Retirement
Retirement plans that County employees participate in are administered by Washington State Department of Retirement Systems (DRS). The plans that our employees participate in are:
- Public Employees' Retirement System Plan 2 (PERS2) or Plan 3 (PERS3)
- Law Enforcement Officers' and Fire Fighters' Retirement System Plan 2 (LEOFF2)
- Public Safety Employees' Retirement System Plan 2 (PSERS2)
Contact DRS at 800-547-6657 or email DRS for assistance with your retirement plan.
Employee Retirement Guide (PDF)
PERS Members
As a new member of the retirement system for public employees (PERS), you have a choice to make that will set the course for your future retirement benefits. You have 90 calendar days from your date of hire to choose between PERS2 and PERS3. Your plan choice is permanent. If you don’t choose a plan within 90 days, you will automatically be placed in PERS3, and you cannot later decide to become a member of PERS2. Use the following resources to help you make your decision:
Plan Choice Webpage | Plan Choice Booklet | Key Differences | Plan Choice Video (2 min) | Plan Choice Seminar Video (27 min)
Review the PERS2 Plan Handbook, PERS3 Plan Handbook, and other resources on the PERS webpage to learn about these plans.
LEOFF Members
Review the LEOFF2 Plan Handbook and other resources on the LEOFF webpage to learn about this plan.
PSERS Members
Review the PSERS2 Plan Handbook and other resources on the PSERS webpage to learn about this plan.
New Member Checklist
- Complete the applicable tasks on the New Member Checklist.
- Complete the applicable forms outlined in the New Employee Benefits Enrollment Checklist.
- Register for Online Account Access - view account, create benefit estimates, maintain beneficiaries, apply for retirement, and more.
- Review the contribution amounts that you and the County make to the plan.
DRS Resources - New/Current Members
There are several important things to think about as you near retirement. Please review the resources provided below to help guide you through the retirement process.
Employee Retirement Guide
Review the Employee Retirement Guide (PDF) to learn more about healthcare options, leave processing and payouts, what happens with your current benefits, payroll, and more.
DRS Nearing Retirement Resources
Visit the Nearing Retirement webpage to access helpful resources and to begin planning for retirement. The earlier you begin retirement planning, the more successful your retirement will be. If you are within two years of retirement, the list of steps included in the Retirement Planning Checklist will help you set your final retirement plans in place.
DRS Educational Resources
Visit the pre-retirement education webpage to register for seminars, view videos, access webinars, and more!
Financial Tools
- DRS Calculators
- Nationwide Interactive Retirement Calculator
- Social Security Retirement Estimator
- Social Security Administration Retirement Benefits
- Retirement Savings Toolkit
Helpful Resources
- Retirement Toolkit (PDF) - This toolkit is brought to you by the three federal agencies involved in key elements of your retirement planning and security: the Department of Labor, the Social Security Administration and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.
- Retirement Planning Websites
When you retire, your County healthcare benefits will end on the last day of the month in which you were in a paid status, so you will want to ensure you have other healthcare coverage into retirement. There are many options for you to consider, such as the County's Retiree Medical Plan, COBRA (PDF), the Health Insurance Marketplace (if under the age of 65), individual insurance - private coverage purchased directly from an insurance company, through your spouse’s employer, or Medicare (if over the age of 65). Review the Employee Retirement Guide (PDF) to learn more about the options provided below.
Retiree Medical Plan (Regular Retirees)
The County offers one retiree medical plan administered by Regence BlueShield. To be eligible, the retired employee must be an employee retiring and eligible to receive a pension under the PERS system within three months after separation. Review the plan information to learn more:
- Retiree Medical Plan - Booklet (PDF)
- Retiree Medical Plan - Summary of Benefits (PDF)
- Retiree Medical Plan - Monthly Premiums (PDF)
- Retiree Medical Plan - Enrollment Form (PDF)
- Customer Service: 800-962-0301
Eligible retirees may exchange unused accrued sick leave (Classified employees) or Leave with Pay (Management/Exempt) to pay for retiree medical coverage for up to 12 months, subject to the provisions outlined in County Code Chapter 3A.06.040 or Chapter 3.68.070. You must complete the Retiree’s Prepaid Medical Premiums Worksheet (PDF) to process this request.
LEOFF1 Retiree Medical Plan
This plan is only available to LEOFF1 retirees that are under the age of 65.
- Retiree Medical Plan B - Booklet (LEOFF1 Under 65) (PDF)
- Retiree Medical Plan B - Summary of Benefits (LEOFF1 Under 65) (PDF)
- Retiree Medical Plan B - Monthly Premiums (PDF)
LEOFF1 Retiree Medicare Advantage Plan
This plan is only available to LEOFF1 retirees that are over the age of 65.
- Medicare Advantage Plan - Evidence of Coverage (LEOFF1 Over 65) (PDF)
- Medicare Advantage Plan - Summary of Benefits (LEOFF1 Over 65) (PDF)
- Medicare Advantage Plan - Monthly Premiums (PDF)
- Annual Notice of Changes (PDF)
- Customer Service: 888-319-8904
SHIBA
Contact the Statewide Health Insurance Benefit Advisor (SHIBA) at 800-562-6900 for assistance with healthcare into retirement.