Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Chapter 53 - Membership, Credited Service, Classes of Service, and Eligibility for Benefits
Section 5306 - Classes of service

(a) Class A and Class A-3 membership.--
(1) A State employee who is a member of Class A on the effective date of this part or who first becomes a member of the system subsequent to the effective date of this part and before January 1, 2011, or before December 1, 2010, as a member of the General Assembly, shall be classified as a Class A member and receive credit for Class A service upon payment of regular and additional member contributions for Class A service, provided that the State employee does not become a member of Class AA pursuant to subsection (a.1) or a member of Class D-4 pursuant to subsection (a.2) or a member of Class A-5 or Class A-6 or solely a participant in the plan under section 5306.5 (relating to election by active members to become a Class A-5 member, Class A-6 member or plan participant).
(2) A State employee who first becomes a member of the system on or after January 1, 2011, or on or after December 1, 2010, as a member of the General Assembly and before January 1, 2019, shall be classified as a Class A-3 member and receive credit for Class A-3 service upon payment of regular member contributions and shared-risk member contributions for Class A-3 service provided that the State employee does not become a member of Class A-4 pursuant to subsection (a.3) or a member of Class A-5 or Class A-6 or solely a participant in the plan under section 5306.5, except that a member of the judiciary shall be classified as a member of such other class of service for which the member of the judiciary is eligible, shall elect and make regular member contributions unless the member of the judiciary becomes a member of Class A-5 or Class A-6 or solely a participant in the plan under section 5306.5.
(3) A State employee who first becomes a member of the system on or after January 1, 2011, or on or after December 1, 2010, as a member of the General Assembly, and a Class A-5 exempt employee on or after January 1, 2019, shall receive credit for all service as a Class A-5 exempt employee as a member of Class A-3 upon payment of the required member contributions and shall not be eligible to be a member of Class A-5 or Class A-6 or a participant in the plan for such service. Notwithstanding the provisions of a binding arbitration award issued before July 1, 1989, under the act of June 24, 1968 (P.L.237, No.111), referred to as the Policemen and Firemen Collective Bargaining Act, and implemented by the board, all other State service shall be credited in the system or in the plan as otherwise provided under this part. Class A-3 service provided for under this paragraph shall be subject to an election to be credited as Class A-4 provided that the State employee has not previously had the opportunity to elect Class A-3 service and failed to do so.
(a.1) Class AA membership.--
(1) A person who becomes a State employee and an active member of the system after June 30, 2001, and who first became an active member before January 1, 2011, or before December 1, 2010, as a member of the General Assembly, and who is not a State police officer and not employed in a position for which a class of service other than Class A is credited or could be elected shall be classified as a Class AA member and receive credit for Class AA State service upon payment of regular member contributions for Class AA service, provided that the State employee does not become a member of Class A-5 or Class A-6 or solely a participant in the plan under section 5306.5, and, subject to the limitations contained in paragraph (7), if previously a member of Class A or previously employed in a position for which Class A service could have been earned, shall have all Class A State service (other than State service performed as a State police officer or for which a class of service other than Class A was earned or could have been elected) classified as Class AA service.
(2) A person who is a State employee on June 30, 2001, and July 1, 2001, but is not an active member of the system because membership in the system is optional or prohibited pursuant to section 5301 (relating to mandatory and optional membership in the system and participation in the plan) and who first becomes an active member after June 30, 2001, and before January 1, 2011, or before December 1, 2010, as a member of the General Assembly, and who is not a State police officer and not employed in a position for which a class of service other than Class A is credited or could be elected shall be classified as a Class AA member and receive credit for Class AA State service upon payment of regular member contributions for Class AA service, provided that the State employee does not become a member of Class A-5 or Class A-6 or solely a participant in the plan under section 5306.5, and, subject to the limitations contained in paragraph (7), if previously a member of Class A or previously employed in a position for which Class A service could have been earned, shall have all Class A State service (other than State service performed as a State Police officer or for which a class of service other than Class A was earned or could have been elected) classified as Class AA service.
