Plan 2 membership definition
You are a member of Plan 2 if you were first hired into an “eligible position” with a “covered employer” on or after October 1, 1977.
For the purposes of this plan, “eligible position”
normally requires five or more months of 70 hours or more of compensated employment
in a 12-month period.* A “covered employer” is one that participates in PERS. Covered employers include:
- All departments, agencies, commissions,
boards and offices of the state of Washington.
- All Washington State counties and public school districts.
- Most cities, towns and public utility districts, and higher education public institutions.
- Many diking districts, fire districts, health districts, housing authorities, irrigation districts, library districts, park districts, port districts, reclamation districts, sewer districts, water districts, airports and other local government entities within the state.
* Eligible positions also include appointed judicial positions that meet these eligibility requirements. (For more information, see the Judicial Multiplier (JBM) Program.
Ineligible or optional membership
Some employees may satisfy the basic eligibility
criteria for membership but be ineligible for other reasons. If you belong to one of the following
job categories, contact PERS to determine
your eligibility.
You may be ineligible for membership if:
- You are a member or retiree from another public retirement system in Washington;
- You signed a student waiver during employment at an institution of higher education or community college;
- You work for an institution of higher education or community college and you belong to that institution’s retirement plan;
- You are providing professional services to an employer on a fee, retainer or contract
basis;
- You are an employee or elected or appointed
official of a first-class city that has its own retirement system (Seattle, Spokane, or Tacoma); or
- You are enrolled in a state-approved apprenticeship
program, and are employed by a local government to earn hours to complete the apprenticeship program.
Membership may be optional for you if:
- You are an employee of the Legislature;
- You are a current elected official or an official appointed by the Governor; or
- You are in an elected judicial position (for more information, see the Judicial Benefit Multiplier (JBM) Program; or
- You are the city manager or chief administrative
officer of a city, county, public utility, or port district who serves at the pleasure of an appointing authority. (You must apply for membership within 30 days of being appointed to the position.)
For more information, see the PERS Plan 2 Rules for State Elected Officials.
What if I’ve previously been a member of another retirement system?
Former members of SCERS
If you were formerly a member of the Statewide City Employees’ Retirement System (SCERS), you may establish service credit in PERS. Contact DRS for more information.
Dual Membership
If you establish membership in more than one retirement system, you may qualify as a dual member, even if your membership in another system has been terminated.
You qualify for dual membership if you meet all of the following criteria:
- You are currently a member of PERS, the Teachers’ Retirement System, the School Employees’ Retirement System, the Washington State Patrol Retirement System, Plan 2 of the Law Enforcement Officers’ and Fire Fighters’ Retirement System, or the City Retirement System of Seattle, Tacoma, or Spokane;
- You have not retired for service from any dual member system, or any other DRS-administered system; and
- You are not receiving disability retirement
or disability leave benefits from any dual member system, or any other DRS-administered retirement system.
