DRS Notice 25-004, Some PERS Plans 2 and 3 Members Eligible for PSERS Plan 2 beginning June 1, 2025

DRS Notice: 25-004
Date: March 31, 2025
Applies to: DSHS Employers
Subject: DRS Notice 25-004, Some PERS Plans 2 and 3 Members Eligible for PSERS Plan 2 beginning June 1, 2025

A new law will take effect June 1, 2025, that expands membership in PSERS to include some current PERS Plan 2 and 3 members who meet the qualifications.

Note: Please let us know if you have newly eligible employees who meet the requirements by emailing us at drs.employersupport@drs.wa.gov.

To qualify, your employees must be those whose primary responsibility is to provide nursing care to, or to ensure the custody and safety of, offender, adult probationary, or patient populations; AND who is in a position that requires completion of defensive tactics training or de-escalation training; AND who is employed by one of the following state institutions or centers operated by DSHS – institutions or residential sites that – serve civilly committed residents or serve patients under not guilty by reason of insanity findings. (see the definitions in RCW 41.37.010).

Your existing PERS Plan 2 or 3 employees who meet the eligibility requirements on June 1, 2025, will be eligible to transfer to PSERS Plan 2 during the election period beginning June 1, 2025, and ending Sept. 1, 2025.

Please review the employer Frequently Asked Questions that accompany this notice for more details.

We will provide information in upcoming employer notices, and you are strongly encouraged to share it with your qualified employees. If you have any employees who are on leave during the election window, please share this information with them. On May 27, 2025, you will receive:

• A welcome letter for your qualified employees with details about how the new law affects them and what their window is for electing PSERS
• A PSERS election form your qualified employees will complete; you will use it for ERA reporting

In May, we will send you a reminder letter for your qualified employees about the election window.

If you have questions about this notice, please contact Employer Support Services at 360-664-7200, option 2, or 800-547-6657, option 6, option 2. This will help us identify employers who may have system updates to make before these changes are implemented in June.