Many retired teachers or graduates who completed teacher training choose to work as paid teachers after retirement to earn extra income and stay involved with students. Naturally, a common question is whether such paid teaching affects their pension payments.
Can Retirees Work as Paid Teachers?
According to the Ministry of National Education’s regulations on administrators’ and teachers’ lesson and additional lesson hours, there is no legal barrier preventing retirees from working as paid teachers. If a school has a teacher shortage, retirees may be employed as paid teachers provided they do not exceed 30 hours per week. This regulation grants the right to paid teaching to retired teachers. In addition to former classroom teachers, graduates of relevant university departments who hold a teaching certification (formation) but have not previously worked as teachers may also work as paid teachers after retirement.
Retirees may serve as paid teachers in preschool, primary education, private education, and non-formal education institutions. Payment for paid teachers follows the same rules as for other paid teachers: compensation is based on the number of lessons taught. Teachers generally cannot demand a specific number of lessons beyond what the school requires; they are assigned to teach according to the institution’s needs.
Given this opportunity, many retirees wonder whether working as a paid teacher will lead to deductions from their pension.
How Can a Retiree Work as a Paid Teacher?
Pensioners are generally not eligible for open appointments to public institutions and organizations, and they cannot work in public entities where the public holds more than 50% of the capital. However, there are specific types of work retirees can undertake without affecting their pension, and paid teaching is one of these exceptions.
Those who have not exceeded the age limit set for paid teaching may be employed for lesson fees in all types and levels of formal and non-formal education institutions. The age limit does not apply to retirees who take paid assignments at universities. Retirees who work for payment are included within this scope as well.
No Deduction from Pension
Under the applicable provisions there is no legal impediment to retirees serving as paid teachers. Ministry of National Education rules permit this, and many retirees currently work as paid teachers. The Social Security Institution (SGK) has also clarified the matter: since paid teaching is a temporary, non-appointment-based assignment rather than a formal public appointment, SGK does not treat it as appointment to public service.
Paid teachers work under a contract agreed with the educational institution and are compensated for the number of lessons they teach. The same arrangement applies to retirees, so there is no deduction from the pension for performing paid teaching duties.
Because pension amounts are based on prior insured employment, paid teaching assignments do not increase the retiree’s pension. Paid teaching is considered an additional job and is recorded as such for the relevant periods. Retired paid teachers do not gain additional social security rights based on these temporary duties. Retirees who wish to apply for paid teacher positions can do so during recruitment periods through provincial directorates of national education or via the e‑Government portal.