1943
December
1944
March
The General Assembly of Virginia adopts the Police Retirement Act, which empowered the County to establish the 5 member “Policemen’s Pension and Retirement Board” – now called the Police Officers Retirement System (PORS)
1955
July
First meeting of 5-member SRS Board of Trustees
1967
May
First full-time employee hired to support the retirement systems
September
School Food Service employees added into SRS
1968
School Bus Drivers added into the SRS
1969
July
Park Authority employees added into the SRS
1973
Ordinary disability changed to 5 years for vesting
1974
May
SRS ordinance changed to include a pre-62 benefit
July
Firemen, Sheriff’s Deputies, Park Police, and Game Wardens moved from SRS into URS
Employee contributions are set at 4%, up to Social Security Wage Base, & 5¾% above
Disability retirees no longer convert to regular service from ordinary disability when reaching age 65 but do start drawing on own contributions
November
First meeting of 6-member URS Board of Trustees
1975
April
Retirement office moved to the 3rd Floor of the Massey Building
1977
April
Retirement office moved to 4101 Chain Bridge Road in Fairfax City
Crossing Guards added into the SRS
1978
September
Retirement office moved to 4020 University Drive in Fairfax City
1981
July
Plan B established for SRS (Employees contribute 5.33% with a benefit multiplier of 2.0%)
Plan B established for URS (Employees contribute 7.08%)
URS had several changes this year, including:
- addition of early retirement option
- Plan B URS, added normal retirement age to 25 years service in addition to age 55 with 6+ years of service,
- Provided prorata credit for accrued sick leave (same as SRS)
- Change in the retiree cost of living (COLA)
SRS had several changes this year, including:
- benefit multiplier increased from 1.5 to 1.8%
- increased pre-62 benefit to 1% of average final compensation
- Change in the retiree cost of living (COLA)
PORS had several changes this year, including:
- new automatic cola of 4% annually
- raised normal retirement to 25 years or age 55 for future participants
- raised automatic benefit amounts
- changed what makes eligible time for pensionable salary
- vesting rights given to members after 5 years of service
1982
June
The first full-time Retirement office employee retires
1985
January
Contributions to retirement on active payroll were no longer taxed
July
Economic development employees came into the SRS system (new with no previous service granted)
1987
January
Several changes were made to the SRS system:
- Age limit for joining system removed
- Employees can buy back service; after working 5 years.
July
All new retirees will have unused sick leave on payroll
Active employees who die while on the active payroll with at least 5 years service - spouse has option to refund or have monthly benefit
All 3 systems eliminated the mandatory retirement age of 70, as well as for eligibility for service-connected disability retirement
SRS reduced from 15 years to 5 years the eligibility criteria for a surviving spouse to elect a 50% retirement allowance
September
SRS conducted a one-time open season for Plan A members to switch to Plan B.
1988
May
First Retirement Executive Director hired
July
Added sick leave to calculation of final average salary
Employees working 20-hours per week offered one-time option to exit SRS (those hired after July must participate in SRS)
1989
September
Clinic room aides added into SRS and granted back service for retirement purposes if they were active and working at time of approval (otherwise no past service granted)
1990
July
Hospitalization subsidies increased from $30 to $45
September
Active members (currently on payroll) must repurchase service credit before March 17, 1991 or they cannot elect to do so at a later date (new hires after September 17, 1990 who have refunded service must make decide to buyback within 1 year of reemployment)
1993
October
Retirement office moved to 10680 Main Street in Fairfax City
1995
July
All current and future retirees (all 3 systems) receive an additional 3% benefit increase
1996
July
URS made several changes for service-connected disabilities:
- reduced service-connected disability percentage from 66 2/3% to 40% and added severe service-connected benefit of 90% additionally
- changed offset to apply only to social security disability benefits, not social security oldage benefits
December
URS members allowed one-time opportunity to change from Plans A & B to Plans C & D (all new hires enter Uniformed Plan D)
1998
July
Health insurance subsidy raised to from $45 to $60 for retirees aged 62 and older
2000
February
Several changes were made to PORS:
- benefit multiplier increased from 2.5 to 2.8
- current (at the time) retirees received 12% increase
Several changes were made to URS:
- benefit multiplier increased from 1.8 to 2.0 for plans A & B
