Membership Eligibility Requirements
Employees qualify for membership in a Public Safety Retirement System if employed in a position that has been reviewed and approved by URS as a standard public safety or dispatcher position and the position normally requires an average of 2,080 hours of regularly scheduled employment per year in a recognized public safety department.
For our office to make an accurate determination on eligibility, we request the following information in the job description for a standard public safety position, if applicable:
1. The position requires completion of the Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST), for anyone certified eligible since January 1, 1984;
2. The job places life or personal safety at risk;
3. The employee performs duties that actively prevent or detect crime and enforce criminal statutes or ordinances of the state of Utah or any of its political subdivisions;
4. The employee responds to situations involving threats to public safety and making emergency decisions affecting the lives and health of others;
5. The employee performs duties that consist of providing community protection.
For our office to make an accurate determination on eligibility, we request the following information in the job description for a dispatcher position, if applicable:
1. The duties listed are that of a full-time dispatcher;
2. The employee receives crisis calls for emergency personnel and dispatches the appropriate personnel and equipment;
3. The employee makes urgent decisions affecting the life, health, and welfare of the public and public safety employees; and
4. The employee has successfully completed the Police Officers Standards & Training (POST), Basic Public Safety Dispatcher training, and passed the required certification examination.
Our office must review each position to ensure the position qualifies to participate in the Public Safety Retirement System by meeting the conditions outlined in:
» “Public safety service” as defined in Utah Code Ann. § 49-14-102(6);
» Standards for Public Safety Retirement System eligibility according to Utah Code Ann. § 49-14-201(9); or § 53-6-303;
» Employer’s requirement to certify included positions according to Utah Code Ann. § 49-15-201(5);
» Resolution of coverage disputes according to Utah Code Ann. § 49-15-201(10);
» Law enforcement officer according to Utah Code Ann. § 53-13-103;
» Correctional officer according to Utah Code Ann. § 53-13-104;
» Full-time member of the Board of Pardons and Parole; or a
» Special functions officer according to Utah Code Ann. § 53-13-105, if approved by the Council on Peace Officer Standards and Training.
Each time a job description for a public safety position changes, the employer must submit the new job description to our office for review.
Employers must certify annually the public safety positions our office has on file have not changed and still meet the eligibility requirements to participate in a Public Safety Retirement System. This annual verification is completed online through the URS Employer Application section of our website.
An employee has one year from the date hired into a public safety position to complete POST. If POST is not completed within one year, the employee’s Public Safety Retirement account is transferred to either the Tier 1 or Tier 2 Public Employees Retirement System (assuming minimum qualifications for the Public Employees Retirement System are met) effective retroactively to the first date of ineligibility for the Public Safety Retirement System.
Employees who separate from employment prior to obtaining a POST certificate may not be eligible to retain their service credit in the Public Safety Retirement System. A participating employer may request a credit for the difference to transfer paid contributions from the Public Safety Retirement System to the Public Employees Retirement System. Our office will contact the employee to request a copy of the POST certificate. The employee has 30 days from the date of the letter to provide a copy of the certificate to our office; otherwise service and contributions will be transferred to the Public Employees Retirement System and the employer will be credited the difference.
Additionally, employees hired within public safety organizations who do not meet the requirements for eligibility in a Public Safety Retirement System, must be certified in the Public Employees Retirement System, assuming minimum requirements are met for that system.
The Public Safety Retirement Systems are divided into two divisions, according to Social Security coverage, as follows:
1. Members with on-the-job Social Security coverage are in Division A.
2. Members without on-the-job Social Security coverage are in Division B.
Employers already participating with URS may add a Public Safety Retirement System at a later date. Contact our office at 801-366-7302 to request an abbreviated application. Both a copy of the governing body’s resolution and copies of proposed public safety position(s) and job description(s) are required as part of the application.
1. While creating or revising the job description for a new or current public safety position, review the Membership and Eligibility Requirements. Include any applicable criteria that will assist our office in determining eligibility requirements.
2. Upload a copy through the URS Employer Application section of our website.
3. Our office will provide notification of whether the position is eligible for the Public Safety Retirement System.