Types of Service
- Convert Class I to Class II Service
- Public Service
- Educational Service
- Military Service
- Leave of Absence
- Workers’ Compensation
- Previously Withdrawn Service
- Non-Qualified Service
- State ORP Service
Please note that if you have established State ORP service in SCRS, your career highest fiscal year earnable compensation includes your earnable compensation in either State ORP or SCRS.
Convert Class I to Class II
If you are an SCRS member who still has Class I service, you may convert your Class I service to Class II service by paying 2.5 percent of either your current earnable compensation or the average of your 12 highest consecutive quarters of earnable compensation, whichever is greater, for each year to be converted.
Public Service
You may establish service credit for any period of paid public service for which you do not already have service credit in another defined benefit plan from which you may receive an annuity. Public service constitutes service as an employee of the government of the United States, a state, or political subdivision of the United States. The cost is 16 percent of current earnable compensation or career highest fiscal year earnable compensation, whichever is greater, for each year purchased. [ Go to Calculators ]
Educational Service (K-12)
You may establish service credit for any period of paid classroom teaching consisting of grades kindergarten through 12 in a public, private, or sectarian school for which you do not already have service credit in another defined benefit plan from which you may receive an annuity. The cost is 16 percent of current earnable compensation or career highest fiscal year earnable compensation, whichever is greater, for each year purchased. [ Go to Calculators ]
Military Service
You may establish up to six years of service credit for any period of military service for which you do not already have service credit. This includes service in the United States Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, Coast Guard, Select Reserves, and Army or Air National Guard. The cost is 16 percent of current earnable compensation or career highest fiscal year earnable compensation, whichever is greater, for each year purchased. Your discharge from service must be under conditions other than dishonorable. Under guidelines set forth by the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), you may also arrange in advance with your employer to continue contributing to your account while on active duty military leave or make the contributions after returning from military leave within a period of three times longer than your military leave, but not more than five years. [ Go to Calculators ]
Leave of Absence
Active members on an employer-approved leave of absence who return to covered employment within four years may purchase service credit for the employer-approved leave period for which they do not already have service credit, up to a maximum of two years per leave of absence. The leave of absence must be with an employer covered by the Retirement Systems. The cost is 16 percent of current earnable compensation or career highest fiscal year earnable compensation, whichever is greater, for each year purchased. [ Go to Calculators ]
Workers’ Compensation
You may establish service credit for a period while on leave of absence and receiving workers’ compensation benefits. The cost is based on contributions plus interest using your earnable compensation at the time of injury. You may also arrange in advance with your employer to continue contributing to your account while you are receiving workers’ compensation benefits.
Previously Withdrawn SCRS Service
If you left employment and received a refund of your contributions plus interest from the Retirement Systems, you may re-establish this service upon returning to active membership. You must repay the amount you withdrew plus interest to the date your request is received. Previously withdrawn earned service that is re-established in SCRS through the service purchase process is considered earned service for the determination of the minimum service requirement for benefit eligibility. Please note that earnings associated with a re-established withdrawal will be considered for possible inclusion in the calculation of a member’s average final compensation and any subsequent service purchase cost calculations.
Non-Qualified Service
Active members who have five or more years of earned service credit may establish up to five years of non-qualified service. The cost is 35 percent of current earnable compensation or career highest fiscal year earnable compensation, whichever is greater, for each year purchased. [ Go to Calculators ]
State ORP Service
You may purchase service credit for your years of participation in the State ORP. The cost is 16 percent of current earnable compensation or career highest fiscal year earnable compensation in either SCRS or State ORP, whichever is greater, for each year of service purchased. You may not purchase service for a period of State ORP participation for which you may receive a retirement annuity from another defined benefit retirement plan. State ORP service that is established in SCRS through the service purchase process is considered earned service for the determination of the SCRS minimum service requirement for benefit eligibility. Salaries associated with State ORP service purchased in SCRS will be considered for possible inclusion in the calculation of a member’s average final compensation. [ Go to Calculators ]
Installment Service Purchase Program
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