- social security breakpoint was removed from Plans A&B (due to increase in multiplier)
- benefit multiplier increased from 2.3 to 2.5 for plans C & D
July
SRS) pre-62 benefit becomes pre-Social Security benefit
Several changes were made to the health subsidy (for all 3 systems)
- subsidy amount increases from $60 to $100
- age to receive subsidy lowers to age 55
- subsidy now earned for those on disability regardless of age
2001
February
The Police Board increased from 5 members to 7 (added a retiree-elected member and an additional BOS appointed member)
2002
March
URS pre-Social Security benefit added at 0.3% for Plans C&D and 0.2% for Plans A&B
2003
October
2004
January
URS retirees who retired before March 19, 2002 receive an increase
- weighted average of 12% (Plan A=23%; Plan B=15%; Plan C=5%; Plan D=5%; Survivors=10%)
July
Health Benefit Subsidy amount increased) for Medicare-eligible general County participants
2005
March
New ordinance language adopted regarding retired employees returning to employment (reemployed annuitants) for all 3 systems
July
Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) implemented for Emloyees' Systems
New hires in the Department of Public Safety Communications (DPSC) are enrolled in URS
October
Existing DPSC employees who wish to move from ERS to URS must make election on or before September 1, 2005
2006
January
Medicare Part D implemented (also called Medicare prescription drug benefit)
2007
January
July
PORS employee contribution rate lowered from 12% to 11%
Cap on PORS benefits (84% = 30 years) removed
Social Security Offset for service-connected disability benefits reduced from 64% to 40% (ERS & URS)
2008
April
New retirement website, redesigned in Web Content Management (WCM), goes live
July
Implemented online account access for members (Web Member Services or WMS)
Social Security Offset for service-connected disability benefits reduced from 40% to 30% (ERS & URS)
PORS employee contribution rate lowered from 11% to 10%
DROP Sunset Provision equalized for all 3 systems
2009
July
Remarriage clause removed from death before retirement benefits for current spouses (All systems)
Service Credit rules changed for the purpose of providing members with free service credit for periods of Military LWOP for ERS and URS
2010
October
Redefined actuarial surplus requirement for consideration of AdHoc retiree cost-of-living (COLA) adjustments
DROP Sunset Provision repealed in all three systems
August
Social Security Offset for service-connected disability benefits reduced from 30% to 25% (ERS & URS)
2012
January
AON Consulting presents results of retirement benefits study to the Board of Supervisors
2013
January
New retirement plans added for all new employees hired on and after January 1, 2013
ERS Plans C & D
Same as ERS Plans A & B, except for the following:
- For normal retirement, an employees' age + years of service must equal at least 85 (called the Rule of 85)
- earliest normal retirement age of 55
- Pre-Social Security Benefit no longer added in DROP
- Sick leave capped at 2080 hours in retirement or DROP calculations
PORS Plan B
Same as PORS Plan A, except sick leave capped at 2080 hours in retirement or DROP calculations
URS Plan E
Same as URS Plan D, except for the following:
- Sick leave capped at 2080 hours in retirement or DROP calculations
- Pre-Social Security Benefit no longer added in DROP
2014
January
Social Security Offset for service-connected disability benefits reduced from 25% to 15% (ERS & URS)
URS Board increased from 8 members to 10 (1 additional BOS appointed trustee and 1 trustee elected by the retirees of the system)
July
PORS employee contribution rate decreased from 10% to 8.65%
2015
January
Minor housekeeping changes were made to the County Codes for all 3 systems to make them more stylistically consistent, logically organized and freed of provisions no longer serving a useful purpose
2016
July
Social Security Offset for service-connected disability benefits reduced from 15% to 10% (ERS & URS)
2017
July
Social Security Offset for service-connected disability benefits reduced from 10% to 5% (ERS & URS)
August
Retirement Systems office moves to 12015 Lee Jackson Memorial Highway in Fairfax County
2018
July
Social Security Offset for service-connected disability benefits eliminated (ERS & URS)
December
New retirement plans added for all new employees hired on and after July 1, 2019
ERS Plan E
Same as ERS Plan D, except for the following:
- The social security supplement was eliminated
- The 3 percent one-time add-on used in the benefit formula was eliminated
PORS Plan C
Same as PORS Plan B, except that the 3 percent one-time add-on used in the benefit formula was eliminated
URS Plan F
Same as URS Plan E, except for the following:
- The social security supplement was eliminated
- The 3 percent one-time add-on used in the benefit formula was eliminated