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This website publishes administrative rules on their effective dates, as designated by the adopting state agencies, colleges, and universities.

Chapter 742-5 | Service Credit

 
 
 
Rule
Rule 742-5-01 | Definition of service credit.
 

(A) Years of service and years of active service shall mean years of full-time service, including a full-time appointment to the position as a police officer or firefighter, for which retirement contributions are deducted from "salary," as such term is defined in section 742.01 of the Revised Code and rule 742-3-02 of the Administrative Code and forwarded to OP&F.

(B) For purposes of determining "full-time service," OP&F may request the employer and the member to certify the full-time service, but, in any event, OP&F will determine that the contributing credit was for full-time service. In order for the service to be "full-time," as provided for in divisions (A) and (B) of section 742.01 of the Revised Code: (1) the service credit must have been rendered while employed in a full-time public position; and (2) the individual must meet the criteria for "full-time contributing service," as outlined in rule 742-5-03 of the Administrative Code.

Last updated February 21, 2024 at 11:23 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 742.10
Amplifies: 742.37
Five Year Review Date: 2/5/2029
Rule 742-5-02 | Interest rate for service credit purchases or refunds/purchase of civilian service credit.
 

(A) The rate of compounded interest for the purchase of service credit under section 742.21 of the Revised Code or for the payment of back contributions shall be calculated separately for each year in accordance with the terms of division (H) of section 742.21 of the Revised Code.

(B) Prior to January 1, 1987, and for all purchases of civilian service credit and not military service credit, the interest charge for the purchase of service credits or the payment of back contributions shall be six per cent.

(C) From and after January 1, 1987 through and including September 16, 1998, the interest charge for the purchase of service credits or the payment of back contributions, except military purchases, shall be the actuarial interest assumption rate adopted by the board for the year in which the service credit was purchased, compounded annually.

(D) Service credit may be purchased in increments of not less than one month except:

(1) Where the total service available for purchase under a section of the Revised Code is less than a full month; or,

(2) Where less than one full month is necessary to accumulate the maximum number of years which may be used in benefit calculations; or

(3) Where four purchases of service credit have already been made in any calendar year.

(E) Where the calculation of the cost of purchase of service credit involves the repayment of withdrawn employee contributions, the monthly contribution for the total period of the withdrawn service credit shall be the base for calculating the cost.

(F) For any person who becomes a member of the fund on or after the effective date of this rule, such member shall pay the interest charge for the purchase of service credits or the payment of back contributions, in accordance with the terms of division (H) of section 742.21 of the Revised Code.

(G) From and after the effective date of this rule and unless otherwise provided by law, when a payment is received by the fund which is less than the full payment of the total amount of employer and employee contributions for the entire amount of service credit available, the fund is authorized to prorate the amount purchased in accordance with the following:

(1) The amount paid will be divided by amount due on that billing;

(2) The number derived from the computation described in paragraph (G)(1) of this rule will be multiplied by the entire amount of service credit available;

(3) The number derived from the computation described in paragraph (G)(2) of this rule will then be divided by twelve, with the number to the left of the decimal representing the number of years purchased;

(4) The number to the right of the decimal derived from the computation described in paragraph (G)(3) of this rule will then be multiplied by twelve, with the number to the left of the decimal representing the number of months purchased; and

(5) The number to the right of the decimal derived from the computation described in paragraph (G)(4) of this rule will then be multiplied by thirty, with the number to the left of the decimal representing the number of days purchased; provided, however, that the fund shall round the number of days to the next higher number if the number to the right of the decimal is equal to or greater than .50 and the fund shall round the number of days to the next lower number if the number to the right of the decimal is less than .50.

(H) For any partial purchase of service credit, the cost of the purchase of such service credit shall be based upon the monthly contribution for the total period.

(I) Except as expressly provided by law and for purposes of qualifying for the fund's benefits, the purchased service credit shall be the equivalent of service credit earned as an active member of the fund provided the fund receives the total amount of the applicable interest and the total amount of the employer and employee contributions due for the amount of service credit being purchased, as if such person was a member of the fund at the time the contributions were made for the service credit being purchased by the member.

