The Public Employees’ Retirement System (PERS) is open to state, county, municipal, authority and school board employees who are precluded from any other N.J. State retirement system. It is a defined benefit plan where retirement benefit is based on a formula and guaranteed by the state.
Public Employees’ Retirement System Eligibility
You may be eligible to enroll in the Public Employees’ Retirement System if you meet the following criteria:
- Employees hired into a Civil Service full time position
Please note that PERS membership are referred to as “membership tiers”. Please refer to the PERS Membership Tier Chart (PDF) for additional information.
Public Employees’ Retirement System Contributions
- Employee Contribution:
- 7.5% of salary made on a pretax basis
- Employer Contribution:
- Determined annually by the state
Public Employees’ Retirement System Vesting
- Vesting:
- 10 years
How to Enroll in the Public Employees’ Retirement System
If an employee is in a permanent, regularly budgeted position they will be enrolled in PERS as of their date of hire. If an employee is hired in a provisional position, they are enrolled as of their permanent appointment date or on the 1st of the 13th continuous month of employment. The Benefits team will submit enrollment to the Division of Pensions and Benefits. Employees have access to their Pension account via the Member Services Online System (MBOS).
For more information, view the NJ State Department of Pensions and Benefits Public Employees’ Retirement System page.
Retirement Planning Workshops for Public Employees’ Retirement System Members
The New Jersey Department of Pensions and Benefits offers retirement planning seminars and webinars for PERS members throughout the year.
Retirement Planning seminars and webinars take a step-by-step approach to the retirement process and explain what happens after you submit your application. They explain your benefits, survivor options, group life insurance, loan repayment provisions, and the taxability of your pension. There is also a brief discussion of State Health Benefits Program and School Employees’ Health Benefits Program coverage in retirement. The classroom session is approximately 3 hours in duration. The webinar is 1 ½ – 2 hours in duration. Both sessions include a Q&A period.
View the Benefits Workshops page for additional information.