You may be able to obtain credit for your previous public employment or military service. It is very important that you claim all the service credit you are entitled to receive as early as possible, because records documenting your previous service may be lost or destroyed with the passage of time. You must apply to receive military service credit prior to retirement.

Prior Service

Prior service is any period of time you received salary or wages from a participating employer before that employer elected to participate in the Retirement System. To receive credit for this service, you must earn at least two years of credited service as a Retirement System member.

Example:
You worked for a municipality for six years before that municipality began participating and now you have joined the System. You can request credit for those six years, but there would be a cost.

Service Before Your Date of Membership

You may receive credit for working for a participating employer before you joined the Retirement System. To receive the credit, you must earn at least two years of credited service as a Retirement System member.

Example:
You worked at the town library while going to school and, as a part-time employee, you chose not to join the System. When you graduated and took a full-time job at the town supervisor’s office, you were required to join. You can choose to claim the part-time service, but there would be a cost.

Military Service

You may be able to receive credit for some or all of your military service. To determine your eligibility and the cost, if any, please send us a copy of your Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD-214).

For more information about how to apply, eligibility and the cost, please visit our Military Service Credit page.

Service From a Previous Membership

If you previously were a member of this System, or another public retirement system in New York State, your service may be recredited and your date of membership restored.

For reinstatement to an earlier membership within NYSLRS, or for reinstatement to an earlier membership in another public retirement system, sign in to your Retirement Online account. From your Account Homepage, go to the ‘My Account Summary’ area and click “Reinstate a Previous Membership.” You can also apply by mail by submitting the Application to Reinstate a Former Membership (RS5506).

An earlier tier of membership does not always result in a better benefit. Please review information on pages 3, 4 and 5 of the application (you can review this information if you apply using Retirement Online as well) carefully before making your decision, and contact us with any questions you may have.