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Buying Back Your Service Credit

For any period of employment in which you may have forfeited, you have 60 days after your rehire date to notify CERF if you want to repurchase that service. The CERF Administrative Office can advise you of the cost to purchase the service. You can purchase the service with a single payment or elect to have monthly installments deducted from your paycheck. Whether a single payment or monthly installments, these payments are made on an after-tax basis and will not reduce your taxable income.

If you terminate employment before you finish buying back a period of service, you will receive credit for the period only if you make a lump-sum payment for the unpaid balance within 60 days of your termination date. If you die before the balance is satisfied, your spouse will have the opportunity to make a lump-sum payment on the outstanding balance.

If you leave employment before you become vested, and after 30 days are rehired by a county into an eligible position, you will have to complete eight years of continuous service from your date of rehire to be eligible for a retirement benefit from CERF. However, if you terminate employment with the county and are rehired in an eligible position by the same or different participating county within 30 days, your service will be treated as continuous and your original hire date will be the date used when determining your eight years of vesting.