3.01: Who is a member

3.01: Who is a member

Retirement law defines a member as a public school employee who is not specifically excluded from membership. Any employee that does not fall in an excluded category is automatically considered a member of this retirement system. This includes, but is not limited to, temporary and intermittent employees, such as substitute teachers, crossing guards, temporary clerical help, and any other temporary help.

A public school employee on an approved leave of absence is considered an active member until two years have passed without service credit (hours) being earned, per MCL 38.1306(6). If a member has not accrued service credit for two years, that member becomes either deferred (if vested in their MPSERS plan) or inactive (if not vested in their MPSERS plan).

Active, deferred, and inactive members

Members are considered active when they are currently working for a reporting unit and have wages and service credit (hours) reported and posted to ORS by a reporting unit. When active members leave employment with a reporting unit but have not yet retired from MPSERS, they continue to be members but are considered either:

• Deferred members (if vested in the MPSERS retirement plan - members are vested when they have 10 or more years of service credit).
• Inactive members (if not vested in the MPSERS plan).

If an inactive or deferred member returns to work for your reporting unit, the member is considered active again when your reporting unit reports and posts service credit (hours) for the member.

If a member is on an approved extended leave of absence and two years have passed without service credit (hours) being earned and reported to ORS, ORS considers the member either deferred or inactive, depending on the member's vested status.

Last updated: 08/25/2015