(J) The cost of the service credit available may change if the total amount due is not paid within the stated billing period.

(K) The amount due for the purchased service credit shall be based upon the applicable interest and the total amount of the employer and employee contributions that would have been due the fund, if such person were a member of the fund at the time the contributions were made for the service credit being purchased by the member.

(L) For purposes of this rule, "member" shall have that meaning set forth in division (E) of section 742.01 of the Revised Code and shall include those members who elected disability benefits under former section 742.37 of the Revised Code or section 742.38 of the Revised Code, who did not purchase eligible service credit at the time of his/her acceptance of disability benefits and who later has his/her disability benefit terminated by OP&F in accordance with the provisions of section 742.40 of the Revised Code.

(M) This rule shall only apply to the purchase of civilian service credit and shall not apply to the purchase of military credit.

(N) For purposes of computing the refund according to division (J)(2) of section 742.21 of the Revised Code, OP&F shall calculate the interest based on the actuarial interest assumption rate established by the board of trustees at the time of the refund.

Last updated October 16, 2023 at 12:04 PM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 742.10
Amplifies: 742.21
Five Year Review Date: 6/13/2027
Prior Effective Dates: 11/15/1986, 10/13/2005, 12/10/2009
Rule 742-5-03 | Contributing Service Credit.
 

(A) As used in ths rule:

(1) "Contributing service credit" means service credit earned by a member of the police and fire pension fund ("OP&F") as a result of OP&F receiving employee contributions on salary of that member, as required under section 742.31 of the Revised Code, for full-time contributing service rendered by an OP&F member to a covered employer.

(2) Except as provided in this rule, "full-time contributing service credit" means either of the following:

(a) For a standard forty-hour work week, a member has been compensated for working (including paid leave) a minimum of thirty-seven and a half hours for each week in any normal monthly payroll reporting period; or

(b) For a platoon system (i.e., twenty-four hours then followed by forty-eight hours off), a member has been compensated for working (including paid leave) a minimum of forty-five hours for each week included in any normal monthly payroll reporting period.

(3) "Partial contributing service credit" means prorated service credit allowed for members determined by OP&F to be full-time whose hours of service for each week included in any normal monthly payroll reporting period temporarily falls below "full-time contributing service credit," as defined in paragraph (A)(2) of this rule.

For partial contributing service credit, OP&F shall prorate the service credit by dividing the hours compensated by the regularly reported hours for the monthly payroll reporting period.

(4) "Furlough" means a temporary unpaid leave of absence that occurs between March 9, 2020 and June 30, 2021, which results in a member being paid less than the standard hours set forth in paragraph (A)(2) of this rule.

(B) Not more than twelve months of contributing service credit can be allowed in a calendar year.

(C) Notwithstanding this rule, no person shall be allowed contributing service credit before the date the person becomes a member of OP&F or after the member's effective date of termination or retirement.

(D) In the event of a furlough, the employer shall notify OP&F in writing of the planned furlough, the number of hours members will work, and the duration of the furlough not to exceed six total months in the period. A member shall receive up to a maximum of six months of full-time contributing service credit during the furlough period March 9, 2020 to June 30, 2021, as long as the member is compensated as follows:

(1) If an employer has less than two hundred OP&F members, OP&F will accept a minimum of thirty-two hours out of a standard forty-hour work week or, for a platoon system, thirty-eight hours out of forty-eight hours a week, for each week included in a normal payroll reporting period.

(2) If an employer has two hundred or more OP&F members, the minimum number of hours necessary for full-time contributing service credit will be determined on an ad hoc basis based on the actuarial impact to OP&F.

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 742.10
Amplifies: 742.31, 742.32
Five Year Review Date: 6/25/2025
Prior Effective Dates: 2/5/2000, 4/28/2006, 9/26/2013
Rule 742-5-04 | Military service credit.
 

(A) The first full-time Ohio public service covered under any state or in a municipal retirement system of this state which is subject to purchase or transfer under section 742.21, 742.212, 742.51, 742.511, 742.512, 742.513, 742.514, or 742.515 of the Revised Code, subject to purchase under section 742.23, 742.24, 742.371, 742.375, 742.376, 742.511, or 742.512 of the Revised Code, or subject to redeposit under section 742.371 of the Revised Code, shall be considered "the first year of full-time service in Ohio" covered by any state or municipal retirement system of this state following termination of military service as used in section 742.52 of the Revised Code in reference to the purchase of military service credit.

