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

(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…

Membership in the retirement system is terminated when a member retires for service or disability, dies, or withdraws his or her accumulated contributions.The prior service certificate becomes void when a member dies or withdraws the accumulated contributions, and any prior admin…

(1) Should a member cease to be employed by an employer and request upon a form provided by the department a refund of the member's accumulated contributions with interest, this amount shall be paid to the individual less any withdrawal fee which may be assessed by the director w…

(1) Except as specified in subsection (3) of this section, upon receipt of proper proofs of death of any member before retirement or before the first installment of his or her retirement allowance shall become due his or her accumulated contributions, less any amount identified a…

(1) The department shall pay a death benefit of six hundred dollars to a member's estate or to the persons, trust, or organization the member nominates by written designation duly executed and filed with the department or to the persons as may otherwise qualify as the beneficiary…

Upon receipt of proper proof of death of a member who does not qualify for the death benefit of six hundred dollars under RCW 41.32.522, or a former member who was retired for age, service, or disability, a death benefit of four hundred dollars shall be paid to the member's estat…

(1) Upon an application for retirement for service under RCW 41.32.480 or retirement for disability under RCW 41.32.550, approved by the department, every member shall receive the maximum retirement allowance available to him or her throughout life unless prior to the time the fi…

Upon application of a member in service or of his or her employer or of his or her legal guardian or of the legal representative of a deceased member who was eligible to apply for a temporary disability allowance based on the final illness a member shall be granted a temporary di…

(1) Should the director determine from the report of the medical director that a member employed under an annual contract with an employer has become permanently disabled for the performance of his or her duties or at any time while a member is receiving temporary disability bene…

Persons who were under an annual half-time contract with an employer anytime during the period of September 1, 1986, through August 31, 1987, shall be eligible for benefits provided by RCW 41.32.550, as amended by chapter 365, Laws of 1991, effective beginning the month following…

(1)(a) If a retiree enters employment with an employer sooner than one calendar month after his or her accrual date, the retiree's monthly retirement allowance will be reduced by five and one-half percent for every seven hours worked during that month. This reduction will be appl…

Beginning January 1, 2007, any newly elected or appointed supreme court justice, court of appeals judge, or superior court judge, who is a member of plan 1, shall not participate in the judicial retirement account plan under chapter 2.14 RCW in lieu of prospective contribution an…

(1) Between January 1, 2007, and December 31, 2007, a member of plan 1 employed as a supreme court justice, court of appeals judge, or superior court judge may make a one-time irrevocable election, filed in writing with the member's employer, the department, and the administrativ…

(1) In lieu of the retirement allowance provided under RCW 41.32.498, the retirement allowance payable for service as a supreme court justice, court of appeals judge, or superior court judge, for those justices or judges who elected to participate under RCW 41.32.584(1), shall be…

RCW 41.32.760 through 41.32.825 shall apply only to plan 2 members.[ 1992 c 72 s 7; 1977 ex.s. c 293 s 2.]Notes:Effective date—1977 ex.s. c 293: "This 1977 amendatory act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public peace, health, and safety, the support of the state…

A member of the retirement system shall receive a retirement allowance equal to two percent of such member's average final compensation for each year of service.[ 1977 ex.s. c 293 s 3.]Notes:Effective date—Severability—Legislative direction and placement—Section headings—1977 ex.…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2124.SL) ***(1) On or after June 10, 1982, the director may pay a beneficiary, subject to the provisions of subsection (5) of this section, a lump sum payment in lieu of a monthly benefit if the initial monthly benefit computed in accordance with RCW 4…

(1) NORMAL RETIREMENT. Any member with at least five service credit years of service who has attained at least age sixty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.760.(2) EARLY RETIREMENT. Any member w…

(1) Upon application of the member, a member who is diagnosed with a terminal illness shall be removed from the system subject to the following conditions:(a) That the medical adviser, after a medical examination of the member made by or under the direction of the medical adviser…

Beginning July 1, 1979, and every year thereafter, the department shall determine the following information for each retired member or beneficiary whose retirement allowance has been in effect for at least one year:(1) The original dollar amount of the retirement allowance;(2) Th…

All teachers who become employed by an employer in an eligible position on or after October 1, 1977, shall be members of the retirement system and shall be governed by the provisions of RCW 41.32.755 through 41.32.825.[ 1991 c 35 s 67; 1990 c 274 s 15; 1979 ex.s. c 45 s 5; 1977 e…

(1) Upon retirement for service as prescribed in RCW 41.32.765 or retirement for disability under RCW 41.32.790, a member shall elect to have the retirement allowance paid pursuant to the following options, calculated so as to be actuarially equivalent to each other.(a) Standard …

(1) A member of the retirement system who becomes totally incapacitated for continued employment by an employer as determined by the department upon recommendation of the department shall be eligible to receive an allowance under the provisions of RCW 41.32.755 through 41.32.825.…

Any member or beneficiary eligible to receive a retirement allowance under the provisions of RCW 41.32.765, 41.32.790, or 41.32.805 shall be eligible to commence receiving a retirement allowance after having filed written application with the department.(1) Retirement allowances …

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2034-S2.SL) ***(1) Except as provided in RCW 41.32.802, no retiree under the provisions of plan 2 shall 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.…

*** CHANGE IN 2026 *** (SEE 2034-S2.SL) ***(1)(a) If a retiree enters employment with an employer sooner than one calendar month after his or her accrual date, the retiree's monthly retirement allowance will be reduced by five and one-half percent for every seven hours worked dur…

(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, less any amount identified as owing to an oblig…

(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 41.32.755 through 41.32.825.(2) A member who receives compensation from an employer while on an authorized leave o…

The department of retirement systems shall credit at least one-half service credit month for each month of each school year, as defined by *RCW 28A.150.040, from October 1, 1977, through December 31, 1986, to a member of the teachers' retirement system plan 2 who was employed by …

(1) An active member who has completed a minimum of two years of creditable service in the teachers' retirement system may, upon written application to the department, make a one-time purchase of up to seven years of service credit for public education experience outside the Wash…