Oklahoma Administrative Code
Title 590 - Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System
Chapter 10 - Public Employees Retirement System
Subchapter 7 - Retirement Benefits
Section 590:10-7-13 - Filing for retirement and Initial retirement benefit

(a) It is the responsibility of all members to file a notice of retirement form with the System at least sixty (60) days but not more than one hundred eighty (180) days prior to the member's requested effective retirement date. Any member who has previously filed an application for vested benefit form or who has been identified by the System as eligible to receive a retirement benefit due to reaching the age requiring mandatory distribution will be considered to have met the sixty (60) day notice requirement; however, it is the responsibility of any such vested or other member to file a retirement form selecting the type of benefit to be paid prior to the member's requested retirement date. All retirement forms shall be prescribed, produced and approved by the System in order to constitute proper notice and retirement selection.

(b) The sixty (60) day notice requirement can be waived by application to the Executive Director. The application for waiver must state the reason for the request and the decision to grant the waiver is up to the Executive Director. Upon request of the member, the Board may review at its next regular meeting any denial of a waiver by the Executive Director. Members are presumed to be familiar with the plan provisions and aware of the notice requirement and the Executive Director will grant the waiver only for good cause shown. Good cause is generally shown in cases of an unforeseen hardship, such as illness of the member or a member's family or a reduction in force, layoff of employment, or other unexpected change in job status. Good cause is also generally shown in cases of error or delay on the part of the employer and the error or delay is due to no fault of the member.

(c) No retirement benefits are payable until the System verifies that the member has been removed from the payroll; therefore, the initial retirement benefit payment to new retirees shall be made at the end of the month following the month of retirement. Two benefit payments will be made at that time representing the month of retirement and the current month. Following this initial verification period, retirement benefits will be payable each month on the last day of that month.

(d) No retirement benefits shall be payable until the System receives a properly completed retirement form requesting such benefits. Unless otherwise specifically provided by law or by these rules, no benefits shall be payable retroactively for any time period prior to receiving the member's properly completed retirement form regardless of when the member may have become eligible for such benefits. The requested retirement date of the member shall be made in accordance with the requirements of this section.