Membership

Each new employee of a participating employer becomes a member of OPERS on the first day of the month immediately following the beginning date of employment, provided all three following requirements are met:

The position the employee holds is permanent, not seasonal or temporary; and
The position the employee holds requires at least 1,000 hours work per year (12 months after date of employment); and
The monthly salary of the employee must at least equal the hourly rate of minimum wage for state employees or the minimum wage established by the local government agency.

Employees who meet all three requirements above are eligible for membership. With limited exceptions, membership is a condition of employment and is thus mandatory for all employees who meet the eligibility requirements. The age of an employee is not a factor in determining eligibility for membership. Members of OPERS whose hours worked and/or salary earned falls below eligibility levels after they have established eligibility in OPERS remain eligible for participation and must continue to participate.

NOTE: State employees who first become employed by a participating employer on or after November 1, 2015, and have no prior participation in OPERS will participate in a mandatory defined contribution plan called Pathfinder. Click here for more information.