As used in section 742.52 of the Revised Code, "annual compensation" means the initial annual salary rate for the full-time position used to compute the cost of purchasing credit for military service.

(B) The employer contribution required under section 742.521 of the Revised Code shall be based on the base salary the police officer or fire fighter would have earned had military service not interrupted the member's police or fire service. Base salary is the hourly rate equivalent upon which the overtime compensation rate, if any, is based.

The employer contribution required under section 742.521 of the Revised Code shall not be levied in connection with any credit granted for military service that occurred prior to October 29, 1996.

(C) For purposes of section 742.52 of the Revised Code, a person shall be deemed to be receiving a disability benefit or pension if the person fails to withdraw his/her application, as outlined in rule 742-3-17 of the Administrative Code.

(D) The recovery procedures outlined in division (E)(2) of section 742.52 of the Revised Code shall include, but not be limited to, the recovery procedures outlined in rule 742-3-08 of the Administrative Code.

(E) Prior to September 21, 2000, the nominal method shall be used for the calculation of compounded interest at the rate established by the board of trustees. Beginning on September 21, 2000, the effective method shall be used for the calculation of compounded interest at the rate established by the board of trustees.

Last updated October 16, 2023 at 12:05 PM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 742.10
Amplifies: 742.21, 742.212, 742.23, 742.24, 742.371, 742.375, 742.376, 742.51, 742.511, 742.512, 742.513, 742.514, 742.515, 742.52, 742.521
Five Year Review Date: 1/22/2026
Prior Effective Dates: 3/19/2001
Rule 742-5-06 | Definition of "honorably discharged".
 

As used in sections 742.52 and 742.521 of the Revised Code, the phrase "honorably discharged" shall be construed to mean the favorable character of service status given by the department of defense or the national guard, as the case may be, for the member's service in the armed forces of the united states, as defined in sections 742.52 and 742.521 of the Revised Code, whether characterized as honorable or general (under honorable conditions).

Last updated October 16, 2023 at 12:05 PM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 742.10
Amplifies: 742.52
Five Year Review Date: 6/13/2027
Prior Effective Dates: 7/20/1981
Rule 742-5-07 | Service credit purchases and transfers.
 

(A) For purposes of sections 742.21 and 742.251 of the Revised Code, a "purchase" shall mean that the Ohio police and fire pension fund ("OP&F") member withdrew his/her contributions from the applicable retirement system or out-of-state or local government and a "transfer" shall mean that the OP&F member maintained his/her contributions with the applicable retirement system.

(B) For purposes of divisions (B) and (C) of section 742.21 of the Revised Code, "amount withdrawn" shall mean contributions paid by the member to the applicable retirement system for service credit, which are later withdrawn from that retirement system by the member, but shall not include interest paid to the member on such contributions by the withdrawing retirement system. In no event, however, shall this definition impact OP&F's right to the payment of interest according to that section the Revised Code.

(C) For purposes of determining whether an OP&F member is not receiving a pension or benefit payment, as outlined in sections 742.21 and 742.251 of the Revised Code, OP&F will rely upon its books and records.

(D) For purposes of determining "full-time service," OP&F shall request the employer and the member to certify the full-time service, but in any event, OP&F will determine that the contributing credit was for "full-time service." In order for the service to be "full-time", as provided for in divisions (A) and (B) of section 742.01 of the Revised Code: (1) the service credit to be purchased or transferred must have been rendered while employed in a full-time public position; and (2) the individual must meet the criteria for "full-time contributing service," as outlined in rule 742-5-03 of the Administrative Code. OP&F will prorate service credit for a member if the overall service is determined by OP&F to be full-time for occasions when the member failed to be compensated the minimum number of hours per week as set forth in paragraph (A)(2) of rule 742-5-03 of the Administrative Code.

(E) As required by section 742.21 of the Revised Code, in no event can credit be purchased or directly transferred for employment in a part-time position. For purposes of meeting the definition of "full-time service" in section 742.21 of the Revised Code and this rule, periods of service in part-time positions cannot be combined to equal "full-time service."

