Eligibility for Public Employment Retirement System

 

Purpose

To clarify the service requirements for eligibility in the Oregon PERS and OPSRP retirement systems, and to clarify the levels of college contribution to those systems on behalf of eligible employees.

 

Statement

All college employees are subject to the provisions of the Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) and state and federal laws.

Bargaining Unit Employees

Payment of PERS contributions for all employees subject to collective bargaining agreements shall be governed by the respective agreements; failing such provisions, Board Policies and Administrative Rules for non-bargaining unit employees shall apply.

Non-Bargaining Unit Employees

Service Requirements

• Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) Tiers One and Two
  • You are a PERS Tier One or Tier Two member if you:
    • worked six (6) full calendar months for a PERS-covered employer in a qualifying position requiring at least 600 hours per calendar year
    • started your waiting period no later than December 31, 1995 for Tier One membership or no later than August 28, 2003, for Tier Two membership; and
    • ended your waiting period with the same employer whom you were employed with on your effective date of membership. 
• Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan (OPSRP)
  • If you first started working for a PERS-participating employer after August 28, 2003, you became a member of the OPSRP Pension Program if you qualified by working a cumulative total of 600 hours in the calendar year. Membership contributions will be taken effective the first pay period following a six-month waiting period.

Tier One or Tier Two PERS members who have a six-month service break from PERS employment lose eligibility for the PERS retirement plan and gain eligibility for the OPSRP plan.

However, if an individual is currently a member of PERS or OPSRP at the time of employment with the college, and they have already worked at least 600 hours for another PERS employer, contributions/deductions will begin upon employment.

For further questions, employees may visit the PERS website.

Hours Reporting

PERS and OPSRP retirement hours are determined by hours worked. Work performed on an hourly basis will have on hour counted toward PERS or OPSRP retirement for each our worked. Work performed on a workload credit equivalent basis will have hours counted toward PERS or OPSRP retirement according to the following formula: 2 hours times the number of weeks per term, times the workload credit equivalent factor. Nothing in this rule shall be interpreted as a change in pay policy. It is intended exclusively as a method for interpreting eligibility for PERS or OPSRP membership on a uniform basis.

College Contributions

The 6% membership contribution will be contributed by the college for all qualified non-bargaining unit employees each pay period and submitted tot he employee's Individual Account Program (IAP).

 

 

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