Service Credit Worker’s Compensation Leave In general, workers’ compensation leaves are creditable service. 4.5 Disability Service Credit No creditable service will be granted during the period for which TRF Hybrid disability benefits are paid; however, if you are an Indiana State employee, you are entitled to service credit for the time you are receiving short or long-term disability benefits under a State of Indiana sponsored disability plan, not to exceed 4½ years. 4.6 Omitted Contributions and Substitute Teaching Service If you are a TRF Hybrid member who previously taught part-time or as a substitute, you may be qualified to have this service added to your account. Before becoming a member of TRF Hybrid, your employer would not have withheld contributions. However, upon becoming a member, this first year of substitute service may be actuarially purchased to count as creditable service. If your substitute service was after becoming a TRF Hybrid member, the service would be treated as omitted contributions. There are two ways you can claim this service: 1. You can pay the 3% mandatory contributions on a post-tax basis. 2. Your employer can pay the 3% mandatory contributions on a pre-tax basis. This means your employer would have to submit the missing service, wages and contributions. Here are the steps you must take: 1. Fill out the Member Information portion of the Verify Your Prior Indiana Service Credit form available on the TRF forms page on the INPRS website. 2. Send the form to your former employer. Your employer will need to confirm your teaching service. 3. Your employer will send the completed form and payment to INPRS. 4.7 Purchase Additional Service Credit As a member of TRF/PERF Hybrid, you have the option to buy extra service credit. The types you can purchase are listed in this section. The service credit must be purchased before separation and retirement. You cannot use any purchased service for vesting purposes. If you have not earned 10 years of creditable service, the purchased service credit is held in pending status until you attain the requisite 10 years. Therefore, to become eligible to retire and receive a pension benefit, you still must have 10 years of creditable TRF/PERF Hybrid covered service. The additional purchased service will be used in the calculation of the pension benefit. If you end service before you qualify to retire, INPRS will refund the price you paid for the extra service. This amount will include interest. You will receive this refund if you withdraw your DC account. INPRS decides the amount based on the actuarial cost. If you take a refund or any funds for purchased service, you may return to a TRF Hybrid covered position. If you re-employ and want to purchase service, you will have to start over with the service purchase process. Basic Qualifications As an eligible active member of TRF/PERF Hybrid you can purchase 1 year of additional service credit for each 5 years of TRF/PERF Hybrid covered employment. Internal Revenue Code Section 415 purchase limits apply. To purchase service credit, you must: Teachers' Retirement Fund Hybrid Plan Member Page 19 of 47 Handbook Effective: 07/01/2024