You are eligible to become a member of SDCERA when you are appointed to a permanent position and work at least half time or 20 hours weekly. Membership is mandatory for eligible employees and begins with the first biweekly payroll period in the month following your appointment. Membership is optional for elected officials. Employees ineligible for membership include part-time workers scheduled to work less than half time, as well as emergency, temporary, hourly, provisional and seasonal employees.

SDCERA has two membership classifications: General and Safety. Your benefit formula is based on your membership classification and tier. If you are uncertain as to your membership classification, SDCERA can verify this for you.

General, Tier A members include: Members who were first hired into a General position after March 8, 2002, but prior to August 28, 2009. General members who were active on March 8, 2002 and didn’t opt out of Tier A. A deferred General, Tier A member returning to work in a General position on or after August 28, 2009, will remain a General, Tier A member. Note: The 3% at 60 formula is an approximation and does not take into account the Social Security Integration Factor that is factored into your final benefit estimate.

General, Tier B members include: Members who were first hired into a General position, or who changed member classification (Safety to General) on or after August 28, 2009. Note: The 2.6% at 62 formula is an approximation and does not take into account the Social Security Integration Factor that is factored into your final benefit estimate.

General, Tier I members include: Members who were employed in a General position prior to March 8, 2002 and who opted out of Tier A. Note: The 2.6% at 62 formula is an approximation and does not take into account the Social Security Integration Factor that is factored into your final benefit estimate.

Safety members are employees in positions of active law enforcement or who otherwise qualify for Safety membership. Safety members have a non-integrated plan, which means Safety members do not contribute to Social Security from their County wages. Probation officers entered Safety membership effective January 1, 1999. Note: Those probation officers who left employment prior to January 1, 1999, and have been re-employed as probation officers on or after March 8, 2002, should contact SDCERA to obtain the cost to convert their General member service credit (as a probation officer) to Safety member service credit.

Safety, Tier A members include: Members who were first hired into a Safety position prior to August 28, 2009. A deferred Safety, Tier A member returning to work on or after August 28, 2009 will remain a Safety, Tier A member.

Safety, Tier B members include: Members who were first hired into a Safety position, or who changed member classification (General to Safety) on or after August 28, 2009.

Click Retirement Benefit Calculator to estimate what your retirement benefit will be.