Title 41 — Title 41 PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT, CIVIL SERVICE, AND PENSIONS

RCW 41.32.010 through 41.32.067 shall apply to members of plan 1, plan 2, and plan 3.[ 1995 c 239 s 101; 1992 c 72 s 4; 1991 c 35 s 30; 1990 c 274 s 16. Prior: 1989 c 273 s 15; 1989 c 272 s 4; 1977 ex.s. c 293 s 19.]Notes:Effective date—1995 c 239: "This act shall take effect Jul…

As used in this chapter, unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context:(1)(a) "Accumulated contributions" for plan 1 members, means the sum of all regular annuity contributions and, except for the purpose of withdrawal at the time of retirement, any amount paid un…

For the purposes of this chapter, the terms spouse, marriage, marital, husband, wife, widow, widower, next of kin, and family shall be interpreted as applying equally to state registered domestic partnerships or individuals in state registered domestic partnerships as well as to …

Substitute teachers may apply to the department to receive service credit or credit for earnable compensation or both after the end of the last day of instruction of the school year during which the service was performed.(1) The application must:(a) Include a list of the employer…

The name of the retirement system provided for in this chapter shall be the "Washington State Teachers' Retirement System" and by this name all of its business shall be transacted and all of its funds invested and all of its cash, securities and other property held.[ 1947 c 80 s …

The department is empowered within the limits of this chapter and, with regard to restoration of service credit under RCW 41.50.165(2), to decide on all questions of eligibility covering membership, service credit, and benefits.[ 1994 c 197 s 13; 1991 c 35 s 35; 1955 c 274 s 3; 1…

(1) Any teacher, as defined under RCW 41.32.010, who is first employed by a public school on or after June 7, 1984, shall become a member of the retirement system if otherwise eligible.(2) Any person who before June 7, 1984, has established service credit under chapter 41.40 RCW …

This section designates charter schools established under chapter 28A.710 RCW as employers and charter school employees as members, and applies only if the department of retirement systems receives determinations from the internal revenue service and the United States department …

The amount paid by each employer shall be computed by applying the rates established under chapter 41.45 RCW to the total earnable compensation of the employer's members as shown on the current payrolls of the employer. The employer's contribution shall be paid at the end of each…

The deductions from salaries of members of the retirement system for their contributions to the system are not considered diminution of pay and every member is conclusively presumed to consent thereto as a condition of employment. All contributions to the member reserve shall be …

A retired teacher upon returning to service in the public schools of Washington may elect to again become a member of the retirement system: PROVIDED, That if such a retired teacher elects to be restored to membership he or she must establish two full years of service credit befo…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 6346-S.SL) ***(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3) of this section, the right of a person to a pension, an annuity, a retirement allowance, or disability allowance, to the return of contributions, any optional benefit or death benefit, any other righ…

(1) A one hundred fifty thousand dollar death benefit shall be paid to the member's estate, or such person or persons, trust or organization as the member has nominated by written designation duly executed and filed with the department. If no such designated person or persons are…

A member shall not receive a disability retirement benefit under RCW 41.32.540, 41.32.550, 41.32.790, or 41.32.880 if the disability is the result of criminal conduct by the member committed after April 21, 1997.[ 1997 c 103 s 2.]Notes:Severability—Effective date—1997 c 103: See …

(1) Any person who shall knowingly make false statements or shall falsify or permit to be falsified any record or records of the retirement system, except under subsection (2) of this section, in any attempt to defraud such system as a result of such act, is guilty of a class B f…

RCW 43.01.044 shall not result in any increase in retirement benefits. The rights extended to state officers and employees under RCW 43.01.044 are not intended to and shall not have any effect on retirement benefits under this chapter.[ 1983 c 283 s 3. Formerly RCW 41.32.850.]

(1) The annual compensation taken into account in calculating retiree benefits under this system shall not exceed the limits imposed by section 401(a)(17) of the federal internal revenue code for qualified trusts.(2) The department shall adopt rules as necessary to implement this…

Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, persons who fail to:(1) Establish allowable membership service not previously credited;(2) Restore all or a part of that previously credited membership service represented by withdrawn contributions; or(3) Restore service credit repr…

Those members subject to this chapter who became disabled in the line of duty and who received or are receiving benefits under Title 51 RCW or a similar federal workers' compensation program shall receive or continue to receive service credit subject to the following:(1) No membe…

A member who has not purchased service credit under the provisions of RCW 41.32.813 or 41.32.868 may elect under this section to apply service credit earned in an out-of-state retirement system that covers teachers in public schools solely for the purpose of determining the time …

(1) A member eligible to retire under RCW 41.32.480, 41.32.765, or 41.32.875 may, at the time of filing a written application for retirement with the department, apply to the department to make a one-time purchase of up to five years of additional service credit.(2) To purchase a…

A member may purchase additional benefits subject to the following:(1) The member shall pay all reasonable administrative and clerical costs; and(2) The member shall make a member reserve contribution to be actuarially converted to a monthly benefit at the time of retirement.[ 19…

RCW 41.32.240 through * 41.32.575 shall apply only to members of plan 1.[ 1992 c 72 s 5; 1991 c 35 s 103.]Notes:*Reviser's note: RCW 41.32.575 was repealed by 1995 c 345 s 11.Intent—1991 c 35: See note following RCW 41.26.005.

