Jeff Pabst, CRC
I have been working for my LAGERS employer for 2 years and I am thinking about taking a job at another LAGERS employer, will my service transfer?
In short, yes. But, let me explain.
Vesting
As an active member, you become guaranteed to receive a benefit (vested) once you have earned 60 months (5 Years) of service credit within the LAGERS system. So, if you work for 2 years at one LAGERS employer and work at another LAGERS employer for 3 more, you become vested after the 3 years at the second employer.
If you leave LAGERS covered employment before you are vested for a non-LAGERS employer, you are not guaranteed to receive a benefit from LAGERS. However, if you return to LAGERS covered employment within 10 years, you can continue adding service credit towards your benefit and become vested when you earn 5 years of service credit.
Benefit Calculation
So, for your monthly benefit calculation, it is not quite as easy as vesting because each of LAGERS’ 700+ employers elect their own set of benefits. When you change jobs from one LAGERS employer to another, the calculations for your benefit will be done separately.
For example if you work for one employer for 10 years under the 1.5% multiplier and work for another employer for 15 years under the 2% multiplier, your benefits from each employer will be calculated separately, added together and paid as one monthly payment.
The questions we answer on this blog post are submitted to LAGERS at info@molagers.org or by emailing a LAGERS staff. If you have a question you would like to be answered, please reach out to us, we are happy to help you better understand your benefit!
