Rediscover or Reinvent Your Passion with Silver Stars
Are you a retired older adult looking to stay active, continue making a difference, and apply your hard-earned skills? Welcome to Silver Stars, where your experience meets new opportunities. Our program connects retirees like you with exciting project-based temporary employment, allowing you to leverage your expertise while maintaining many of your benefits!
The Silver Stars Program offers retired older New Yorkers the opportunity to continue working on project-based or temporary assignments for agencies within the City of New York. Through Section 212 of the New York State’s Retirement and Social Security Law (RSSL), a retired City employee can earn up to $35,000 on a calendar basis (January through December) and continue to receive full pension benefits, health care insurance, and possibly Social Security benefits.
If you’re a retired older adult residing in NYC or in one of the approved counties, Silver Stars offers you the opportunity to phase into retirement by giving you the means to supplement your income while maintaining a productive, social, and vibrant lifestyle without the demands of full-time employment. Phased retirement also allows you to support organizational growth by sharing your knowledge and experience with those just beginning their careers.
To qualify for the program, you must meet the following requirements:
Age 55+
Resident of NYC or approved counties (Orange, Putnam, Suffolk, Nassau, Rockland, Westchester)
Currently unemployed
City retirees (municipal employees) must also:
Fully retired from NYC employment
Receiving a pension from a NYC retirement system
Have no remaining sick or vacation balance
Retirees receiving a disability pension are not eligible to participate in the program. Disability retirees are subject to Charter §1117 and to the applicable New York City Administrative Code/BERSs Rules pertaining to disability retirement safeguards.
No. Waivers for the Silver Stars Program is not permitted. Please consult with your NYC retirement system for guidelines.
No. You will not be rejoining the pension system and, therefore, will not be receiving pensionable credit. You will not be eligible to earn any additional pensionable credit of service.
You should consult with the Social Security Administration for assistance as there may be certain limitations on how much you can earn without impacting your benefits. If you are accepted into the Silver Stars Program, you may receive the following:
a monthly check from your City pension system;
a monthly Social Security benefit; and
City of New York paycheck (from the Silver Stars Program).
Yes. Employees working 20-hours a week or more and receiving a NYC paycheck are eligible to participate in the Deferred Compensation program.
Yes. Part-time employees working over 20 hours per week can apply for health insurance.
No. If you are currently receiving health insurance benefits, there will be no interruption to your retiree health coverage as long as you continue to receive a monthly pension check.
Yes, positions covered by the “Leave Regulations for Employees Who are Under the Career and Salary Plan” can accrue leave.
Your agency will compensate you for time worked according to applicable pay rates and Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) regulations. If overtime is earned, this will be counted toward the program salary cap of $35,000.
Yes, but it is contingent on the needs of the agency and subject to budgetary constraints.
Work hours are based on the business needs of the agency.
You will need to complete the typical hiring paperwork provided by your hiring agency. You will also be asked to sign a Release of Information/Acknowledgement Form. The form authorizes the hiring agency to share information about your placement with ReServe Inc. and the Department for the Aging (NYC Aging), the agencies responsible for managing you as a Silver Stars.
Yes, you will be subject to the City’s conflict of interest rules, which vary based on the length of the position and the number of hours worked. If the position is for six (6) months or less, it is considered part-time employment by the NYC Conflict of Interest Board (COIB), regardless of how many hours worked per week. Any position that is 19 hours or less per week is also considered part-time, regardless of the length of the position. In these cases, you will only need COIB and agency approval for dual employment if the company has dealings with the same agency you are working with as a Silver Stars. If the position is longer than six (6) months and 20 hours or more per week, the COIB considers you a full-time employee. If this is the case, you will need COIB and agency approval for dual employment if the company has dealings with any City agency.
Work hours are based on the business needs of the agency.
You can view the post-employment rules contained in Chapter 68 of the City Charter here. You are strongly recommended to contact COIB for additional guidance.
No. The waiting period only applies to former NYC employees communicating with their former City agency on behalf of a non-government entity within one year of leaving City service.
All applicable City rules and regulations govern the Silver Stars position.
If there is a gap of greater than one year between the participant’s retirement and their start with Silver Stars, they may need to pay a fee to have their fingerprints processed by the State Division of Criminal Justice Services and FBI.
You should provide at least two weeks written notification to your supervisor. In addition, you must contact your pension system to inform them that you are terminating your employment and complete any necessary documents as prescribed by the Retirement and Social Security law.
Yes, you can apply for a position at any agency looking to hire a Silver Stars participant.
We can place you in an NYC job related to transit, health, insurance, housing development, education, public safety, the arts, and more! Apply to become a Silver Stars at www.silverstars.reserveinc.org and we’ll place you in a job that best aligns with your interests and experience.
Apply to Become a Silver Stars Candidate Today!
Apply now and discover how Silver Stars can help you stay active and engaged. Visit https://silverstars.reserveinc.org to start your Silver Stars application today.
Have any questions about whether you're eligible to become a Silver Stars Candidate? Contact us at silverstars@reserveinc.org or 212-727-4335 and we’ll get back to you soon!