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2632.SL) ***(1) All teachers employed full time in the public schools shall be members of the system except alien teachers who have been granted a temporary permit to teach as exchange teachers.(2) A minimum of ninety days or the equivalent of ninety d…

Any member whose public school service is interrupted by active service to the United States as a member of its uniformed services, or to the state of Washington, as a member of the legislature, may upon becoming reemployed in the public schools, receive credit for that service u…

A member of the retirement system who is a member of the state legislature or a state official eligible for the combined pension and annuity provided by RCW 41.32.497, or 41.32.498, as now or hereafter amended shall have deductions taken from his or her salary in the amount of se…

(1) A member who is on a paid leave of absence authorized by a member's employer shall continue to receive service credit as provided under the provisions of RCW 41.32.240 through * 41.32.575.(2) A member who receives compensation from an employer while on an authorized leave of …

Service rendered for four-fifths or more of the official school year of the school district or institution in which a teacher is employed shall be credited as a year's service regardless of the length of the school term, but in no case shall more than one year of service be credi…

(1) Henceforth a total of not more than four years of service outside of the state shall be credited to a member who establishes or reestablishes credit for out-of-state public school employment in this state subsequent to July 1, 1961. Foreign public school teaching service shal…

(1) Any member desiring to establish credit for services previously rendered, must present proof and make the necessary payments on or before June 30 of the fifth school year of membership. Payments covering all types of membership service credit must be made in a lump sum when d…

The department may allow credit for professional preparation to a member for attendance at institutions of higher learning, or for a scholarship or grant under an established foundation, subsequent to becoming a public school teacher; but not more than two years of such credit ma…

Creditable service of a member at retirement shall consist of the membership service rendered for which credit has been allowed, and also, if a prior service certificate is in full force and effect, the amount of the service certified on the prior service certificate. No pension …

(1) Subject to the limitations contained in this section, for the purposes of RCW 41.32.010(14)(a)(iv), earnable compensation means the compensation the member would have received in the same position if employed on a regular full-time basis for the same contract period.(2) In or…

A member may make an additional lump sum payment at date of retirement, not to exceed the member's accumulated contributions, to purchase additional annuity. A contribution of six percent of earnable compensation is required from each member, except as provided under RCW 41.32.01…

There shall be placed in the pension reserve all appropriations made by the legislature for the purpose of paying pensions and survivors' benefits and of establishing and maintaining an actuarial reserve and all gifts and bequests to the pension reserve, and contributions of pers…

At least twenty percent of the total amount due for prior service credit must be paid before an application for credit may be presented to the department for approval. The balance is not due until date of retirement and may be paid at that time without additional charge. Any unpa…

A member who is not a dual member under RCW 41.54.010 must have established or reestablished with the retirement system at least five years of credit for public school service in this state to be entitled to a retirement allowance.[ 1994 c 298 s 4; 1965 ex.s. c 81 s 4; 1963 ex.s.…

(1) Any member who separates from service after having completed thirty years of creditable service may retire upon the approval by the department of an application for retirement filed on the prescribed form. Upon retirement the member shall receive a retirement allowance consis…

(1) Beginning July 1, 2009, the annual increase amount as defined in RCW 41.32.010(4) shall be increased by an amount equal to $0.40 per month per year of service minus the 2008 gain-sharing increase amount under *RCW 41.31.010 as it exists on July 22, 2007. This adjustment shall…

(1) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, effective July 1, 1989, as a cost-of-living adjustment, no beneficiary receiving a retirement allowance pursuant to this chapter shall receive, as the pension portion of that retirement allowance, less than fourteen dollar…

(1) No one who becomes a beneficiary after June 30, 1995, shall receive a monthly retirement allowance of less than twenty-four dollars and twenty-two cents times the number of years of service creditable to the person whose service is the basis of such retirement allowance.(2) I…

(1) The amount of the July 1, 1993, increase to the retirement allowance of beneficiaries under this chapter as a result of the temporary adjustment authorized by section 2, chapter 519, Laws of 1993, shall be made a permanent adjustment on July 1, 1995.(2) Beneficiaries receivin…

(1) Beginning July 1, 1995, and annually thereafter through July 1, 2010, the retirement allowance of a person meeting the requirements of this section shall be increased by the annual increase amount.(a) After July 1, 2010, those currently receiving benefits under this section w…

(1) The benefits provided under subsection (2) of this section shall be available only to former members who have reached age sixty-five or are disabled for further public school service and are not receiving federal old age, survivors or disability benefit payments (social secur…

Notwithstanding any other provision of RCW 41.32.010, 41.32.260, 41.32.497, 41.32.498 and this section, when the salary of any member as a member of the legislature is increased beyond the amount provided for in Initiative Measure No. 282 then earnable compensation for the purpos…

Any person who became a member on or before April 25, 1973 and who qualifies for a retirement allowance shall, at time of retirement, make an irrevocable election to receive either the retirement allowance by RCW 41.32.498 as now or hereafter amended or to receive a retirement al…

Any person who becomes a member subsequent to April 25, 1973 or who has made the election, provided by RCW 41.32.497, to receive the benefit provided by this section, shall receive a retirement allowance consisting of:(1) An annuity which shall be the actuarial equivalent of his …

A member may make the irrevocable election under this section no later than six months after attaining thirty years of service. The election shall become effective at the beginning of the calendar month following department receipt of employee notification.(1) The sum of member c…

The dollar amount of the temporary postretirement allowance adjustment granted by section 1, chapter 519, Laws of 1993 shall be provided as a permanent retirement allowance adjustment as of July 1, 1995.[ 1994 c 247 s 1.]Notes:Effective date—1994 c 247: "This act shall take effec…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 5862-S.SL) ***(1) Beneficiaries who are receiving a monthly benefit from the teachers' retirement system plan 1 on July 1, 2017, shall receive, effective July 1, 2018, an increase to their monthly benefit of one and one-half percent multiplied by the b…