Title 41, PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT, CIVIL SERVICE, AND PENSIONS

(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, 41.32.010, 41.37.010, or 41.35.010, or as a la…

(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…

(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 …

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…

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 41.32.765 if su…

(1) Every plan 2 member employed by an employer in an eligible position may make an irrevocable option to transfer to plan 3. (2) Any plan 2 member who is a substitute teacher may make an irrevocable option to transfer to plan 3 at the time the member purchases substitute service…

Any member of the public employees' retirement system plan 2 who is employed in an eligible position as an educational staff associate and who elected pursuant to RCW 41.32.032(2)(a) to remain a member of the public employees' retirement system under chapter 41.40 RCW may make an…

A member 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. The refund shall be made within ninety days following the receipt of the request and notification of termination through…

(1) A member, who had left service and withdrawn the member's accumulated contributions, shall, upon reestablishment of membership under RCW 41.32.240, receive service credit for such prior service if the member restores all withdrawn accumulated contributions together with inter…

(1) RCW 41.32.831 through 41.32.895 shall apply only to plan 3 members. (2) Plan 3 shall consist of two separate elements: (a) A defined benefit portion covered under this subchapter; and (b) a defined contribution portion covered under chapter 41.34 RCW. (3) Unless otherwise spe…

(1) All teachers who first become employed by an employer in an eligible position on or after July 1, 2007, shall have a period of ninety days to make an irrevocable choice to become a member of plan 2 or plan 3. At the end of ninety days, if the member has not made a choice to b…

(1) All faculty members who are first employed by an institution of higher education in a position eligible for participation in old age annuities or retirement income plans under chapter 28B.10 RCW on or after July 1, 2011, have a period of thirty days to make an irrevocable cho…

Any member receiving or having received a distribution under chapter 41.34 RCW may make an irrevocable choice to waive all rights to a benefit under RCW 41.32.840 by notifying the department in writing of their intention. [ 2003 c 349 s 1.] Notes: Effective date—2003 c 349: "This…

(1) A member of the retirement system shall receive a retirement allowance equal to one percent of such member's average final compensation for each service credit year. (2) The retirement allowance payable under RCW 41.32.875 to a member who separates after having completed at l…

(1) Anyone who requests to transfer under RCW 41.32.817 before January 1, 1998, and establishes service credit for January 1998, shall have their member account increased by forty percent of: (a) Plan 2 accumulated contributions as of January 1, 1996, less fifty percent of any pa…

Retirement allowances paid under the defined benefit portion of plan 3 shall have a postretirement cost-of-living allowance calculated and paid as provided in RCW 41.32.770. [ 1995 c 239 s 107.] Notes: Intent—Purpose—1995 c 239: See note following RCW 41.32.831. Effective date—Pa…

(1) Upon retirement for service as prescribed in RCW 41.32.875 or retirement for disability under RCW 41.32.880, a member shall elect to have the retirement allowance paid pursuant to one of the following options, calculated so as to be actuarially equivalent to each other. (a) S…

Any member or beneficiary eligible to receive a retirement allowance under the provisions of RCW 41.32.875, 41.32.880, or 41.32.895 shall be eligible to commence receiving a retirement allowance after having filed written application with the department. (1) Retirement allowances…

(1) Except under RCW 41.32.862, no retiree 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, 41.32.010, 41.35.010, or 41.37.010, or as a law enforcement officer or firefighter as …

(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…

(1) A member who is on a paid leave of absence authorized by a member's employer shall continue to receive service credit. (2) A member who receives compensation from an employer while on an authorized leave of absence to serve as an elected official of a labor organization, and …

(1) Contributions on behalf of the employer paid by the employee to purchase plan 3 service credit shall be allocated to the defined benefit portion of plan 3 and shall not be refundable when paid to the fund described in RCW 41.50.075(2). Contributions on behalf of the employee …

(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…

(1) The director may pay a member eligible to receive a retirement allowance or the member's beneficiary a lump sum payment in lieu of a monthly benefit if the initial monthly benefit would be less than one hundred dollars. The one hundred dollar limit shall be increased by three…

(1) NORMAL RETIREMENT. Any member who is at least age sixty-five and who has: (a) Completed ten service credit years; or (b) Completed five service credit years, including twelve service credit months after attaining age forty-four; or (c) Completed five service credit years by J…

