The following pages answer some of the more common questions employers have about membership and reporting requirements for LEOFF.
Q1. A Plan 1 member who is required to meet the minimum medical and health standards is hired as a full time fire fighter. How should this individual be reported?
A1. Report the individual in Plan 1 from the first day of employment. If the employee meets the minimum medical and health standards, you will continue reporting the employee in Plan 1. If the employee does not meet the standards, you will be notified by DRS to stop reporting the employee in Plan 1, enroll the employee in Plan 2, and begin reporting the employee in Plan 2 on the monthly transmittal. (See "Minimum Medical and Health Standards" for details.)
Q2. A law enforcement officer is hired into a full time, fully compensated position, but the position only lasts six months. Is this individual eligible for membership in LEOFF?
A2. Yes. There is no requirement in the LEOFF retirement system law that an employee's position has to continue a certain length of time for the employee to be eligible for membership. An individual establishes membership beginning from the first day of employment on a full time, fully compensated basis.
Q3. A person is hired as a full time, fully commissioned and fully compensated law enforcement officer, but the officer has not completed the training required by the Washington Criminal Justice Training Commission. When is this individual eligible for membership in LEOFF?
A3. From the first day of employment. There is no requirement that an individual must complete training before being employed on a full time, fully compensated and fully commissioned basis.
Q4. An individual is employed as a correctional officer at one of the state correctional institutions. Another individual is employed as a jailer at a county jail facility. Is either of these individuals eligible for membership in LEOFF?
A4. No. A correctional officer and a jailer do not meet the definition of a law enforcement officer and are not eligible for membership in LEOFF. Beginning July 1, 2006, these employees may be eligible for membership in the Public Safety Retirement System (PSERS) if these positions are full-time, and fully compensated.
Individuals working in less than full time positions, may be eligible for membership in PERS if they are employed in eligible positions for a PERS-covered employer. (See the section called "PERS Membership" for details.)
Q5. An individual is employed by a fire protection district in a half time position as a firefighter. Is this individual eligible for membership in LEOFF?
A5. No, employment must be full time and fully compensated. The individual may be eligible for membership in PERS if employed in an eligible position for a PERS-covered employer. (See "PERS Membership" for details.)
Q6. An individual is employed by a fire protection district in a half time position as a firefighter. He also works in a half time position for another fire district. Is this individual eligible for membership in LEOFF?
A6.No, the individual is not eligible. Employment from separate employers cannot be combined to meet the fulltime requirement. Only individuals who are full time and fully compensated for the same employer meet the eligibility requirements for LEOFF. The individual may be eligible for membership in PERS if employed in eligible positions for a PERS-covered employer. (See "PERS Membership" for details.)