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67kbPurchase of Prior Service
For Members Hired or Rehired On or After July 1, 2010
You may be able to purchase service from previous public employment, an eligible period of leave or VRS refunded service as service credit in your plan. Prior service credit counts toward the five years needed to become vested, eligibility for retirement and the health insurance credit.
To be eligible to purchase prior service, you must be an active member. If you are on leave without pay, you also may be eligible; contact your human resource office for more information. You are not eligible to purchase prior service if you are employed in a non-covered position, are a deferred member or are receiving a VRS retirement benefit.
Note: If you left covered employment under the VRS Plan 1 and took a refund of your member contributions and interest, you will be rehired under the VRS Plan 2 if you return to covered employment with no service credit in VRS or no account balance in a Virginia optional retirement plan. You will be eligible to purchase your refunded service as credit in Plan 2.
Prior Service Eligible for the Hazardous Duty Supplement
If you are eligible for enhanced hazardous duty coverage and have at least 20 years of hazardous duty service credit at retirement, you may qualify for a supplement to your monthly retirement benefit. Prior service credit for refunded VRS hazardous duty service or for an eligible period of leave while covered under VRS in a hazardous duty position counts toward eligibility for the hazardous duty supplement, provided you purchase or are granted this service. Other types of prior service you may purchase, such as active duty military service or hazardous duty service with a non-VRS participating employer, do not count toward the supplement. For more information, see VRS Plan 2.