(F) Credit may not be purchased or directly transferred for periods of employment concurrent with any employment for which the member has already received OP&F service credit.

(G) Subject to the other provisions of this rule, an OP&F member who is not receiving a pension or benefit payment from OP&F may purchase qualifying service credit for periods of full-time service in a full-time public position as a member of a state or municipal retirement system in the state of Ohio, provided that such service credit has been canceled by the system in which it was earned.

(H) Subject to the provisions of section 742.251 of the Revised Code and the other provisions of this rule, an OP&F member who is not receiving a pension or benefit payment from OP&F may purchase qualifying service credit for periods of full-time service in a full-time public position as an employee of an entity of an out-of-state or local government, or of an entity of the United States government, provided that such service credit is not used in the calculation of any public or private retirement benefit, other than federal social security benefits.

A member who chooses to purchase service credit under this paragraph rather than transferring the qualifying service credit under paragraph (I) of this rule is entitled to be granted service credit for periods of active duty military service, as provided for in section 742.521 of the Revised Code.

(I) To initiate the transfer of eligible service credit to OP&F under section 742.21 of the Revised Code, the member shall initiate the request with the transferring retirement system. Within a reasonable time from OP&F's receipt of the ledger of contributions and the employer address from the transferring system, OP&F will send a transfer packet to the member containing a certification to be completed and signed by the member and a certification to be completed by the employer where the service credit that is being transferred was earned. The certification forms should be returned together to OP&F. Upon receipt of this information, OP&F will then review the certifications and ledger information and notify the transferring system of the eligible service credit that should be transferred pursuant to section 742.21 of the Revised Code. In the event that the transferring system transfers monies to OP&F without OP&F's review and approval, OP&F reserves the right to reject service credit that does not meet the criteria for "full-time," as outlined in this rule.

(J) To initiate the purchase of eligible service credit from OP&F, the member shall notify OP&F to request a cost to purchase the service credit. Within a reasonable time period of such notice, OP&F will send the member a purchase packet containing a certification to be completed and signed by the member and a certification to be completed by the member's employer(s) where the purchasable service credit was earned. The certification forms should be returned together to OP&F. Notwithstanding these certifications, OP&F will review the documentation and determine if the service is "full-time," as required by section 742.21 of the Revised Code, and as more fully outlined in this rule. Once OP&F determines the service credit meets the statutory and administrative requirements, OP&F will provide the eligible member with a cost statement. Once the member purchases the service credit, OP&F will bill the former system for monies associated with the purchase, as required by section 742.21 of the Revised Code. In the event that the former system pays the monies to OP&F without OP&F's review and approval, OP&F reserves the right to reject service credit that does not meet the criteria for "full-time," as outlined in this rule.

(K) For purposes of division (K) of section 742.21 of the Revised Code, purchased service credit not only includes purchased service credit, but it shall also include service credit transferred by the Cincinnati retirement system, a non-uniform retirement system, or the other uniform retirement system to OP&F.

(L) The interest rate charged for the purchase of civilian service credit shall be the actuarial interest assumption adopted by the board.

Last updated October 16, 2023 at 12:05 PM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 742.10
Amplifies: 742.21, 742.251
Five Year Review Date: 6/4/2026
Prior Effective Dates: 2/22/2002, 11/3/2003
Rule 742-5-08 | Service credit purchases by payroll deduction.
 

(A) A member of Ohio police and fire pension fund ("OP&F") may purchase any type of service credit through payroll deduction that a member is eligible to purchase under any provisions of Chapter 742. of the Revised Code, including but not limited to, sections 742.21 (service credit earned for full-time service as member of state or municipal retirement system, 742.221 (conditions to receive credit for time spent on pregnancy or medical disability leave), 742.23 (credit to police officers for service time as firefighters), 742.24 (credit to firefighters for service time as police officers), 742.27 (credit for lay off period), 742.371 (redeposit of withdrawn contributions), 742.375 (credit for service as a member of the state highway patrol retirement system), 742.376 (credit for service as a full-time member of a police or fire department prior to January 1, 1967), 742.52 (purchase of credit for military service), and 742.521 (granting of credit for military service) of the Revised Code.

