Certain department of social and health services employees—Transfer from public employees' retirement system—Election period. (Effective June 1, 2025.)
(1) An employee of an employer as defined in RCW 41.37.010 who was a member of the public employees' retirement system plan 2 or plan 3 before June 1, 2025, and on June 1, 2025, meets the eligibility requirements as set forth in RCW 41.37.010(19)(d)(iv) has the following options during the election period defined in subsection (2) of this section:
(a) To remain in the public employees' retirement system in the employee's current plan; or
(b) To become a member of the public safety employees' retirement system plan 2 and be a dual member as provided in chapter 41.54 RCW. Any service credit the employee accrued in the public employees' retirement system service credit may not be transferred to the public safety employees' retirement system.
(2) The "election period" is the period between June 1, 2025, and September 1, 2025.
(3) During the election period, employees who are employed by an employer as defined in RCW 41.37.010 remain members of the public employees' retirement system plan 2 or plan 3 until they affirmatively elect to join the public safety employees' retirement system. Members who elect to join the public safety employees' retirement system as described in this section will have their membership begin prospectively from the date of their election.
(4) If, after September 1, 2025, the member has not made an election to join the public safety employees' retirement system, the member will remain in the member's current plan in the public employees' retirement system.
(5) An employee who was a member of the public employees' retirement system plan 1 on or before June 1, 2019, and on or after June 1, 2025, is employed by an employer as defined in RCW 41.37.010 as an employee who meets the eligibility requirements included in RCW 41.37.010(19)(d)(iv), shall remain a member of the public employees' retirement system plan 1.
[ 2024 c 359 s 2.]
NOTES:
Effective date—2024 c 359: "This act takes effect June 1, 2025." [ 2024 c 359 s 3.]