Membership in system — Service credit of educational staff associates.
RCW 41.32.032
in effect(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. (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.
(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.
(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.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=41.32&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026