(B) Upon a member's request to OP&F to purchase service credit by payroll deduction for service credit the member is eligible to purchase pursuant to section 742.56 of the Revised Code and this rule, OP&F will prepare an authorization form which states the following:

(1) The service to be purchased, including the total months of service and the type of service;

(2) The total cost of the service credit to be purchased through payroll deduction;

(3) An authorization from the member to make the total number of payroll deductions in the stated amount, starting with the proposed start date and ending on the proposed completion date; provided, however, that the payroll deduction cannot exceed the member's net compensation after all deductions and withholdings required by law.

(C) If the member wishes to complete the payroll plan referenced in paragraph (B) of this rule, the member must sign, and cause his or her employer to sign, the authorization form prepared by OP&F and return the form to OP&F. The member shall provide his or her employer with a copy of the authorization form in a timely manner so that the employer can properly implement the payroll deduction plan elected by the member.

(D) The procedure to be followed by OP&F in determining the total cost of the eligible service credit to be purchased by an OP&F member through a payroll deduction will be based upon the assumption that the purchase is to be made in a single lump-sum payment on the proposed date of the completion of the purchase, with the total cost then being divided by the number of payroll periods between the proposed start and the proposed completion date of the payroll deduction in order to yield a level amount of the deduction, which is all based upon the member's original request.

(E) As required by section 742.56 of the Revised Code, OP&F will certify the amount to the employer through a monthly billing the amount of each deduction and the payrolls from which deductions are to be made. The employer shall forward that payroll deduction to OP&F so that the applicable payroll deduction and the payroll deduction statement are received by OP&F by the close of business on the last business day of the following month, excluding any legal holidays, consistent with the reporting requirements in section 742.32 of the Revised Code. The employer's payroll deduction statement shall be accompanied by a completed OP&F recap form, as referenced in rule 742-9-17 of the Administrative Code.

(F) For purposes of assessing the penalties prescribed by section 742.352 of the Revised Code and rule 742-8-07 of the Administrative Code for all filings due OP&F under section 742.56 of the Revised Code, OP&F shall take the following course of action:

(1) No payroll deduction report/no payroll deduction. If the required payroll deduction prescribed by section 742.56 of the Revised Code is not made in accordance with the deadline outlined in such section and no payroll deduction report is filed with OP&F in accordance with the deadline outlined in such section, OP&F shall assess the penalties prescribed by section 742.352 of the Revised Code and rule 742-8-07 of the Administrative Code.

(2) Payroll deduction report/no payroll deduction. If the required payroll deduction report prescribed by section 742.56 of the Revised Code is filed with OP&F in accordance with the deadline outlined in such section, but the proper payroll deduction is not paid to OP&F in accordance with the deadline outlined in such section, OP&F shall assess the penalties prescribed by section 742.352 of the Revised Code and rule 742-8-07 of the Administrative Code.

(3) No payroll deduction report/payroll deduction. If the required payroll deduction report prescribed by section 742.56 of the Revised Code is not filed with OP&F in accordance with the deadline outlined in such section, but a payroll deduction is made with OP&F in accordance with the deadline outlined in such section, OP&F shall assess the penalties prescribed by section 742.352 of the Revised Code.

(4) All other cases, the following shall apply:

(a) Non-conforming payroll deduction report. OP&F shall initially give verbal notice to the employer of the non-conforming nature of the report and allow the employer to have an opportunity to take corrective actions to cure such deficiencies within thirty days of OP&F's verbal notice of deficiency. If the employer has not submitted a writing to OP&F that properly addresses the noted deficiencies by Friday of the week in which OP&F gave the verbal notice, OP&F shall then send a written notice to the employer of the non-conforming nature of the report and allow the employer to still have an opportunity to take the corrective actions identified in the written notice from OP&F within thirty days of OP&F's initial verbal notice (referred to herein as the "cure period"), and the following shall apply:

(i) If the employer files a corrected payroll deduction report and such report is received by OP&F on or before the expiration of the cure period, no penalties will be assessed by OP&F against the employer.

