State Retirement and Pension System - Deferred Vested Former Members - Return to Service

Pension rules for returning Maryland public workers

Beginning July 1, 2025, Maryland sets pension rules for qualifying former state police, correctional, and law enforcement retirement system members. Returning workers follow the same requirements as members on June 30, 2011, who remained members on July 1, 2011. They must have belonged to the relevant system on or before June 30, 2011, kept their contributions, and not retired. They must also meet one of three conditions: a break of 4 years or less; qualifying military service under the federal Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act, with return within 1 year after leaving military service; or enough service for a vested pension when they left. These rules apply to workers returning to jobs covered by the same system. However, the law's military-service route for former Law Enforcement Officers’ Pension System members specifies return to a Correctional Officers’ Retirement System job. The law does not set a pension amount or calculation formula.