Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS)
The Oregon Public Employees Retirement System (PERS) is the state retirement plan for employees who work at least 600 hours per year and is mandated by law. Employees hired on or after 08/29/2003 are PERS OPSRP members unless membership was previously established by PERS.
PERS Membership Tiers
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- PERS OPSRP - Employees hired on or after 08/29/2003
- PERS Tier 2 - Employees hired between 01/01/1996 - 08/28/2003
- PERS Tier 1 - Employees hired before 01/01/1996
PERS OPSRP membership is established after completion of a six (6) month waiting period for employees who work at least 600 hours per year, and requires an employee contribution of 6% of gross salary on a pre-tax basis to the Individual Account Program (IAP).
If you are an existing PERS member, your mandatory contributions begin immediately. This contribution is not subject to Federal and State taxes until it is withdrawn from the retirement system. You are automatically vested in your IAP account when your account is established. Additionally, the District contributes an amount to the OPSRP Pension Program for each covered employee. Vesting usually occurs after five (5) years of working at least 600 hours per year. Members automatically vest at age 65, even if they have worked fewer than five years.
There are two parts to the PERS OPSRP retirement benefit:
Part 1: OPSRP Pension Program
The OPSRP Pension Program is funded by your employer. PPS contributes an amount set by state statute, necessary to continue funding the pension program. To gain access to the pension program you have to be vested which usually occurs after five (5) years of working at least 600 hours per year. Members automatically vest at age 65, even if they have worked fewer than five years.
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Part 2: Individual Account Program (IAP)
The Individual Account Program (IAP) is the required 6% contributed by you. Your account is credited with earnings or losses annually based on investment returns. You are automatically vested in your IAP account when your account is established.
IAP Re-Direct
On July 1, 2020, Senate Bill 1049 went into effect. SB 1049 redirects 0.75% of your monthly Individual Account Program (IAP) contribution of 6% of your salary into the Employee Pension Stability Account (EPSA) if you are a PERS OPSRP member. For PERS Tier I or Tier 2 members, 2.5% of your contribution will be redirected into the EPSA.
You may make voluntary after-tax contributions into your IAP account to continue to have a full 6% contribution.
For more information on the IAP re-direct, visit the PERS website:
IAP Target Date Fund (TDF)
PERS members in the Individual Account Program (IAP) are currently invested in the default IAP investment option, an age-based IAP Target-Date Fund (TDF). As a result of SB 1049, each September PERS members can now choose a TDF for the upcoming calendar year that better reflects their retirement savings goals or personal risk tolerance.
For more information on the IAP Target Date Fund, visit the PERS website:
Rollovers
Oregon PERS does NOT allow retirement account(s) from previous employers to be rolled over into PERS Tier 1, PERS Tier 2, OPSRP, and/or the Individual Account Program (IAP).
Contact Oregon PERS
Please contact Oregon PERS directly for information and questions you have about your PERS retirement benefit.
Phone: 888-320-7377 or 503-598-7377
Email: customer-service.pers@state.or.us
Website: https://www.oregon.gov/PERS/
Create/Access Oregon PERS Retirement User Accounts
Icons - Horizontal Enhanced - Client Enablement Consultant
Oregon PERS
Phone
888-320-7377 or 503-598-7377
Email
customer-service.pers@state.or.us
Website
https://www.oregon.gov/PERS
Questions about PERS deductions on your PPS paycheck?
PERS Newsletters
PERS has a new mass communications tool that allows you to receive email or text message updates on PERS topics that may be of interest to you, such as when new issues of Perspectives are available.
- Sign up and choose your topics: Click Here