(ii) If OP&F does not receive from the employer a corrected payroll deduction report, as noted in OP&F's written notice to the employer, on or before the expiration of such cure period, then OP&F will assess the penalties prescribed by section 742.352 of the Revised Code and rule 742-8-07 of the Administrative Code, beginning the day after the expiration of the cure period.

(b) In all other situations, OP&F will notify the employer in writing of the employer's failure to comply with the provisions of section 742.56 of the Revised Code and allow the employer to take the corrective actions identified in the written notice from OP&F within thirty days of OP&F's initial verbal notice (referred to herein as the "cure period"), and the following shall apply:

(i) If the employer files a correct payroll deduction report and such report is received by OP&F on or before the expiration of the cure period, no penalties will be assessed by OP&F against the employer.

(ii) If OP&F does not receive from the employer the proper payroll deduction report, as noted in OP&F's written notice to the employer, on or before the expiration of such cure period, then OP&F will assess the penalties prescribed by section 742.352 of the Revised Code and rule 742-8-07 of the Administrative Code, beginning the day after the expiration of the cure period.

(5) Even with the cure period, the employer will still be assessed any statutory fines for late filings and/or payments, as the case may be under the applicable statutory provision.

(6) This rule shall apply once the payment and/or report has been filed with OP&F and shall not limit any other remedies available to OP&F by law.

(G) Upon receipt of the applicable monthly payroll deduction, as certified by OP&F, OP&F will grant the service credit to the member based on the percentage of the service credit for which the member is eligible to receive multiplied by the ratio of the amount actually received by OP&F divided by the total amount due OP&F pursuant to section 742.56 of the Revised Code and this rule.

(H) All payroll deduction plans may last no longer than sixty months, or if less, the period of service to be purchased.

(I) No member may participate in more than one payroll deduction plan to purchase service credit provided for in section 742.56 of the Revised Code and this rule, even though the payroll deduction plan may include various types of service credit.

(J) Tax deferred payroll deduction plans (i.e. pick-up plans) shall be irrevocable and may only be terminated upon the member's termination of employment with the employer who is implementing the member's payroll deduction plan.

(K) Except for tax deferred payroll deduction plans (i.e. pick-up plans), a member can increase or decrease the member's payroll deduction by written notice to the member's employer and OP&F, except that in no event shall a deduction be decreased to less than an amount specified by OP&F in a board policy or the current month's interest, whichever is greater.

(L) OP&F will not treat a member who is purchasing credit pursuant to this rule with amounts designated by the employer as picked-up contributions under section 414(h)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C.A. 414(h)(2) unless the employer certifies in writing the tax deferred status of the payroll deduction plan as part of the employee's enrollment in the payroll deduction plan. OP&F will rely upon certification in determining the taxability of benefits due the member, as outlined in rule 742-9-14 of the Administrative Code. In the event that the employer fails to provide such certification, then OP&F will treat the payroll deduction plan as a regular non-tax deferred payroll deduction plan. In all events, it shall be the responsibility of the employer to establish the tax deferred payroll deduction plan, as required by the applicable terms of the Internal Revenue Code. Employers that wish to pay all or part of the voluntary contributions for the purchase of service credit through payroll deductions shall submit the standard resolution in the form adopted by OP&F's board of trustees, as required by rule 742-7-14 of the Administrative Code.

(M) For members who are purchasing credit pursuant to this rule with amounts designated by the employer as picked-up contributions under section 414(h)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C.A. 414(h)(2), such members cannot do any of the following:

(1) Decrease or increase the payroll deduction;

(2) Terminate the payroll deduction, unless the member has terminated employment with such employer or all of the service credit has been purchased through the applicable payroll deduction plan; or

(3) Make a partial payment for the purchase of service credit outlined in this rule.

(N) For members who are purchasing credit pursuant to this rule with amounts designated by the employer as picked-up contributions under section 414(h)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, 26 U.S.C.A. 414(h)(2), the employer cannot decrease, increase, or terminate such payroll deduction unless the member has terminated employment or all of the service credit has been purchased through the applicable payroll deduction plan.

