Fewer California public employees retired last year after spike in 2020, CalPERS data show

Retirements slowed among California public employees last year, returning to pre-pandemic levels after a spike when the coronavirus pandemic hit in 2020.

About 34,500 public employees who receive CalPERS pensions retired in calendar year 2021, down 2% from the 2020 figure, according to data provided by the retirement system.

About 10,400 state employees retired last year, down 16.4% from the prior year, the data show.

The numbers for each category are similar to those in 2019.

In 2020, when the coronavirus arrived and Gov. Gavin Newsom and the Legislature cut state workers’ pay, exits increased. State workers retired at a rate 17% higher than in 2019, and all public employees retired at a rate of about 6.6% higher.

Newsom and the Legislature reversed the pay cuts in July 2021 and also gave most state employees two years’ worth of raises, worth about 2.5% per year.

Many office-based public employees have been able to telework at least part of the time since mid-2020. Others — including firefighters and those who work in law enforcement, public medical facilities, prisons and jails — have had to continue reporting to work through multiple coronavirus waves.

This story was originally published February 23, 2022 at 4:00 AM with the headline "Fewer California public employees retired last year after spike in 2020, CalPERS data show."