Mike, a retirement specialist with the Mendocino County Employees Retirement Association (MCERA), outlined how reciprocity between California public retirement systems works and the steps members must take to link benefits when they change public‑sector employers.

Reciprocity, he said, lets members “maintain membership in all reciprocal systems” and combine service credit so they do not “start over” when moving between systems. He emphasized basic features that affect eligibility and benefit calculation: there is no transfer of funds between systems, members must elect reciprocity, and they must apply to retire from all reciprocal systems on the same date to receive separate benefit payments.

Why it matters: For public employees who move between California retirement systems, establishing reciprocity can preserve service credit and allow a single highest final average salary to be used by all systems to calculate benefits. That can affect whether a member meets vesting or retirement eligibility and which formula (pre‑PEPRA or PEPRA) applies.

Key rules and steps described by MCERA:

- How reciprocity works: MCERA said reciprocity “links retirement benefits offered by different retirement systems together” but does not move money between systems; members remain in each reciprocal system and receive separate checks upon retirement.

- Election and notification: “Reciprocity is not automatic,” MCERA said; members must make an election and notify both their former and new retirement systems to establish reciprocity.

- Timing: A member must enter active membership in the next retirement system within 180 days of terminating employment with the prior system to establish reciprocity.

- No overlapping service: Service periods cannot overlap; the termination date in the first system must predate the start date in the next system.

- PEPRA threshold: MCERA noted that if a member’s original entry date into the reciprocal system was before 01/01/2013 they may be eligible for a non‑PEPRA membership (which can use a different retirement formula), while members hired after 01/01/2013 are subject to the Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act (PEPRA).

- Local employer specifics: MCERA said employees coming to Mendocino County, Mendocino County Superior Court, or the Russian River Cemetery District as permanent full‑time employees working 64 or more hours per pay period may be eligible to establish reciprocity with MCERA.

- Administrative steps: MCERA will not consider reciprocity established until it receives confirmation of years of service and the termination date from a member’s previous retirement system and will mail a letter confirming or denying reciprocity. Members who terminate employment will receive a disposition of retirement distributions form where they can indicate whether they intend to establish reciprocity and name the next system; MCERA will contact that system to confirm the information.

MCERA closed by noting that reciprocity can be complicated and encouraged members to contact MCERA for further assistance.