Service that counts toward determining your benefit is called “service credit.” The amount of your retirement benefit depends upon your time in service and your final average salary (FAS).
Service credit is provided only for service you render as a “fire fighter” or “law enforcement officer” after establishing membership in the plan. You receive one service credit month for each calendar month that you receive basic salary for 90 or more hours. No more than one service credit month may be obtained during any calendar month, even if you receive basic salary for more than 90 hours from each of two employers in a month.
Beginning September 1, 1991, you receive half a service credit month for any month that you receive basic salary for at least 70 hours but less than 90 hours. You receive a quarter of a service credit month for any month that you receive basic salary for less than 70 hours.
Service credit years are calculated by dividing your total service credit months by 12.
EXAMPLE:
Calculating service credit
Suppose you were hired August 1, 1991, and worked for a LEOFF employer until January 18, 2005. During your final month of employment, you earn basic salary for 85 hours. Your service credit would be:
| Period | Months |
|---|---|
| August 1991 - December 1991 | 5.0 |
| January 1992 - December 2004 | 156.0 |
| January 2005 | .5 |
| TOTAL | 161.5 |
161.5 months ÷ 12 months = 13.46 service credit years
You may be eligible to purchase service credit for time spent in the military by paying member contributions plus interest. To qualify you must have separated from LEOFF-covered employment to enter active military service, and entered the military on or after January 1, 1990. You must complete payment of these contributions prior to retirement or within five years from the time you resume employment, whichever comes first. Please contact DRS for further information.
If you become disabled in the line of duty, you may be eligible to purchase lost service credit for the time spent on temporary disability leave. Please contact DRS for further information.
During your career, you may purchase up to two years of service credit for an unpaid leave of absence authorized by your employer.
In order to do this, you must pay member, employer, and State contributions, plus interest, for the time on leave. The amount is based on an average of your basic salaries: your salary when leave began, and your salary at the time you resume employment.
To take advantage of this opportunity, you must complete payment of the contributions prior to retirement or within five years from the time you resume employment, whichever comes first. Please contact
DRS for more information.
Please note: Military leave of absence is different from leave of absence. Please see Military service.
Beginning June 13, 2002, LEOFF Plan 2 law enforcement members may work part-time and take a part-time employer-authorized leave of absence. Upon return to full-time employment, you can purchase service credit for the period of part-time employment.
After you accrue five or more service credit years in LEOFF, you have a vested right to a retirement benefit even if you leave covered employment. Your benefit will depend in part on how many service credit years you have earned.
If you earn at least five but less than 20 service credit years, and
Suppose you earn 240 service credit months (20 years) then leave your LEOFF job at age 50 with a final average salary (FAS) of $3,500 per month.