(3) Provided that an election to become a Class AA member is made pursuant to section 5306.1 (relating to election to become a Class AA member), a State employee, other than a State employee who is a State police officer on or after July 1, 1989, who on June 30, 2001, and July 1, 2001, is:
(i) a member of Class A, other than a member of Class A who could have elected membership in a Class C, Class D-3, Class E-1 or Class E-2; or
(ii) an inactive member on a leave without pay from a position in which the State employee would be a Class A active member if the employee was not on leave without pay, other than a position in which the State employee could elect membership in Class C, Class D-3, Class E-1 or Class E-2;
shall be classified as a Class AA member and receive credit for Class AA State service performed after June 30, 2001, upon payment of regular member contributions for Class AA service, provided that the State employee does not become a member of Class A-5 or Class A-6 or solely a participant in the plan under section 5306.5, and, subject to the limitations contained in paragraph (7), shall receive Class AA service credit for all Class A State service, other than State service performed as a State police officer or as a State employee in a position for which the member could have elected membership in Class C, Class D-3, Class E-1 or Class E-2, performed before July 1, 2001.
(4) Provided that an election to become a Class AA member is made pursuant to section 5306.1, a former State employee, other than a former State employee who was a State police officer on or after July 1, 1989, who on June 30, 2001, and July 1, 2001, is a multiple service member and a school employee and a member of the Public School Employees' Retirement System, subject to the limitations contained in paragraph (7), shall receive Class AA service credit for all Class A State service, other than State service performed as a State police officer or as a State employee in a position in which the former State employee could have elected a class of service other than Class A, performed before July 1, 2001.
(5) A former State employee who first becomes a member before January 1, 2011, or before December 1, 2010, as a member of the General Assembly, other than a former State employee who was a State police officer on or after July 1, 1989, who is a school employee and who on or after July 1, 2001, becomes a multiple service member, subject to the limitations contained in paragraph (7), shall receive Class AA service credit for all Class A State service other than State service performed as a State employee in a position in which the former State employee could have elected a class of service other than Class A.
(6) A State employee who after June 30, 2001, becomes a State police officer or a member of the judiciary shall retain any Class AA service credited prior to becoming a State police officer or being so employed but shall be ineligible to receive Class AA credit thereafter and instead shall receive Class A credit for service as a member of the judiciary if the State employee first becomes a member of the system before January 1, 2019, and the member of the judiciary does not become a member of Class A-5 or Class A-6 or solely a participant in the plan under section 5306.5 or if he first became a member before January 1, 2011, or December 1, 2010, as a member of the General Assembly, or Class A-3 credit for service other than as a member of the judiciary and he first became a member on or after January 1, 2011, or December 1, 2010, as a member of the General Assembly, if the nonjudicial service is service as a Class A-5 exempt employee, or Class A-5 service credit, Class A-6 service credit or solely as a participant in the plan if the nonjudicial service is as a member who elected to become a member of Class A-5 or Class A-6 or solely a participant of the plan under section 5306.5, or the State employee first became a member on or after January 1, 2019, and the service is not as a Class A-5 exempt employee, unless a class of membership other than Class A is elected.
(7) (i) State service performed as Class A service before July 1, 2001, and State service for which Class A service could have been credited but was not credited because membership in the system was optional or prohibited pursuant to section 5301 shall be credited as Class AA service only upon the completion of all acts necessary for the State service to be credited as Class A service had this subsection not been enacted and upon payment of required Class AA member contributions as provided in section 5504 (relating to member contributions for the purchase of credit for previous State service or to become a full coverage member).
(ii) A person who is not a State employee or a school employee on June 30, 2001, and July 1, 2001, and who has previous State service (except a disability annuitant who returns to State service after June 30, 2001, upon termination of the disability annuity) shall not receive Class AA service credit for State service performed before July 1, 2001, until such person becomes an active member, or an active member of the Public School Employees' Retirement System and a multiple service member, and earns three eligibility points by performing credited State service or credited school service after June 30, 2001.
(a.2) Class of membership for members of the General Assembly.--
(1) A person who:
(i) becomes a member of the General Assembly and an active member of the system after June 30, 2001, and before December 1, 2010; or
(ii) is a member of the General Assembly on July 1, 2001, but is not an active member of the system because membership in the system is optional pursuant to section 5301 and who becomes an active member after June 30, 2001, and before December 1, 2010;
and who was not a State police officer on or after July 1, 1989, shall be classified as a Class D-4 member and receive credit as a Class D-4 member for all State service as a member of the system as a member of the General Assembly that is not performed as a member who elected to become a member of Class A-5 or Class A-6 or solely a participant in the plan under section 5306.5 upon payment of regular member contributions for Class D-4 service and, subject to the limitations contained in subsection (a.1)(7), if previously a member of Class A or employed in a position for which Class A service could have been earned, shall receive Class AA service credit for all Class A State service, other than State service performed as a State police officer or for which a class of service other than Class A or Class D-4 was or could have been elected or credited.
