Purchasing Service Credit

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Purchasing Service Credit

Military Service – You may purchase service rendered in the Unites States Armed Forces (Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, and Coast Guard). There are three types of United States Armed Forces military service which you may purchase:

1. Intervening –Intervening military service is also known as Selective Service or “The Draft”. To qualify for this purchase you must meet the following conditions:

You must have been a Pennsylvania public school employee immediately preceding an induction into the Unites States Armed Forces.
You must have been on a military leave of absence to meet a draft obligation, excluding any period of voluntary extension of such service.
You had to return to regular full-time Pennsylvania school service within 90 days of your release from active military service.
You cannot be receiving, or be eligible to receive, any other pension using this service credit.

You and your immediate employer preceding your induction must complete the Purchase of Intervening or Activated Military Service (PSRS-1305). A copy of the school board minutes granting the military leave must accompany the application. A copy of the DD-214 papers indicating that your discharge was other than undesirable, bad conduct, or dishonorable.

2. Nonintervening - To apply for this service credit, you must have at least 3 years of credited service with PSERS following the military service.

You cannot be receiving, or be eligible to receive, any other pension using this service credit. If, however, you are receiving a military pension based on a combination of reserve and active duty service, you may be eligible to purchase up to 5 years of the active military service.

You may not purchase more years of military service credit than you have credited service with PSERS. If you are a multiple service member and have service credit with both PSERS and the State Employees’ Retirement System (SERS), you may use your service credit in both retirement systems to match the years of military service credit you are attempting to purchase. You, however, are still limited to the 5-year maximum.

You must complete the Purchase of Non-intervening Miltary Service (PSRS-28). A copy of your enlistment and discharge papers (DD-214) must be attached. The DD-214 paper must show both the date of entry into active service and the date of discharge from active service, and your discharge was other than undesirable, bad conduct, or dishonorable.

3. Activated – This military service is when you are called to active military duty on or after July 1, 1990. It does not apply to a draft situation. You have the choice to :

Continue contributing to PSERS and gain immediate service credit.
Discontinue contributing to PSERS during the leave. If you stop contributing, you will not receive service credit unless you elect to purchase the service credit.

If you discontinue contributing to PSERS, you have one year after your return to Pennsylvania public school service from the military leave to apply to PSERS to purchase the service credit.

You and your employer must complete the Purchase of Intervening or Activated Miltary Service (PSRS-1305). A copy of your DD-214 papers indicating that your discharge was other than undesirable, bad conduct, or dishonorable, must accompany the application.

Maternity Leave - To purchase maternity leave, the leave must have occurred before November 1, 1978 during school employment with a Pennsylvania public school. You also must have resigned or taken a leave of absence.

To apply, you must complete the Application to Purchase Maternity Leave of Absence (PDF).

Service with a County Board of School Directors – You may be able to purchase County Board Service if you were hired and paid by the County Board of School Directors or by County Commissioners. You must not be eligible now, nor will be in the future for an annuity fro county employment with a county board of school directors.

You and the intermediate unit that absorbed the County Board where the service was rendered must complete the Application to Purchase Credit for Full-Time Service (PDF) for full-time service or the Application to Purchase Credit for Part-Time Service (PDF) for part-time service. The intermediate unit should note on the application if you were paid by the County Board of School Directors or the County Commissioners.