PSERS was created for certain public employees whose jobs contain a high degree of physical risk to their own personal safety and who provide public protection of lives and property. This section outlines current rules for membership in the Public Safety Employees' Retirement System (PSERS) Plan 2. If you have questions about these rules, please contact Employer Support Services (ESS).
The Employer Determines Eligibility
The employer is responsible for the determination of the employee's eligibility for membership. In making your eligibility determination, use the rules below and verify your decisions on the PSERS Eligibility Worksheet. For additional assistance, refer to Definitions and Questions and Answers.
Who Is Eligible for PSERS Membership?
To be eligible for PSERS, the individual must meet all four of the following requirements:
Note: PERS Plan 1 members do not have the option to join. TRS Plan 1 members do not have the option to join unless employed by a nonTRS employer.
PSERS Plan 2 Begins July 1, 2006
Employees Hired Full-time into PSERS Positions on or after July 1, 2006
Are mandated into PSERS.
Currently Employed Eligible PERS Plan 2 or Plan 3 Members Working in PSERS Positions
Have the option to join PSERS during the election period of July 1, 2006 through September 30, 2006 or to remain in PERS.
If they don't elect PSERS membership during this election period, they will remain in PERS as long as they remain employed with their employer. Promotions, demotions, or lateral moves for the same employer do not affect membership. However, if these existing PERS members change employers, they are mandated into PSERS if hired into a PSERS eligible position.
Note: If a member of the Department of Corrections changes prisons, this does not constitute a change of employers.
The Person Must Meet at Least One of the Four Member Criteria
When evaluating whether a person meets the member criteria below, only one of the four criteria must be met. However, the person must be authorized to complete all items listed in that criteria. For example, if you evaluate a person under member criteria #1, if the person is not authorized to carry a firearm, then the person does not meet the criteria.
Completion of a certified criminal justice training course with authority to arrest, conduct criminal investigations, enforce the criminal laws of Washington, and carry a firearm as part of the job,
or
Primary responsibility is to ensure the custody and security of incarcerated or probationary individuals,
or
Full time - means regularly scheduled to provide at least 160 hours of compensated service each calendar month.
Note: An employee does not have to work 160 hours during a given month to be considered full time during that month, provided that the person is regularly scheduled to work 160 hours each month.
An employee serving on a less than full time basis is not permitted to enter PSERS membership. The individual may be eligible for membership in PERS, provided the employer participates in PERS and the individual is employed in an eligible PERS position. (See PERS Plan Rules for details.)
PSERS Membership Available Only to Persons Working in PSERS Positions
If a PSERS member takes a job that isn’t PSERS eligible, whether for the same or different employer, PSERS membership stops and the member may be required to establish membership in the retirement system applicable to the new job. If the member returns to a PSERS position, the member will be mandated back into PSERS membership.
For example, a county Corrections Officer was a PERS Plan 2 member and chose PSERS during the election window. Then he takes a job as an auditor and enters PERS membership. Later, the person returns to his Correction Officer position and is mandated back into PSERS membership.
PSERS Has No Concurrent Employment with PERS
If an employee is hired into a PSERS position while working simultaneously in a PERS position, the PERS service is no longer reported. If the employee is working for:
Use the same eligibility criteria for retiree and active member positions. All retirees who return to work must be reported on the transmittal report.
If a retiree chooses to reenter membership, the retiree must contact DRS. Do not report the retiree as an active member until you are notified by DRS to do so.
A PSERS member who has retired on disability may be required to reenter membership if returning to work at a job with a salary comparable to the salary earned before the disability. If hiring a PSERS disability retiree, notify Member Retirement Services.
