Service Credit Purchases

Service Credit Purchases

Overview
Service Credit Purchases

If you are eligible to purchase Service Credit, doing so may count toward your retirement eligibility and may increase your retirement allowance and health subsidy. Please note that the processing time for service credit purchase applications is 4 to 11 months (see timeline here). LACERS offers the following Service Purchase options:

Government Service Buybacks (GSB) 

  • Tier 1 and Tier 3 Members
  • Full-time employment with other governmental entities 
  • Uncompensated maternity leave from the City 

To apply to purchase GSB Service Credit for service other than uncompensated maternity leaves, complete a Certification of Service form and return it to LACERS. Allow for sufficient time when submitting your application since information provided in the form requires verification by other government and retirement agencies.

For purchases of military time, you will need to submit an original Form DD214 or a copy certified by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Certification of Service

For purchases of uncompensated maternity leaves, complete a Certification of Uncompensated Maternity Leave form and return it to LACERS. You will need to submit a copy of the corresponding birth certificate for each maternity leave of absence.

Certification of Uncompensated Maternity Leave

Public Service Buybacks (PSB)

  • Tier 1 Members Only
  • Approved leaves without pay from the City 
  • Service Credit lost to a Divorce or Dissolution of Domestic Partnership 

To apply for a PSB purchase, complete and submit the Application to Purchase Public Service form.

Application to Purchase Public Service

Back Contributions 

  • Tier 1 and Tier 3 Members
  • Part-time or temporary City employment when not a LACERS member 
  • Workers’ Compensation temporary disability time 

To apply to make a Back Contribution to purchase Service Credit for times of participation in the PSP, complete Section (B) of the Application to Purchase Previous City Service form and return it to LACERS. 

Application to Purchase Previous City Service

Re-deposits 

  • Tier 1 and Tier 3 Members
  • Re-depositing previously withdrawn contributions after returning to City employment 

To apply for a Re-deposit, complete Section (A) of the Application to Purchase Previous City Service form and return it to LACERS. 

Hiring Hall Service Purchase

  • Hiring Hall City Employment while not a LACERS Member or making contributions to LACERS

To apply to purchase Hiring Hall time, complete Section B of the Application to Purchase Previous City Service form, and return it to LACERS with a notarized Certification For Hiring Hall Service Purchase form.

You must also submit a signed and notarized Certification For Hiring Hall Service Purchase Form declaring under penalty of perjury that you are not currently receiving a retirement benefit and you are not entitled to receive a retirement benefit in the future from the Hiring Hall Union Plan (even if you go back and earn sufficient vesting credits). In addition to your certification, this document will require a full certification by an authorized representative of your Hiring Hall Union Plan.

A waiver must be received from the Union Plan stating that you would never qualify to receive future benefits from the Hiring Hall Union Plan.

Certification for Hiring Hall Service Purchase

Applications and Information Sheets

Application Forms

Application to Purchase Public Service
Application to Purchase Previous City Service
Certification of Service
Certification for Hiring Hall Service Purchase
Certification of Uncompensated Maternity Leave

Information Sheets

Back Contribution Information Sheet
Back Contribution Information Sheet for Participants of the Pension Savings Plan
Tier 1 – Government Service Buyback Information Sheet
Tier 3 - Government Service Buyback Information Sheet
Hiring Hall Service Credit Purchase Information Sheet
Public Service Buyback Information Sheet
Re-deposit Information Sheet
 

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