You may be eligible to apply for membership and receive service credit for time worked as a classified substitute employee that occurred on or after July 27, 2003.

(1) If you have never been a member of the school employees' retirement system (SERS), you may establish membership in Plan 2 or Plan 3 if you worked as a classified employee for 70 or more hours per month during at least five months within a single school year period of September 1st through August 31st. Your membership will begin when your first optional bill to purchase substitute teaching service credit is paid in full.

(2) If you have already established membership in SERS Plan 3, or if you have established membership in SERS Plan 2 and have not withdrawn your contributions, you may apply to the department for service credit as described in subsection (4) of this section, for any compensated employment as a classified substitute employee that occurs after your first month of established service credit. You may apply for service credit for compensated employment as a classified substitute employee that occurred prior to your first month of established service credit if it meets the requirements for membership as described in subsection (1) of this section.

(3) If you previously established membership in SERS Plan 2 and withdrew your contributions, you may reestablish your membership by purchasing service credit if you worked as a classified substitute employee for 70 or more hours per month during at least five months within a single school year period of September 1st through August 31st.

(4) To apply, you must submit a classified substitute's application for service credit.

(a) Applications must be submitted no earlier than September 1st following the end of the school year in which you worked.

(b) If you are establishing membership in SERS for the first time, you must also submit a member information form to indicate your selection of Plan 2 or Plan 3.

(c) If you are an established Plan 3 member, you may also submit a member information form to indicate your contribution rate and investment options. If you request a bill for your time as a substitute without completing a form, your contribution rate and investment option will be made at the default rate and investment option.

(d) If you are purchasing service credit for the 2003-04 school year, you must also submit quarterly reports to DRS along with your application for service credit. Quarterly reports must show the exact hours worked and compensation earned each month, and must be signed by the employer.

(5) To receive classified substitute employee's service credit, you must pay the appropriate member contributions.

(a) Upon receipt of your application materials, the department will determine the amount of service credit you are eligible to purchase and will provide an optional bill for the amount due. Your service credit will be applied when the bill is paid in full.

(b) You have six months following the end of the school year in which you worked to pay the member contributions interest-free. Interest will begin to accrue on the first day of the seventh month following the end of the school year. The school year ends on August 31st for Plans 2 and 3.

(i) SERS Plan 2. If payment is received after the six month interest-free period, the amount due will include interest on both the member and employer contributions.

(ii) SERS Plan 3. If payment is received after the six month interest-free period, the amount due will include interest on the Plan 3 employer contributions.

(6) Defined terms used. Definitions for the following terms used in this section may be found in the sections listed.

(a) "Classified employee" - RCW 41.35.010.

(b) "Member" - RCW 41.35.010.

(c) "Service" - RCW 41.35.010.

(d) "Substitute employee" - RCW 41.35.010.