2023 Revised Code of Washington › Title 41 - Public Employment, Civil Service, and Pensions › Chapter 41.32 - Teachers' Retirement. › 41.32.765 - Retirement for service.

RCW 41.32.765
Retirement for service. (Effective until January 1, 2024.)
(1) NORMAL RETIREMENT. Any member with at least five service credit years of service who has attained at least age sixty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.760.
(2) EARLY RETIREMENT. Any member who has completed at least twenty service credit years of service who has attained at least age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.760, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance actuarially reduced to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
(3) ALTERNATE EARLY RETIREMENT.
(a) Any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.760, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced by three percent per year to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
(b) On or after September 1, 2008, any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.760, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced as follows:
Retirement
Age
Percent
Reduction
55
20%
56
17%
57
14%
58
11%
59
8%
60
5%
61
2%
62
0%
63
0%
64
0%
Any member who retires under the provisions of this subsection is ineligible for the postretirement employment provisions of RCW 41.32.802(2) until the retired member has reached sixty-five years of age. For purposes of this subsection, employment with an employer also includes any personal service contract, service by an employer as a temporary or project employee, or any other similar compensated relationship with any employer included under the provisions of RCW 41.32.800(1).
The subsidized reductions for alternate early retirement in this subsection as set forth in section 2, chapter 491, Laws of 2007 were intended by the legislature as replacement benefits for gain-sharing. Until there is legal certainty with respect to the repeal of *chapter 41.31A RCW, the right to retire under this subsection is noncontractual, and the legislature reserves the right to amend or repeal this subsection. Legal certainty includes, but is not limited to, the expiration of any: Applicable limitations on actions; and periods of time for seeking appellate review, up to and including reconsideration by the Washington supreme court and the supreme court of the United States. Until that time, eligible members may still retire under this subsection, and upon receipt of the first installment of a retirement allowance computed under this subsection, the resulting benefit becomes contractual for the recipient. If the repeal of *chapter 41.31A RCW is held to be invalid in a final determination of a court of law, and the court orders reinstatement of gain-sharing or other alternate benefits as a remedy, then retirement benefits for any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five but has not yet received the first installment of a retirement allowance under this subsection shall be computed using the reductions in (a) of this subsection.
(c) Members who first become employed by an employer in an eligible position on or after May 1, 2013, are not eligible for the alternate early retirement provisions of (a) or (b) of this subsection. Any member who first becomes employed by an employer in an eligible position on or after May 1, 2013, and has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.760, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced by five percent per year to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
[ 2012 1st sp.s. c 7 § 1; 2007 c 491 § 2; 2000 c 247 § 902; 1991 c 343 § 5; 1977 ex.s. c 293 § 4.]
NOTES:
*Reviser's note: Chapter 41.31A RCW was repealed by 2007 c 491 § 13, effective January 2, 2008, however, RCW 41.31A.020 was also amended by 2007 c 491 § 1 and 2007 c 492 § 10. For rule of construction, see RCW 1.12.025(1).
Benefits not contractual right until September 1, 2008—2007 c 491: "The new benefits provided pursuant to sections 2(3)(b), 4(3)(b), 6(3)(b), and 8(3)(b), chapter 491, Laws of 2007 are not provided to employees as a matter of contractual right prior to September 1, 2008, and will not become a contractual right thereafter if the repeal of chapter 41.31A RCW is held to be invalid in a final determination of a court of law. The legislature retains the right to alter or abolish these benefits at any time prior to September 1, 2008." [ 2007 c 491 § 15.]
Severability—2007 c 491: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 2007 c 491 § 18.]
Conflict with federal requirements—2007 c 491: "If any part of this act is found to be in conflict with a final determination by the federal internal revenue service that is a prescribed condition to favorable tax treatment of one or more of the retirement plans, the conflicting part of this act is inoperative solely to the extent of the conflict and with respect to the individual members directly affected. This finding does not affect the operation of the remainder of this act in its application to the members concerned. The legislature reserves the right to amend or repeal this act in the future as may be required to comply with a final federal determination that amendment or repeal is necessary to maintain the favorable tax treatment of a plan." [ 2007 c 491 § 14.]
Effective dates—Subchapter headings not law—2000 c 247: See RCW 41.40.931 and 41.40.932.
Findings—Effective dates—1991 c 343: See notes following RCW 41.50.005.
