Employees in South Carolina have 30 days from the date of hire to choose whether to join a retirement plan and designate beneficiaries for their retirement account. Most employees can choose between the South Carolina Retirement System (SCRS) and the State Optional Retirement Program (ORP). The enrollment process is initiated by the South Carolina Public Employee Benefit Authority (PEBA), and employees must actively respond to the enrollment notification within 30 days of their initial date of hire. After the initial enrollment, retirement membership is managed using Member Access.