Title 41, PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT, CIVIL SERVICE, AND PENSIONS

(1) A member of the retirement system who becomes totally incapacitated for continued employment by an employer as determined by the director shall be eligible to receive an allowance under the provisions of RCW * 41.26.410 through 41.26.550. Such member shall receive a monthly d…

Those members subject to this chapter who became disabled in the line of duty on or after July 1, 2002, 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 …

(1) A member in receipt of employer-authorized shared leave after June 10, 2010, shall receive the same treatment in respect to service credit and final average salary that the member would normally receive if using accrued annual leave or sick leave. (2) For purposes of this sec…

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, members shall be eligible for industrial insurance as provided by Title 51 RCW, as now or hereafter amended, and shall be included in the payroll of the employer for such purpose. [ 1977 ex.s. c 294 s 9.] Notes: Legislative direction an…

Any member or beneficiary eligible to receive a retirement allowance under the provisions of RCW 41.26.430, 41.26.470, or 41.26.510 shall be eligible to commence receiving a retirement allowance after having filed written application with the department. (1) Retirement allowances…

(1) Except under subsection (3) of this section, a retiree under the provisions of plan 2 shall not be eligible to receive such retiree's monthly retirement allowance if he or she is employed in an eligible position as defined in RCW 41.40.010, 41.32.010, 41.37.010, or 41.35.010,…

(1) Except as provided in RCW 11.07.010, if a member or a vested member who has not completed at least ten years of service dies, the amount of the accumulated contributions standing to such member's credit in the retirement system at the time of such member's death, less any amo…

(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 for under the provisions of RCW * 41.26.410 through 41.26.550. (2) A member who receives compensation from an employer while on an authorized leav…

(1) A member who separates or has separated after having completed at least five years of service may remain a member during the period of such member's absence from service for the exclusive purpose only of receiving a retirement allowance under the provisions of RCW 41.26.430 i…

(1)(a) A member who has completed less than ten years of service, who ceases to be an employee of an employer except by service or disability retirement, may request a refund of the member's accumulated contributions. (b) A member who has completed ten or more years of service, w…

(1) A member who provided service as an emergency medical technician to an employer may establish credit for such service rendered on or after July 24, 2005, and prior to July 23, 2017, unless that service is already credited. Upon receipt of a written request, the department of …

If a member who elected to transfer pursuant to RCW 41.26.545 dies or retires for disability prior to five years from their election date, the member's benefit is calculated as follows: (1) All of the applicable service credit, accumulated contributions, and interest is transferr…

(1) A member, who had left service and withdrawn the member's funds pursuant to RCW 41.26.540, shall receive service credit for such prior service if the member restores all withdrawn funds together with interest since the time of withdrawal as determined by the department. The r…

(1) Members who are retired on or before February 1, 2021, will receive a one-time lump sum defined benefit of $100 per service credit month payable by January 31, 2023. (a) Members who retired for an in the line of duty disability under RCW 41.26.470 shall receive the greater of…

(1) The governor is authorized to enter into state-tribal compacts for the participation of tribal general authority peace officers meeting the terms and conditions of this section in the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system plan 2. (2) The governor shall…

(1) A member who is employed as a law enforcement officer with the police department of the government of a federally recognized tribe on July 1, 2025, may establish credit for such service rendered prior to July 1, 2025, unless service is either already credited for those period…

(1) If an overpayment for a law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system plan 2 retiree was due to an employer erroneously reporting law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system plan 2 member information to the department, and the erroneous repor…

The law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system plan 2 is currently subject to policy making by the legislature's joint committee on pension policy with ratification by the members of the legislature and is administered by the department of retirement systems. M…

It is the intent of chapter 2, Laws of 2003 to: (1) Establish a board of trustees responsible for the adoption of actuarial standards to be applied to the plan; (2) Provide for additional benefits for firefighters and law enforcement officers subject to the cost limitations provi…

The definitions in this section apply throughout this subchapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise. (1) "Member" or "beneficiary" means: (a) Current and future law enforcement officers and firefighters who are contributing to the plan; (b) Retired employees or their n…

(1) An eleven member board of trustees is hereby created. (a) Before January 1, 2007, three of the board members shall be active law enforcement officers who are participants in the plan. Beginning with the first vacancy on or after January 1, 2007, two board members shall be act…