Effective date—Severability—Legislative direction and placement—Section headings—1977 ex.s. c 293: See notes following RCW 41.32.755.
(1) NORMAL RETIREMENT. Any member with at least five service credit years of service who has attained at least age sixty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.760.
(2) EARLY RETIREMENT. Any member who has completed at least twenty service credit years of service who has attained at least age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.760, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance actuarially reduced to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
(3) ALTERNATE EARLY RETIREMENT.
(a) Any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.760, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced by three percent per year to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
(b)(i) On or after September 1, 2008, any member who has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.760, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced as follows:
Retirement
Age
Percent
Reduction
55
20%
56
17%
57
14%
58
11%
59
8%
60
5%
61
2%
62
0%
63
0%
64
0%
(ii) Any member who retired on or after September 1, 2008, and chose the three percent per year reduction provided under (a) of this subsection shall have a retirement allowance recalculated under the reductions of (b)(i) of this subsection for benefit payments made on or after January 1, 2024.
(c) Members who first become employed by an employer in an eligible position on or after May 1, 2013, are not eligible for the alternate early retirement provisions of (a) or (b) of this subsection. Any member who first becomes employed by an employer in an eligible position on or after May 1, 2013, and has completed at least thirty service credit years and has attained age fifty-five shall be eligible to retire and to receive a retirement allowance computed according to the provisions of RCW 41.32.760, except that a member retiring pursuant to this subsection shall have the retirement allowance reduced by five percent per year to reflect the difference in the number of years between age at retirement and the attainment of age sixty-five.
[ 2023 c 410 § 2; 2012 1st sp.s. c 7 § 1; 2007 c 491 § 2; 2000 c 247 § 902; 1991 c 343 § 5; 1977 ex.s. c 293 § 4.]
NOTES:
Intent—2023 c 410: "It is the intent of the legislature to remove some of the restrictions on the types and amount of postretirement employment that members that chose the enhanced early retirement formula created in 2008 for the public employees', school employees', and teachers' retirement systems plans 2 and 3 can perform while in receipt of a retirement allowance. This change simplifies administration of the retirement system and could assist employers currently experiencing difficulties recruiting and retaining employees. In addition, some employees were offered and accepted a choice of lower early retirement benefits without the work-related benefit restrictions that are now being removed from those that chose higher benefits. The legislature intends those employees not be penalized for that choice after the employment-related benefit restrictions are removed. Therefore, pursuant to this act, the legislature intends that the employees that chose the three percent per year early retirement reduction and fewer benefit restrictions, rather than the 2008 early retirement formula with restrictions now being removed, shall have their benefit reduction recalculated to the level of the 2008 reduction for benefits made on or after January 1, 2024." [ 2023 c 410 § 1.]
Effective date—2023 c 410: "This act takes effect January 1, 2024." [ 2023 c 410 § 11.]
Benefits not contractual right until September 1, 2008—2007 c 491: "The new benefits provided pursuant to sections 2(3)(b), 4(3)(b), 6(3)(b), and 8(3)(b), chapter 491, Laws of 2007 are not provided to employees as a matter of contractual right prior to September 1, 2008, and will not become a contractual right thereafter if the repeal of chapter 41.31A RCW is held to be invalid in a final determination of a court of law. The legislature retains the right to alter or abolish these benefits at any time prior to September 1, 2008." [ 2007 c 491 § 15.]
Severability—2007 c 491: "If any provision of this act or its application to any person or circumstance is held invalid, the remainder of the act or the application of the provision to other persons or circumstances is not affected." [ 2007 c 491 § 18.]
Conflict with federal requirements—2007 c 491: "If any part of this act is found to be in conflict with a final determination by the federal internal revenue service that is a prescribed condition to favorable tax treatment of one or more of the retirement plans, the conflicting part of this act is inoperative solely to the extent of the conflict and with respect to the individual members directly affected. This finding does not affect the operation of the remainder of this act in its application to the members concerned. The legislature reserves the right to amend or repeal this act in the future as may be required to comply with a final federal determination that amendment or repeal is necessary to maintain the favorable tax treatment of a plan." [ 2007 c 491 § 14.]
Effective dates—Subchapter headings not law—2000 c 247: See RCW 41.40.931 and 41.40.932.
Findings—Effective dates—1991 c 343: See notes following RCW 41.50.005.
Effective date—Severability—Legislative direction and placement—Section headings—1977 ex.s. c 293: See notes following RCW 41.32.755.