When you need to help employees understand their PERS benefits, you can refer to the webpages listed on this page. The information is useful for onboarding new employees, helping employees who are near retirement or ready to retire, or any time you want to ensure you have the latest information, as some PERS’ rates and plan details change from year to year.
Overview of PERS retirement benefits
PERS provides qualifying public employees a pension (a lifetime monthly benefit) and an Individual Account Program (IAP) account that provide income during retirement.
The rules and benefits that apply to each PERS-covered employee vary based on PERS plan, job classification, type of employer, and whether they work part-time or full-time. Review these differences on the Benefit Component Comparisons Chart.
PERS also offers a healthcare plan for retirees (see PHIP below).
The Public Employees Retirement System functions through the partnership of three state entities: the Oregon Legislature, Oregon State Treasury, and PERS, the agency. Watch the video "How Does PERS Work?" to learn how PERS is run.
Additional/different benefits
Many employers also offer the Oregon Savings Growth Plan (OSGP), a deferred-compensation plan.
Certain employers offer a slightly different benefits package, including Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU), SAIF, Oregon State Bar, Oregon Legislature, and Oregon Judicial Department. Contact these employers for details.
PERS plans
PERS members are in one of three plans, depending on when they first became a PERS member. Read the definitions of Tier One, Tier Two, and Oregon Public Service Retirement Plan (OPSRP) plans.
Judges are members of the Judge Member Program.
PERS pension
OPSRP overview: New employees who have never worked for a PERS-participating employer before are members of the OPSRP plan.
Plan definitions: Continuing employees who have worked for a PERS-participating employer before might be in the Tier One, Tier Two, or OPSRP plan. If they aren’t sure, go to the plan definitions page to determine what plan they are in.
PERS IAP
What Is the IAP?: Overview for Tier One, Tier Two, and OPSRP members.
Employee Pension Stability Account (EPSA) Overview: An explanation of your EPSA, into which a percentage of your IAP goes.
Member annual statement
Every year, all PERS members receive a statement of their retirement pension and account balances. To understand your statement, read Member Annual Statement FAQs.
PERS member journey
This infographic shows when members need to engage with PERS throughout their career.
Oregon Savings Growth Plan (OSGP)
OSGP (if your agency participates): Learn about this optional deferred-compensation savings plan, which is another option for employees to save more for retirement.
PERS Health Insurance Program (PHIP)
PHIP offers both Medicare and non-Medicare health plans to eligible PERS retirees, spouses, and dependents.
For new employees
- Designating a beneficiary
- Electing a different IAP target-date fund
- Forms for police, firefighters, and 911 telecommunicators
- Signing up for an Online Member Services account
For employees nearing retirement
- Tier One/Two eligibility to retire
- Calculating retirement credit for school employees
- Instructions for members of Tier One and Tier Two plans
- Instructions for members of OPSRP
- Not sure what plan your employee is in? Go to plan definitions.
PERS contact information for members
Member Information Center
Phone: 888-320-7377 (toll free)
Phone hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday
Member Services Submit a Question form
PERS contact information for employers
Employer Service Center
Phone: 888-320-7377 (toll free): select option 1; then option 2 to reach ESC
Phone hours: 8:30 a.m. to noon, Monday through Friday
Employer Support email
Stay informed
For your employees: Sign up to receive news and updates from PERS. Go to https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/ORPERS/subscriber/new, log in, and choose if you would like to receive news by email or text message. Then select the topics in which you are interested. You can unsubscribe or change your subscriber settings at any time by going to https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/ORPERS/subscriber/new?preferences=true#tab1.
For employers: Employers are signed up for PERS-employer emails automatically through their EDX account. PERS members, however, need to go to public.govdelivery.com and opt in to receive member emails. To encourage your employees to keep up-to-date with PERS news, PERS is providing posters for you to print and hang in a common area. You can also email them to remote employees. They include a QR code that you can scan with your phone camera to open the govdelivery website.
Right-click (or control+click on a Macintosh) any or all posters below to download now. Available in letter size (8.5"x11") and legal size (8.5"x14").
For letter size (8.5x11”), select one of the following:
For legal size (11x17”), select one of the following:
