Section 3307.74. Credit for prior service - comparable public position

(A) Service credit may be purchased under section 3307.70 of the Revised Code by a member participating in the STRS defined benefit plan for the following:

(1) Teaching service in a public or private school, college, or university of this or another state, and for teaching service in any school or entity operated primarily for United States citizens. Teaching credit shall be limited to service rendered in schools, colleges, or universities chartered or accredited by the appropriate governmental agency.

(2) Public service with another state or the United States government, provided that such credit shall be limited to service that would have been covered by the state teachers retirement system, school employees retirement system, Ohio police and fire pension fund, state highway patrol retirement system, or public employees retirement system if served in a comparable public position in this state.

(3) Service for which contributions were made by the member or on the member's behalf to a municipal retirement system in this state, except that if the conditions specified in section 3307.762 of the Revised Code are met, service credit for this service may be purchased only in accordance with section 3307.763 of the Revised Code.

The number of years of service credit for service described in this section shall not exceed the lesser of five years or the member's total accumulated number of years of Ohio service.

(B) Credit shall be purchased under this section in accordance with section 3307.70 of the Revised Code.

(C) With the exception of social security, a member is ineligible to purchase credit for service described in this section that is used in the calculation of any retirement benefit that has been paid, is currently being paid, or is payable in the future to such member under any other retirement program, or service for five or more years for which contributions were made to a defined contribution plan if the member has been paid all contributions standing to the member's credit or is not entitled to be paid any such contributions. At the time the credit is purchased, the member shall certify on a form furnished by the board that the member does and will conform to this requirement.

(D) Credit for service described in this section may be combined pursuant to section 3307.57 of the Revised Code with credit purchased under sections 145.293 and 3309.31 of the Revised Code, except that not more than a total of five years' credit for service described in this section and sections 145.293 and 3309.31 of the Revised Code shall be used in determining retirement eligibility or calculating benefits under section 3307.57 of the Revised Code.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.147, SB 342, §1, eff. 1/7/2013.

Effective Date: 04-01-2001