Retirement Badge #06: Retirement Enrollment Basics-Retirement Badge #06

Video Transcription

Video Summary

Rochelle Gaines presents WASBO Retirement Badge #6 on retirement enrollment basics for new members, substitutes, returning members, and rehired retirees, ending with retirement type codes. Employers’ core responsibility is accurate enrollment and reporting: correctly classify workers (employee vs. independent contractor), verify retirement status for all workers (including those paid through accounts payable), determine the correct retirement system/plan, notify DRS when rehiring any Washington State retiree, enroll eligible employees, report updates and end dates, and remit contributions via monthly transmittals.<br /><br />DRS provides an “Independent Contractor Status Questionnaire” (kept by the employer, not submitted) to document classification decisions; it should be evaluated using the totality of factors, especially employer control over work. Retirement status verification forms (retained 60 years) are required for payroll-paid workers, and best practice is to verify all workers. Failure to report a rehired retiree can make the district liable for pension overpayments.<br /><br />For new members, employees have 90 days from the first day of paid work (including paid orientation) to choose Plan 2 or Plan 3 using the official DRS form; otherwise employers must default them into Plan 2. Prior membership in a different system doesn’t prevent “new member” status in a new system (dual membership). Plan choice reminders occur through ARA, and employers can report elections via member management or transmittal—only once.<br /><br />Substitutes are those in ineligible positions; employers must report actual first/last work dates and use the Substitute Reporting Chart. If eligibility occurs any day in a month, the entire month is treated as eligible. Rehired retirees are always reported as Plan 0 with retiree-specific type codes determined by DRS return-to-work charts, which vary by the system they retired from. Type codes drive correct classification and compliance.

Keywords

WASBO Retirement Badge #6

DRS retirement enrollment basics

Washington State retirement systems (PERS TRS SERS)

employee vs independent contractor classification

Independent Contractor Status Questionnaire

retirement status verification form retention

rehired retiree reporting to DRS

Plan 2 vs Plan 3 90-day election window

substitute employee eligibility and reporting

monthly transmittals contributions and type codes