(O) Except for tax deferred payroll deduction plans (i.e. a pick-up plan), a payroll deduction plan may be terminated upon any of the following events:

(1) The failure of the employer to forward to OP&F the monthly payroll deduction for three consecutive months, with the termination being effective the first month in which the employer failed to forward the deduction to OP&F without any further action on the part of the employee, the employer or OP&F;

(2) Upon the member's termination of employment with the employer who is implementing the member's payroll deduction plan;

(3) In cases where a payroll deduction exceeds the member's net pay after all deductions and withholdings required by law; or

(4) When the payroll deductions received by OP&F equal the total cost of the eligible service credit, as originally outlined in OP&F's authorization form signed by the member.

(P) On early termination of the payroll deduction plan, the member will be credited with a proportion of the service to be purchased equal to the proportion of time the payroll deduction plan became effective to the time the payroll deduction plan was scheduled to complete the purchase. In addition, OP&F will provide written notice of such termination to the member.

Last updated January 3, 2024 at 2:00 PM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 742.10
Amplifies: 742.10, 742.21, 742.221, 742.23, 742.24, 742.27, 742.32, 742.371, 742.375, 742.376, 742.52, 742.521, 742.56
Five Year Review Date: 10/25/2028
Prior Effective Dates: 12/29/1986, 6/24/2001
Rule 742-5-09 | Purchase of lay-off service credit.
 

(A) Upon a member's request to purchase service credit for any period during which the member was laid off, OP&F shall provide the member with certification forms to be completed by both the member and the member's employer where the period of lay-off occurred. The member shall certify all of the following information to OP&F:

(1) The date that he or she was removed from active service as a result of an involuntary lay-off;

(2) The name of the employer that laid the member off;

(3) The date that the member returned to full-time service; and

(4) That, during the period of lay-off, the member did not render any service that is used in the calculation of any public or private retirement benefit, except any federal social security retirement benefit.

(B) The employer shall certify all of the following to OP&F:

(1) That the member was hired into a full-time position;

(2) That the member was involuntarily laid off from the full-time position;

(3) The last day the member worked prior to the involuntary lay-off;

(4) The first day the member worked after the involuntary lay-off; and

(5) The total gross wages subject to retirement contributions the member would have received had he or she not been laid off.

(C) The member service credit purchase certification form and the employer service credit purchase certification form, last modified June 12, 2013, can be found on OP&F's website, www.op-f.org. Notwithstanding these certifications, OP&F will review the documentation and determine the member's eligibility to purchase the service credit. If the member is eligible to purchase the lay-off credit, OP&F shall provide the member with a cost statement to purchase the service credit.

(D) For purposes of division (C) of section 742.27 of the Revised Code, the "additional liability" to OP&F resulting from the purchase of lay-off credit shall be the amount that the member and his or her employer would have contributed during the lay-off period, including interest. The amount of the contributions shall be based upon the salary that the member would have earned had there not been an interruption in service. Interest shall be calculated at OP&Fs actuarially assumed interest rate and compounded annually based on the effective method of calculating interest from the date the member returned to full-time active service to the date that OP&F receives payment for the lay-off service credit.

(E) Service credit for lay-off time shall be purchased in increments of one-year periods, unless the period of lay-off is less than one year. If the lay-off period is less than one year, then the purchase shall be for the full amount of the lay-off time. If the member submits a payment that is less than the full amount of the cost statement, OP&F shall prorate the amount of lay-off service credit. The prorated amount of service credit will be determined by dividing the amount received by the total amount due, then multiplying the result by the amount of service credit the cost was calculated for.

Last updated February 5, 2024 at 11:07 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 742.10
Amplifies: 742.27
Five Year Review Date: 1/28/2024
Rule 742-5-11 | Definition of concurrent service.
 

For purposes of division (G) of section 742.21 of the Revised Code and division (F) of section 742.212 of the Revised Code, the term "service rendered concurrently" shall mean service credit earned in another retirement system during the same time period in which the police and fire pension fund has granted or will grant service credit to such member.

Last updated April 18, 2023 at 8:27 AM

Supplemental Information

Authorized By: 742.10
Amplifies: 742.21
Five Year Review Date: 1/27/2028
Prior Effective Dates: 12/6/2002