The Public Safety Employees' Retirement System (PSERS) was created by the 2004 Legislature. It establishes a separate system for certain public employees whose jobs contain a high degree of physical risk to their own personal safety.
Members of Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) Plan 2 and Plan 3 that are employed by a PSERS employer on or before July 1, 2006, on a full-time basis, who meet at least one of the criteria listed below will have the option to become a member of PSERS.
To be eligible for PSERS, employees must meet at least one of the following criteria:
Yes. The 2006 Legislature amended the original PSERS legislation. The result is that as long as you are employed by a PSERS employer AND meet at least one of the criteria listed above, you are eligible to elect PSERS membership.
The following employers are included in PSERS:
The major difference between PERS and PSERS is that PSERS will provide full retirement benefits at age 65 with at least five years of service credit or at age 60 with 10 years of PSERS service. For those with at least 20 years of service, early retirement will be available at age 53, with a benefit reduction of three percent per year from age sixty.
No. PSERS is a new retirement system in addition to, but not in replacement of, LEOFF. While some employees in PSERS eligible positions may have similar job responsibilities as those covered by LEOFF, these are two separate retirement systems intended for two separate groups.
No. Only members of PERS Plan 2 or 3 who are employed by a PSERS employer in a PSERS position before July 1, 2006, or on or after July 22, 2007, if hired by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR), will have the option to join PSERS.
No. Only employees who are employed on a full-time basis by a PSERS employer are eligible for PSERS.
The following PSERS information is available through your employer or on the DRS Web site:
Additional PSERS information is available in the Retirement Outlook newsletter, and on this Web site. You may also contact DRS.
