s Working After Retirement page or its part-time FAQ.
| Situation | What NHRS says |
|---|---|
| A job with a non-NHRS employer | “There is no limit on how many hours an NHRS retiree can work for an employer that does not participate in the retirement system.” |
| A non-NHRS-covered position | “any compensation they earn from employment in a position that is not an NHRS-covered position will not affect their pension.” |
| Part-time for an NHRS employer | “The law limits NHRS retirees who begin working part-time for retirement system-participating employers after January 1, 2019, to a maximum of 1,352 hours worked per calendar year.” Section 100-A:1, XXXIV defines part-time employment of a retired member “excepting per diem court security officers and court bailiffs, and the assistant director for safety and security of the judicial branch” as outside that limit. |
| Already working on January 1, 2019 | “may work a maximum of 1,664 hours per calendar year for as long as they remain in at least one of the position(s) they held on that date.” |
| Full-time, NHRS-covered | “they will be restored to NHRS active service.” |
| The first weeks after retiring | “A new retiree cannot work in any part-time capacity, for any NHRS-participating employer, until at least 28 days from his or her effective date of retirement, which is always the first of a month.” |
| Waiving the 28 days | “NHRS does not have the authority to waive the 28-day rule for any reason.” |
| What counts as an hour | “Only actual hours worked are counted.” |
| Several employers | “Hours worked for multiple participating employers are combined when determining if a retiree has worked more than the permitted hours.” |
| Disability pensions | “Disability retirees should contact NHRS before accepting any employment to learn more about gainful occupation offsets.” |
The penalty
The FAQ words the penalty as “A retiree who exceeds the maximum permitted hours will forfeit the state annuity portion of his or her retirement allowance, and any allocable cost-of-living adjustments, with the forfeiture commencing as soon as administratively feasible in the next calendar year and continuing for 12 months.”
NHRS adds “On average, the state annuity portion provides about half of a pension benefit, although it can be more or less for specific individuals.” It also says “It is incumbent upon the retiree to carefully monitor his or her hours worked.” and “Employers are responsible for maintaining a record of hours worked by NHRS retirees but are not required to notify a retiree if he or she is at or near the maximum permitted hours.”
Grandfathering, volunteering and emergencies
The 1,664-hour limit is tied to the specific position: “The “grandfathering” provision only applies to the specific position for the specific employer the retiree was working in when the law took effect, as reported to NHRS by the employer.”
On volunteering the FAQ says “if a retiree wishes to volunteer with an NHRS employer for which the retiree also works, the volunteer hours could count toward the maximum annual limit.” On emergencies it says “The annual limitations on part-time employment exclude any hours worked during an emergency”, with the definition in the statute. Read the FAQ’s own wording before relying on any of these.
Going back full-time
A full-time return is a different rule from the part-time limit. The FAQ says “RSA 100-A:7 requires that the retiree’s pension payments cease and the retiree is re-enrolled as an active, contributing member” when the retiree takes a full-time, permanent position for which membership is mandatory. It adds “A retiree returning to active NHRS membership will have his or her future pension benefit re-calculated under the same formula used to calculate the original retirement benefit.”
What to do and where to look
NHRS tells retirees to “contact NHRS to become fully aware of any possible impact on their pension before accepting any employment with an NHRS-participating employer”. The FAQ page carries the notice “IMPORTANT NOTICE: This page is currently being updated.” and gives “[email protected]” for the most current information. The state tax treatment of the pension itself is on whether New Hampshire taxes pensions.
Edition
This page reads the NHRS web pages cited under Sources, as NHRS served them on 2026-10-21. Check the current page and your own membership group and tier on your NHRS account; NHRS’s text controls over this summary.
Common mistakes
- Treating any part-time job as free of limits. The limit applies to “part-time, post-retirement employment of retired members” by NHRS-participating employers only.
- Counting only one employer’s hours. NHRS says “The hourly limits are per retiree, not per employer.”
- Assuming the 28 days can be waived for an existing part-time job. NHRS says “The separation requirement commences on your effective date of retirement and the law does not provide a separation waiver for an existing part-time position.”
Related: New Hampshire NHRS retirement decisions, public pension retirement decisions, and whether New Hampshire taxes pensions.
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Answer againSources
- New Hampshire Retirement System (NHRS), Working After Retirement: www.nhrs.org
- New Hampshire Retirement System (NHRS), FAQ: Part-time Employment of NHRS Retirees (effective 1/1/19): www.nhrs.org
- Related official page (not quoted): New Hampshire RSA 100-A:7, Working After Retirement; Exceeding Part-Time Hourly Limit: gc.nh.gov
- Related official page (not quoted): New Hampshire RSA 100-A:7-b, Certain Part-Time Employment; Emergency Exception: gc.nh.gov
Read from the pension system handbooks linked above on October 21, 2026. General information, not tax advice. Your own facts decide the outcome, and a pension system or a qualified professional is the right place to confirm anything consequential.