The legislative board members appointed under RCW 41.26.715 must include one member from the two largest political parties. The speaker of the house of representatives shall request a recommendation from the minority leader of the house of representatives if a member from the opp…

The law enforcement officers' and firefighters' plan 2 retirement board established in section 4, chapter 2, Laws of 2003 has the following duties and powers in addition to any other duties or powers authorized or required by law. The board: (1) Shall hire an executive director, …

(1) The board of trustees have the following powers and duties and shall: (a) Adopt actuarial tables, assumptions, and cost methodologies in consultation with an enrolled actuary retained by the board. The state actuary shall provide assistance when the board requests. The actuar…

(1) The board of trustees shall establish contributions as set forth in this section. The cost of the minimum benefits as defined in this plan shall be funded on the following ratio: Employee contributions 50% Employer contributions 30% State contributions 20% (2) The minimum ben…

The joint committee on pension policy established in *RCW 44.44.050, and the pension funding council created in RCW 41.45.100, shall have no applicability or authority over matters relating to this plan. [ 2003 c 2 s 7 (Initiative Measure No. 790, approved November 5, 2002).] Not…

(1) A law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system plan 2 expense fund is created within the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system plan 2 fund. (2) The state investment board has the full power to invest, reinvest, manage, contract, sell, …

Assets of the plan shall be managed by the state investment board as provided by law. [ 2003 c 2 s 8 (Initiative Measure No. 790, approved November 5, 2002).]

All expenses of the department and the office of the state actuary related to the implementation of chapter 2, Laws of 2003 shall be reimbursed from the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system expense fund under RCW 39.34.130. [ 2003 c 92 s 7.]

(1) Prior to May 13, 2019, this section required certain transfers to be made to the local public safety enhancement account. After May 13, 2019, except for the transfer in subsection (2) of this section, no further transfers will be made to the local public safety enhancement ac…

(1) The local law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system benefits improvement account (benefits account) is created within the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system plan 2 fund. (2) The funds in the benefits account shall not be included…

Except for section 11 of this act, the remainder of this act takes effect July 1, 2003. [ 2003 c 2 s 13 (Initiative Measure No. 790, approved November 5, 2002).]

This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, or safety, or support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and takes effect immediately [April 23, 2003]. [ 2003 c 92 s 12.]

This 1977 amendatory act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state government and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect October 1, 1977. [ 1977 ex.s. c 294 s 27.]

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 …

This chapter applies to members of the restated law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system. Membership in the system is limited to those persons who were members of plan 1 of the law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system under chapter 41.26 …

This chapter shall be known and cited as the "restated law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system act." [ 2026 c 261 s 302.] Notes: Effective date—2026 c 261: See note following RCW 41.26A.505.

As used in this chapter, unless a different meaning is plainly required by the context: (1) "Accumulated contributions" means the employee's contributions made by a member, including any amount paid under RCW 41.50.165(2), plus accrued interest credited thereon. (2) "Actuarial re…

The term "minimum medical and health standards" means minimum medical and health standards adopted by the department under this chapter. [ 2026 c 261 s 304.] Notes: Effective date—2026 c 261: See note following RCW 41.26A.505.

The restated law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system is hereby created for firefighters and law enforcement officers. (1) Notwithstanding RCW 41.26A.030(21), all firefighters and law enforcement officers employed as such on or after March 1, 1970, on a full …

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law after February 19, 1974, no law enforcement officer or firefighter, may become eligible for coverage in the pension system established by this chapter, until the individual has met and has been certified as having met minimum medical…

By July 31, 1971, the director of retirement systems shall adopt minimum medical and health standards for membership coverage into the Washington law enforcement officers' and firefighters' retirement system. In adopting such standards the director of retirement systems shall con…

Nothing in RCW 41.26A.035, 41.26A.045, and 41.26A.046 shall apply to any firefighters or law enforcement officers who are employed as such on or before August 1, 1971, as long as they continue in such employment; nor to promotional appointments after becoming a member in the poli…

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

(1) Subject to subsections (2) and (3) of this section, the right of a person to a retirement allowance, disability allowance, or death benefit, to the return of accumulated contributions, the retirement, disability, or death allowance itself, any optional benefit, any other righ…

No bond of any kind shall be required of a claimant appealing to the superior court, the court of appeals, or the supreme court from a decision of the director affecting such claimant's right to retirement or disability benefits. [ 2026 c 261 s 311.] Notes: Effective date—2026 c …