What are Contribution Rates?

You automatically become a member of OCERS on the date you first start employment with an OCERS covered employer. And during your employment you contribute a percentage of your pay each pay period through automatic payroll deductions which are submitted to OCERS and posted into your Retirement Account. This percentage amount is your Contribution Rate, which is determined annually by OCERS’ actuary and is available on OCERS’ website.

OCERS Employee Contribution Rates are based on three components: Your Employer, Your Benefit Plan, and your entry age, which is your age at the time you first started employment with an OCERS-covered employer and became a member of OCERS.

Please note: additional or alternate contribution rates may have been established in MOU and PSR provisions. Contact your HR department for those agreements.

How do you figure out what your Contribution Rate is?

This information is available in your myOCERS account. Or you can navigate to “Find Your Employer” under the Members drop down list.

• Select your Employer from the drop down list
• Under the Employee Contribution Rates section of the chart, locate your entry age (far left column) and your plan (top row). This is your contribution rate.

What are Reverse Pickups?

In addition to OCERS contribution rates, if you work for certain bargaining units within the County of Orange, OCERS, O.C. Superior Court, LAFCO, O.C. Children and Families, or O.C.Public Law Library you may be subject to an additional reverse pickup percentage. The reverse pickup amount is paid in addition to your regular OCERS contributions. These rates are set by the employer and used to offset the employer’s ongoing pension obligation.

• View the Reverse Pickup Rates
• Locate your Employer, your bargaining unit and then your plan. This is your reverse pickup rate.
• Add your reverse pickup rate to your OCERS contribution rate to determine the total contribution percentage that will be deducted each pay period and posted to your OCERS Retirement account.

If your employer or bargaining unit is not listed on the reverse pickup rate chart, then you may not be subject to paying a reverse pickup. You can confirm this by contacting your Human Resource or Payroll Department, or OCERS. 

How do I find out what my OCERS entry age or plan is?

This information is available in your myOCERS account. Here you will be able to securely view your Entry Age, Plan, Eligible Years of Service earned, Contributions paid, and so much more.  Registration is required for all users. See the instructions for registering.