(2) Provided an election to become a Class D-4 member is made pursuant to section 5306.2 (relating to elections by members of the General Assembly), a State employee who was not a State police officer on or after July 1, 1989, who on July 1, 2001, is a member of the General Assembly and an active member of the system and not a member of Class D-3 shall be classified as a Class D-4 member and receive credit as a Class D-4 member for all State service as a member of the system performed as a member of the General Assembly that is not performed as a member who elected to become a member of Class A-5 or Class A-6 or solely a participant in the plan under section 5306.5 and not credited as another class other than Class A upon payment of regular member contributions for Class D-4 service and, subject to the limitations contained in paragraph (a.1)(7), shall receive Class AA service credit for all Class A State service, other than State service performed as a State police officer or as a State employee in a position in which the member could have elected a class of service other than Class A, performed before July 1, 2001.
(3) A member of the General Assembly who after June 30, 2001, becomes a State police officer shall retain any Class AA service or Class D-4 service credited prior to becoming a State police officer or being so employed but shall be ineligible to receive Class AA or Class D-4 credit thereafter and instead shall receive Class A credit or Class A-3 credit if he first becomes a member of the system on or after January 1, 2011, and before January 1, 2019, or as a Class A-5 exempt employee, and Class A-5 or Class A-6 credit if he first becomes a member of the system on or after January 1, 2019, and is not a Class A-5 exempt employee.
(4) Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, no service as a member of the General Assembly performed before December 1, 2010, that is not credited as Class D-4 service on November 30, 2010, shall be credited as Class D-4 service, unless such service was previously credited in the system as Class D-4 service and the member withdrew his total accumulated deductions as provided in section 5311 (relating to eligibility for refunds) or 5701 (relating to return of total accumulated deductions). No service as a member of the General Assembly performed on or after December 1, 2010, shall be credited as Class D-4 service unless the member previously was credited with Class D-4 service credits.
(a.3) Class A-4 membership.--Provided that an election to become a Class A-4 member is made pursuant to section 5306.3 (relating to election to become a Class A-4 member), a State employee who first becomes a member before January 1, 2019, or is a Class A-5 exempt employee who otherwise would be a member of Class A-3 shall be classified as a Class A-4 member and receive Class A-4 credit for all creditable State service performed after the effective date of membership in the system, except as a member of the judiciary or as a member who elected to become a member of Class A-5 or Class A-6 or solely a participant in the plan if the employee first becomes a member before January 1, 2019, and for all creditable State service performed as a Class A-5 exempt employee if the employee first becomes a member on or after January 1, 2019, upon payment of regular member contributions and shared-risk member contributions for Class A-4 service.
(a.4) Class A-5 membership.--A State employee who first becomes a member of the system on or after January 1, 2019, other than as a Class A-5 exempt employee, and who does not make an election to be a member of Class A-6 or an election to be solely a participant in the plan under section 5306.4 (relating to election to become a Class A-6 member or solely a participant in the plan), shall be classified as a Class A-5 member and receive credit for Class A-5 service for service other than as a Class A-5 exempt employee upon payment of regular member contributions and shared-risk member contributions for Class A-5 service. A Class A-5 exempt employee who first becomes a member of the system on or after January 1, 2019, shall be classified in the applicable class other than Class A-5 for service performed as a Class A-5 exempt employee and classified as a Class A-5 member for any service performed in a position or office other than as a Class A-5 exempt employee, notwithstanding the provisions of a binding arbitration award issued before July 1, 1989, under the Policemen and Firemen Collective Bargaining Act, and implemented by the board. A State employee who elects Class A-5 membership under section 5306.5 shall be classified as a Class A-5 member and receive credit for Class A-5 service upon payment of regular member contributions and shared-risk member contributions for Class A-5 without regard to any other class of service the State employee might have been at any time before the election under section 5306.5.
