(1) Any teacher, as defined under RCW 41.32.010, who is first employed by a public school on or after June 7, 1984, shall become a member of the retirement system if otherwise eligible.
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Terms Used In Washington Code 41.32.032

  • Department: means the department of retirement systems created in chapter 41. See Washington Code 41.32.010
  • Director: means the director of the department. See Washington Code 41.32.010
  • employee: means a person who is providing services for compensation to an employer, unless the person is free from the employer's direction and control over the performance of work. See Washington Code 41.32.010
  • Member: means any teacher included in the membership of the retirement system who has not been removed from membership under RCW 41. See Washington Code 41.32.010
  • person: may be construed to include the United States, this state, or any state or territory, or any public or private corporation or limited liability company, as well as an individual. See Washington Code 1.16.080
  • Public school: means any institution or activity operated by the state of Washington or any instrumentality or political subdivision thereof employing teachers, except the University of Washington and Washington State University. See Washington Code 41.32.010
  • Retirement system: means the Washington state teachers' retirement system. See Washington Code 41.32.010
  • Teacher: means any person qualified to teach who is engaged by a public school in an instructional, administrative, or supervisory capacity. See Washington Code 41.32.010
(2) Any person who before June 7, 1984, has established service credit under chapter 41.40 RCW while employed in an educational staff associate position and who is employed in such a position on or after June 7, 1984, has the following options:
(a) To remain a member of the public employees’ retirement system notwithstanding the provisions of RCW 41.32.240 or 41.32.780; or
(b) To irrevocably elect to join the retirement system under this chapter and to receive service credit for previous periods of employment in any position included under RCW 41.32.010. This service credit and corresponding employee contribution shall be computed as though the person had then been a member of the retirement system under this chapter. All employee contributions credited to a member under chapter 41.40 RCW for service now to be credited to the retirement system under this chapter shall be transferred to the system and the member shall not receive any credit nor enjoy any rights under chapter 41.40 RCW for those periods of service. The member shall pay any difference between the employee contributions made under chapter 41.40 RCW and transferred under this subsection and what would have been required under this chapter, including interest as set by the director. The member shall be given until July 1, 1989, to make the irrevocable election permitted under this section. The election shall be made by submitting written notification as required by the department requesting credit under this section and by remitting any necessary proof of service or payments within the time set by the department.
Any person, not employed as an educational staff associate on June 7, 1984, may, before June 30 of the fifth school year after that person’s return to employment as a teacher, request and establish membership and credit under this subsection.

NOTES:

Intent—Purpose—1995 c 239: See note following RCW 41.32.831.
Effective date—Part and subchapter headings not law—1995 c 239: See notes following RCW 41.32.005.
Intent—1991 c 35: See note following RCW 41.26.005.
Benefits not contractual right until date specified: RCW 41.34.100.
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