Establishment of service credit — Current and former employees — Employers admitted after July 23, 1995.
RCW 41.40.057
in effect(1) This section applies to the establishment of membership service with employers admitted to the retirement system after July 23, 1995. (2) For current employees, membership service may be established for periods of employment with an employer prior to the employer's admission into the retirement system by making the payments required by this section. The employer must select one of the options in this subsection and apply it uniformly, except as provided in subsection (3) of this section. The required payment shall include the total member and employer contributions that would have been required from the date of each current member's hire. (a) Option A: The employer makes all the required payments within fifteen years from the date of the employer's admission. (b) Option B: The employer makes a portion of the required payments and the member pays the balance. The employer shall not be required to make its payments until the member has made his or her payments. Each member shall have the option to purchase the membership service. (c) Option C: The member makes all of the required payments. Each member shall have the option to purchase the membership service. All payments under options B and C of this subsection must be completed within five years from the date of the employer's admission, or prior to the retirement of the member, whichever occurs sooner. A member may not receive membership service credit under option B or C of this subsection until all required payments have been made. (3) An employer shall not be required to purchase membership service under option A or B for periods of employment for which the employer made contributions to a qualified retirement plan as defined by 26 U.S.C. Sec. 401(a), if the contributions plus interest accrued cannot be transferred to the retirement system. If the employer does not purchase the membership credit under this subsection, the member may purchase the membership service under subsection (2)(c) of this section. (4) A former employee who is an active member of the system and is not covered by subsection (2) of this section may establish membership service by making the required payments under subsection (2)(c) of this section prior to the retirement of the member. (5) All payments made by the member under this section shall be placed in the member's individual account in the members' savings fund or the member's account for those members entering plan 3.
(1) This section applies to the establishment of membership service with employers admitted to the retirement system after July 23, 1995.
(2) For current employees, membership service may be established for periods of employment with an employer prior to the employer's admission into the retirement system by making the payments required by this section.
The employer must select one of the options in this subsection and apply it uniformly, except as provided in subsection (3) of this section. The required payment shall include the total member and employer contributions that would have been required from the date of each current member's hire.
(a) Option A: The employer makes all the required payments within fifteen years from the date of the employer's admission.
(b) Option B: The employer makes a portion of the required payments and the member pays the balance. The employer shall not be required to make its payments until the member has made his or her payments. Each member shall have the option to purchase the membership service.
(c) Option C: The member makes all of the required payments. Each member shall have the option to purchase the membership service.
All payments under options B and C of this subsection must be completed within five years from the date of the employer's admission, or prior to the retirement of the member, whichever occurs sooner. A member may not receive membership service credit under option B or C of this subsection until all required payments have been made.
(3) An employer shall not be required to purchase membership service under option A or B for periods of employment for which the employer made contributions to a qualified retirement plan as defined by 26 U.S.C. Sec. 401(a), if the contributions plus interest accrued cannot be transferred to the retirement system. If the employer does not purchase the membership credit under this subsection, the member may purchase the membership service under subsection (2)(c) of this section.
(4) A former employee who is an active member of the system and is not covered by subsection (2) of this section may establish membership service by making the required payments under subsection (2)(c) of this section prior to the retirement of the member.
(5) All payments made by the member under this section shall be placed in the member's individual account in the members' savings fund or the member's account for those members entering plan 3.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=41.40&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026