Retirement Eligibility

ELIGIBILITY FOR RETIREMENT

For Members Hired Prior to 4/2/2012:

Groups 1, 2, and 4
• If your membership began prior to January 1, 1978, upon attaining age 55 you
  are eligible to retire. There are no minimum service (vesting) requirements for
  members in this category.

• If your membership began on or after January 1, 1978 and you are a member of
  Group 1 or Group 2, you must have at least ten years of creditable service, and
  be age 55 or older to be eligible to receive a retirement allowance. If such a
  member terminates their employment prior to completing ten years of creditable
  service, eligibility for benefits is limited to a refund of accumulated deductions. A
  superannuation retirement allowance would not be payable. However, a member
  may always leave their money in the retirement system and achieve ten years of
  service via later public employment.

• Generally speaking, you are eligible to retire at any age if you have twenty years
  of creditable service.

For Members Hired After 4/2/2012:

Group 1
• If your position is classified in Group 1, you have at least ten years of creditable
  service, and are age 60 or older you are eligible to receive a superannuation retirement
  allowance. If you terminate your employment prior to completing ten
  years of creditable service, eligibility for benefits is limited to a refund of your
  accumulated deductions plus regular interest established by statute. A superannuation
  retirement allowance would not be payable. You may choose to leave
  your account in the Retirement System to retain your rights in the event you
  again become a public employee and a member of a retirement system.
 
Group 2
• If your position is classified in Group 2, you have at least ten years of creditable
  service and are age 55 or older, you are eligible to receive a superannuation
  retirement allowance. Please note that you must have performed the duties of
  the Group 2 position for at least 12 months immediately prior to termination or
  retirement. If you terminate your employment prior to completing ten years of
  creditable service, eligibility for benefits is limited to a refund of your accumulated
  deductions, plus interest established by statute. You may choose to leave your
  account in the Retirement System to retain your rights in the event you again
  become a public employee and a member of a retirement system.

Group 4
• If your position is classified in Group 4 and you are age 55 or older, you are
  eligible to receive a superannuation retirement allowance. Please note that you
  must have performed the duties of the Group 4 position for at least 12 months
  immediately prior to termination or retirement. You may choose to leave your
  account in the Retirement System to retain your rights in the event you again
  become a public employee and a member of a retirement system.

GROUP CLASSIFICATION

Groups 1, 2, 3, and 4
Type of occupation, position or duties determine classification. Retirement boards assign
employees to one of four specific groups based upon the classifications set out in section
three of Chapter 32.

• Group 1 members are officials and general employees including clerical,
  administrative and technical workers, laborers, mechanics, and all others not
  otherwise classified.

• Group 2 includes certain employees with hazardous occupations, such as mental
  health hospital attendants.

• Group 3 is made up of state police officers.

• Group 4 consists of public safety officers, officials, and employees, such as police
  officers, firefighters, and certain correction officers.
  NOTE: In order to be classified in either Group 2 or Group 4 for retirement
  purposes, you must have actively performed the duties of that position for not
  less than 12 months immediately prior to termination from service or retirement

CREDITABLE SERVICE

In general, you earn creditable service toward your retirement allowance for the period
during which you make contributions to the retirement system.

TRANSFER OR RE-ESTABLISHMENT OF MEMBERSHIP
 No member who is reinstated, re-enters, transfers, or re-establishes his membership is
 eligible to receive a superannuation, ordinary disability, or termination retirement allowance
 until the member has been in active service for at least two consecutive years following the
 start of the new employment. Exceptions: The two-year requirement will not apply in the case
 of any member who is reinstated  to active service, re-enters active service,
 or who transfers his membership from another retirement system, if the member has rendered
 service or attained an age so that he would have been eligible to retire if he had continued 
 to be a member of the retirement system from which membership was transferred.