(a.5) Class A-6 membership.--Provided that an election to become a Class A-6 member is made pursuant to section 5306.4, a State employee who otherwise would be a member of Class A-5 shall be classified as a Class A-6 member and receive Class A-6 credit for all creditable State service performed after the effective date of membership in the system, except as a Class A-5 exempt employee, upon payment of regular member contributions and shared-risk member contributions for Class A-6 service. A State employee who elects Class A-6 membership under section 5306.5 shall be classified as a Class A-6 member and receive credit for Class A-6 service upon payment of regular member contributions and shared-risk member contributions for Class A-6 without regard to any other class of service the State employee might have been at any time before the election under section 5306.5.
(b) Other class membership.--
(1) A State employee who is a member of a class of service other than Class A on the effective date of this part shall retain his membership in that class until such service is discontinued; any service thereafter shall be credited as Class A service, Class AA service or Class D-4 service as provided for in this section.
(2) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, a State employee whose first period of State service began before January 1, 2019, is appointed an arraignment court magistrate of the Philadelphia Municipal Court under 42 Pa.C.S. § 1123(a)(5) (relating to jurisdiction and venue) and is eligible to be a member of the system as an arraignment court magistrate may, within 30 days of the effective date of this sentence or within 30 days of his initial appointment as an arraignment court magistrate, whichever is later, elect Class E-2 service credit for service performed as an arraignment court magistrate until the termination of State service. The class of service multiplier for E-2 service as an arraignment court magistrate shall be 1.5.
(c) Class membership for county service.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), county service that is converted to State service pursuant to section 5303.1 (relating to election to convert county service to State service) shall be credited as the following class of service:
Class of service in a county of the
second class A, third class, fourth
class, fifth class, sixth class,
seventh class or eighth class
maintaining a retirement system or
pension plan under the act of August
31, 1971 (P.L.398, No.96), known as
the County Pension Law
System Class of
Service
Class 1-120 G
Class 1-100 H
Class 1-80 I
Class 1-70 J
Class 1-60 K
Rate of accrual of benefit for each
year of service in a county of the
first class or second class or
credited in the Pennsylvania
Municipal Retirement System
System Class of
Service
.833% G
1.00% H
1.250% I
1.428% J
1.667% K
2.000% L
2.200% M
2.500% N
(d) Class of service for converted school service and nonschool service.--If a member elects to convert credited service from the Public School Employees' Retirement System to the system pursuant to section 5303.2 (relating to election to convert school service to State service), then Class T-C school service and all nonschool service credited in the Public School Employees' Retirement System shall be converted to credited service in the system and credited as Class A State service or nonstate service respectively, and Class T-D school service credited in the Public School Employees' Retirement System shall be converted to credited service in the system and credited as Class AA State service.
(e) Ineligibility for classes of service.--An individual who is or was a State employee on or before January 1, 2019, but is not and was not a member of the system on or before January 1, 2019, or who first becomes a State employee on or after January 1, 2019, shall be ineligible for active membership in the system other than as a member of Class A-5 or Class A-6, or the several classes of State service for service performed as a Class A-5 exempt employee as otherwise provided for under this section. Any such State employee, if eligible, may be a participant in the plan as a result of such State service.
(July 22, 1983, P.L.104, No.31, eff. imd.; June 22, 1999, P.L.75, No.12, eff. imd.; May 17, 2001, P.L.26, No.9, eff. July 1, 2001; Apr. 23, 2002, P.L.272, No.38, eff. imd.; Dec. 10, 2003, P.L.228, No.40, eff. 45 days; Nov. 29, 2006, P.L.1628, No.188, eff. imd.; Nov. 23, 2010, P.L.1269, No.120, eff. imd.; June 12, 2017, P.L.11, No.5, eff. imd.)

2017 Amendment. Act 5 amended subsecs. (a), (a.1), (a.2), (a.3) and (b)(2) and added subsecs. (a.4), (a.5) and (e).
2006 Amendment. Act 188 amended subsec. (b). See sections 2 and 3(2) of Act 188 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to liability for additional benefits and applicability.
2002 Amendment. Act 38 added subsec. (d).
1999 Amendment. Act 12 added subsec. (c).
1983 Amendment. See section 10 of Act 31 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to waiver of actuarial note requirement for retirement bills.
References in Text. Section 9 of Act 98 of 2008 provided that references in other law to a bail commissioner shall be deemed to be a reference to an arraignment court magistrate.
Cross References. Section 5306 is referred to in sections 5303, 5303.2, 5304, 5706 of this title.