(1) You are eligible for membership if you are employed in an eligible position. Your position is eligible under RCW 41.35.010 if the position, as defined by your employer, normally requires at least five months of seventy or more hours of compensated service per month during each year. If you are a PERS Plan 1 member working in a SERS substitute position, the SERS substitute laws do not apply. If you are a Plan 2 or 3 member, hours worked as a SERS substitute are not counted when determining eligibility for membership.

(2) If you leave an eligible position to serve in a project position, you may retain eligibility.

(a) Project positions may use a twelve-month period other than a school year to evaluate eligibility. The employer must consistently apply this twelve-month period to evaluate the eligibility of this position.

(b) If you are a member and you leave employment in an eligible position to serve in a project position, the project position is eligible if:

(i) The position, as defined by the employer, normally requires at least five months of seventy or more hours of compensated service each month; or

(ii) The position requires at least seventy hours per month and you take the position with the understanding that you are expected to return to your permanent eligible position at the completion of the project.

(3) Defined terms used. Definitions for the following terms used in this section may be found in the sections listed.

(a) "Eligible position" - RCW 41.35.010.

(b) "Employer" - RCW 41.35.010.

(c) "Member" - RCW 41.35.010.

(d) "Membership" - RCW 41.35.030.

(e) "Normally" - WAC 415-110-010.

(f) "Project position" - WAC 415-110-010.

(g) "Year" - WAC 415-110-010.