Terms to Know
- Active Member
- A member of LACERA who is currently employed by the County.
- Additional Retirement Credit (ARC)
- Credit that was purchased on or before December 31, 2012 to increase a member’s service credit total. It was not based on actual employment and does not count toward retirement eligibility, vesting, or retiree healthcare subsidy. ARC purchases were discontinued under PEPRA as of January 1, 2013.
- CERL
- Abbreviation for the County Employees Retirement Law of 1937, one of the laws governing LACERA and 19 other county retirement systems in California.
- Compensation Earnable (a.k.a. Pensionable Earnings or Pensionable Income)
- The amount of income used in calculating a member’s final compensation. Income included in compensation earnable is subject to the limitations set forth in the Internal Revenue Code.
- Continuing Benefit
- A monthly benefit paid to a survivor or beneficiary following the death of a retired member.
- Deferred Member
- A vested member of LACERA Plan E who left County service prior to retirement.
- Employer Reserve Account
- An account representing the balance of employer contributions toward future retirement benefit payments.
- Final Compensation
- An average of the member’s highest monthly compensation earnable during any three 12-consecutive-month periods, it is one determining factor in establishing a member’s monthly retirement allowance.
- General Member
- A permanent employee of Los Angeles County or an outside district working three-quarter time or more in a position other than firefighting, forestry, lifeguarding, or law enforcement (including District Attorney investigators).*
- PEPRA
- Abbreviation for the Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013, one of the laws governing LACERA and other public retirement systems in California.
- Retired Member
- A LACERA member who has been granted retirement from County service by the Board of Retirement.
- Retirement Option
- A format for determining how retirement and continuing benefits are paid. Plan E offers a choice of five Retirement Options.
- Reciprocity
- A special relationship between LACERA and certain other California public retirement systems that protects retirement benefits earned under more than one retirement system.
- Safety Member
- A permanent employee of Los Angeles County working three-quarter time or more in firefighting, forestry, lifeguarding, or law enforcement (including District Attorney investigators).*
*Certain lifeguard positions may be classified as general member positions.
- Service Credit
- One of the components used to calculate a member’s retirement allowance. Plan E members earn service credit each payroll period, provided certain conditions are met.
- Service Retirement
- Retirement from County service granted by the Board of Retirement to a member who has met the minimum age and service requirements.
- Vested
- An employee’s entitlement to receive certain benefits accrued under his or her retirement plan. In Plan E, this is based on the completion of ten or more years of active County (or combined County and reciprocal system) service. Being vested entitles you to a retirement allowance when you terminate employment and meet the minimum age and service requirements. Vesting also entitles you to terminate County employment and defer receiving your retirement allowance until you are eligible and ready to apply for retirement.