Normal Service Retirement provides retirees with full retirement benefits. There is no mandatory retirement age; employees can continue working after they become eligible. Eligibility, as outlined below, varies depending on the retirement plan and system. When you are ready to retire, please contact your retirement analyst to begin the process.

Early Service Retirement allows eligible employees to retire before reaching the normal retirement age, but with reduced benefits based on your age at the time of early retirement. No Pre-Social Security Benefit is payable for early service retirement. When you are ready to retire, please contact your retirement analyst to begin the process.

Deferred Retirement Option Program (DROP) provides the ability for an employee to retire for the purposes of the pension plan while continuing to work and receive a salary for a period of up to three years. More information about the program and its application process can be found here.

Deferred Vested Retirement is an option for employees who leave the county employment before reaching the age or service requirements for normal or early retirement, but have at least five years of active service then leave their retirement contribution in the system. Deferred vested retirees will begin receiving their retirement benefit at age 65 for ERS members and at age 55 for PORS and URS members. To apply for this benefit, complete the appropriate application form.

Disability Retirement is a benefit for employees who become unable to perform their job due to a disabling injury or illness.

1. Ordinary Disability: members must have at least five years of active service and be unable to perform their job due to a non-job-related injury or illness. Periodic medical exams may be required, and benefits cease if the member returns to work with Fairfax County in a retirement-eligible position before their normal retirement date. The application process is complex and includes several steps. We encourage members to contact their retirement analysts for guidance.
   1. ERS Disability Retirement Application
   2. PORS Disability Retirement Application
   3. URS Disability Retirement Application
2. Service-Connected Disability: members may qualify if they are unable to do their job due to a job-related injury or illness, regardless of their length of service. Periodic medical exams may be required, and retirement benefit may be reduced if the member has outside earnings. The application process is complex and includes several steps. We encourage members to contact their retirement analysts for guidance.
3. Severe Service-Connected Disability: available only to the members of the Uniformed Retirement System. The disability must be job-related and must involve at least one of the following 13 impairments.
   1. Loss of both hands or both feet
      1. Loss of one hand and one foot
      2. Loss of one hand and the sight of one eye
      3. Loss of one foot and the sight of one eye
      4. Loss of sight of both eyes
      5. Paralysis, either paraplegia or quadriplegia
      6. Cancers determined to be compensable by the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission which were caused by documented contact with a toxic substance, pursuant to Section 65.2- 402(c) of the Virginia Code
      7. Loss of speech
      8. Loss of hearing
      9. A mental incapacity that meets the criteria for disability benefits under the Federal Old-Age Survivors and Disability Insurance Act (Social Security)
      10. Chronic Hepatitis C determined to be compensable by the Workers' Compensation Commission which was caused by documented exposure to HCV-positive blood or other potentially infectious material (OPIM) in the workplace or during work-related activities, as described in Section 65.2- 402.1.(a) of the Virginia Code
      11. Occupational Asthma, Occupational Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis, or Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) determined to be compensable by the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission which was caused by documented exposure to a toxic substance in the workplace or during work-related activities, as described in Section 65.2-402(c) of the Virginia Code, or otherwise determined to be compensable as an injury by accident by the Virginia Workers' Compensation Commission. This condition, added on {date} is to be applied retroactively to any service-connected disability applications submitted on or after June 1, 2019
      12. Persistent burn injuries caused by documented exposure/injury in the workplace or during work related activities, as described in section 65.2-402(c) of the Virginia Code which render an employee unable to do meaningful work, including those which involve (1) 3rd degree or higher burns over more than 30% of body surface area, and/or (2) extensive and debilitating skin lesions, and/or (3) burns which result in the loss of meaningful use of more than one limb, and/or (4) multisystem injuries (e.g., severe pulmonary burns with loss of diffusion capacity) and/or (5) conditions that may not meet the precise definitions of above clauses 1-5 but are accompanied by one or more of the following: substantial disfigurement, chronic debilitating pain, or other symptoms of a severity which would substantially limit an employee's ability to routinely and efficiently perform community-based work

Please Note: You can find more detailed information in the County Code (Chapter 3). All System benefits are subject to the provisions of the Code of Virginia and the Fairfax County Code, as well as applicable rules, regulations, and resolutions of the Board of Trustees of the Retirement System. Those statutes, ordinances, rules, regulations, and resolutions are controlling in the event of any conflict with this web page.