Retirement (Classified Staff)

When am I eligible to retire?

You will need to check with the pension plan you are enrolled in.

What is the next thing I should do?

Go to New York City Employees' Retirement System (NYCERS) website or call 347.643.3000.

Confirm that you have met the eligibility requirements to retire.
Review your employment history.
Request a pension estimate of what your pension will be at the time of your projected retirement date.

I am now ready to retire. What do I need to do?

There are a few steps you need to do with different areas:

Human Resource Services

You must complete the Classified Terminal Leave form and return it to the timekeeper in the Office of Human Resources, 1219 Boylan Hall. The form can be found on our Thinking About Retiring page.

New York City Employees Retirement System

You must notify NYCERS of your intent to retire and file any applicable paperwork with NYCERS. NYCERS can be reached online or at 347.643.3000, or you can visit the Customer Service Center at 340 Jay Street in Brooklyn.

Union

You must notify your union of your intent to retire. The union will require you to complete paperwork. Depending on your union, you may be eligible for welfare fund benefits when you retire. If you are unsure of what union you belong to, contact the Office of Human Resources at 718.951.5377.

Social Security Administration

As required by the City of New York Health Benefits Program, in order for you to continue your retiree health insurance you must apply for Medicare Part A and Part B during your terminal leave with the Social Security Administration only if you and eligible dependents are age 65 or over.

You must apply for Social Security Retirement through the Social Security Administration during your terminal leave. There are several ways to do this:

Visit your nearest Social Security office.
Call Social Security Administration at 800.772.1213.
Go online.

Benefits Office

Two month prior to retirement date, you must do the following:

Submit a completed Health Benefits Application to the Benefits Office.
If you are enrolling in a Medicare HMO Plan, it is your responsibility to contact the plan and request an enrollment form.
Submit a signed copy of the Medicare Card with Part A and Part B only if you and eligible dependents are age 65 or over.
Submit a copy of the receipt from your pension plan indicating you have filed for retirement.

Will there be any delays in coverage from active to retiree status?

Yes. However, once the City of New York Office of Labor Relations Health Benefits Program processes the retiree health insurance application, it will be retroactive to the retirement date.

Will I get copies of the health forms?

Yes, Copies of the health forms will be mailed to your home address on file.

What if I have questions about my retiree health insurance?

You will need to contact the Office of Labor Relations Health Benefits Program at 212.513.0470.

What should I do if I move after I retire?

There are three areas that you will need to contact:

NYC Office of Labor Relations (OLR) Retiree Division. You will need to contact the NYC OLR at 212.513.0470, or you can write to them at the NYC Office of Labor Relations, Retiree Division, 3rd Floor, New York, NY 10006. Note you must include your pension number on all correspondence to the NYC OLR.
Your union and/or welfare fund
Your pension plan