Mississippi Administrative Code
Title 27 - Personnel
Part 120 - Mississippi State Employee Handbook
Chapter 4 - EMPLOYEE BENEFITS
Section 27-120-4.5 - RETIREMENT

Employees and officials of the State become members of the Public Employees' Retirement System as a condition of employment. PERS participation and coverage is provided to employees in positions requiring employees to work and receive compensation for not less than twenty hours per week OR not less than eighty hours per month. Participation is restricted to employees whose wages are subject to payroll taxes and are reported on IRS Form W-2.

When a State employee is first employed, the agency will furnish the employee with a member information form to establish a membership account. The employee's social security number will serve as a membership number. A fiscal year membership statement will be sent to the employee each year containing information regarding contributions paid into PERS. Additional information is contained in the PERS Member Handbook which the agency will provide. You may also contact PERS by calling 1-800-444-7377 or (601) 359-3589 or visit the website at http://www.pers.ms.gov.

Contributions

An employee's monthly contribution is equal to a percentage of the employee's Gross Reportable Earnings, and this amount is refundable. The employer's monthly contribution of a percentage of the employee's Gross Reported Earnings is not refundable.

Vesting Period

If an employee was employed by the State of Mississippi at any point prior to July 1, 2007, the employee may receive monthly benefits once the employee becomes eligible for retirement after the employee contributes to the retirement system for at least four years. For those employees first employed by the State of Mississippi after July 1, 2007, the employee must contribute to the retirement system for eight years prior to being able to receive monthly benefits upon eligibility for retirement.

Retirement Eligibility

Any employee hired before June 30, 2011, with twenty-five years of participation in PERS, is eligible to retire and draw monthly benefits at any age. Any employee hired on July 1, 2011 or later, with thirty years of participation in PERS is eligible for retirement and benefits at any age. Alternatively, employees with less than twenty-five years of participation in the retirement system who became members of the retirement system before July 1, 2007 and have at least four years of membership in the system are eligible to retire at age sixty and receive a retirement allowance. Employees who became members of the retirement system after July 1, 2007 and have at least eight years of membership in the system are eligible to retire at age sixty and receive a retirement allowance.