(1) Upon application of the member, a member who is diagnosed with a terminal illness shall be removed from membership in 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 …

(1) A member of the retirement system who becomes totally incapacitated for continued employment by an employer as determined by the department shall be eligible to receive an allowance under the provisions of plan 3. The member shall receive a monthly disability allowance comput…

(1) Any member who elects to transfer to plan 3 and has eligible unrestored withdrawn contributions in plan 2, may restore such contributions under the provisions of RCW 41.32.825(1) with interest as determined by the department. The restored plan 2 service credit will be automat…

(1) If a member dies prior to retirement, the surviving spouse or eligible child or children shall receive a retirement allowance computed as provided in RCW 41.32.851 actuarially reduced to reflect a joint and one hundred percent survivor option and, except under subsection (2) …

The plan for covering the members of the teachers' retirement system under the old age and survivor insurance provisions of Title II of the federal social security act as amended, required by RCW 41.48.050 as amended by section 5, chapter 4, Laws of the Extraordinary Session of 1…

The terms and provisions of the plan are as follows: (1) Each political subdivision of the state employing members of the teachers' retirement system and the members of the teachers' retirement system, after the approval of this plan by the legislature, and by the eligible employ…

The effective date of OASI coverage for members of the teachers' retirement system shall be January 1, 1956: PROVIDED, That should the agreement between the governor and the secretary of health, education and welfare be executed subsequent to December 31, 1957, the effective date…

The purpose of chapter 239, Laws of 1995 is to: (1) Provide a fair and reasonable value from the retirement system for those who leave public employment before retirement; (2) Increase flexibility for such employees to make transitions into other public or private sector employme…

As used in this chapter, the following terms have the meanings indicated: (1) "Actuary" means the state actuary or the office of the state actuary. (2) "Department" means the department of retirement systems. (3)(a) "Compensation" for teachers for purposes of this chapter is the …

(1) This chapter applies only to members of plan 3 retirement systems created under chapters 41.32, 41.35, and 41.40 RCW. (2) Plan 3 consists of two separate elements: (a) A defined benefit portion covered under: (i) Sections 101 through 117, chapter 239, Laws of 1995; or (ii) Se…

(1) A member shall contribute from the member's compensation according to one of the following rate structures in addition to the mandatory minimum five percent: Option A Contribution Rate All Ages 0.0% fixed Option B Up to Age 35 0.0% Age 35 to 44 1.0% Age 45 and above 2.5% Opti…

The legislature may authorize contributions to the members' accounts for a biennium through budget appropriation. [ 1995 c 239 s 205.] Notes: Intent—Purpose—1995 c 239: See note following RCW 41.32.831. Effective date—Part and subchapter headings not law—1995 c 239: See notes fol…

(1) Members may select investments as provided in subsections (2) and (4) of this section. If a member of the public employees' retirement system entering plan 3 under RCW 41.40.785, a member of the teachers' retirement system entering plan 3 under RCW 41.32.835, or a member of t…

(1) If the member retires, becomes disabled, or otherwise terminates employment, the balance in the member's account may be distributed in accordance with an option selected by the member either as a lump sum or pursuant to other options authorized by the department. (2) If the m…

(1) Subject to subsections (2), (3), and (4) of this section, the right of a person to a pension, an annuity, a retirement allowance, any optional benefit, any other right accrued or accruing to any person under the provisions of this chapter, and the various funds created by cha…

(1) The retirement plan created by this chapter shall be administered so as to comply with the federal Internal Revenue Code, Title 26 U.S.C., and specifically with plan qualification requirements imposed on governmental plans by section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. (2) A…

(1) The benefits provided pursuant to chapter 239, Laws of 1995 are not provided to employees as a matter of contractual right prior to July 1, 1996. The legislature retains the right to alter or abolish these benefits at any time prior to July 1, 1996. (2) The benefits provided …

A member who separates from service and then reestablishes membership may restore contributions to the member account. [ 1996 c 39 s 12.] Notes: Effective dates—1996 c 39: See note following RCW 41.32.010.

All moneys in members' accounts, all property and rights purchased therewith, and all income attributable thereto, shall be held in trust by the state investment board, as set forth under RCW 43.33A.030, for the exclusive benefit of the members and their beneficiaries. [ 1998 c 3…