Reciprocity

Reciprocity ERA / PERA (Public Employees Retirement Association)

The ERA/PERA Reciprocity Act allows service credit under PERA and ERA to be combined for retirement eligibility and benefits. If a member is not vested (5 years of earned service credit) in either system, but has 5 years of combined service from both systems, ie: 2 years with PERA, 3 years with ERB, then the member can apply to retire when he/she meets the age requirement. Overlapping or refunded service credit does not qualify for reciprocal service credit.

The ERB member can ask the PERA office to verify PERA service and vice versa. However, when the member is eligible to request an audited retirement estimate or is actually ready to retire, then ERB will contact PERA for the necessary paperwork in order to process the estimate request or retirement application. The retirement application must be filed with the system where the member is last employed. Failure to notify the ERB of such service will result in a loss of benefits for that reciprocal service.

Service credit earned under each system is calculated using the rules in effect at the time the service credit was earned. The earned service credit total combines for eligibility purposes for each system. For example, if a member is age 60 with 15 years of combined service credit, then the member qualifies for a pension from ERB based on the “Rule of 75” but will not qualify for a PERA benefit because PERA requires the member with 15 years of service credit to be age 62 before a benefit can be granted.