24 Pa.C.S. § 8305: Classes of service.

(a) Class T-C membership.--A school employee who is a member of Class T-C on the effective date of this part or who becomes a member of the system subsequent to the effective date of this part shall be classified as a Class T-C member, provided the school employee does not become a member of Class T-D pursuant to subsection (c).

(b) Other class membership.--A school employee who is a member of a class of service other than Class T-C on the effective date of this part may elect to become a member of Class T-C or Class T-D or may retain his membership in such other class until the service is discontinued or he elects to become a full coverage member or elects to purchase credit for previous school or creditable nonschool service. Any service thereafter shall be credited as Class T-C or T-D service as applicable.

(c) Class T-D membership.--

(1) A person who becomes a school employee and an active member, or a person who becomes a multiple service member who is a State employee and a member of the State Employees' Retirement System, on or after the effective date of this subsection and before July 1, 2011, shall be classified as a Class T-D member upon payment of regular member contributions. Any prior school service credited as Class T-C service shall be credited as Class T-D service, subject to the limitations contained in paragraph (4).

(2) A school employee who, on the day before and on the effective date of this subsection, is either an active member or an inactive member shall be classified as a Class T-D member and receive credit for Class T-D service performed on or after the effective date of this subsection upon payment of regular member contributions, provided the school employee elects to become a Class T-D member pursuant to section 8305.1 (relating to election to become a Class T-D member). A school employee who becomes a Class T-D member shall also receive Class T-D service credit for all Class T-C school service performed before the effective date of this subsection, subject to the limitations contained in paragraph (4).

(3) A former school employee who, on the effective date of this subsection, is a multiple service member who is a State employee and a member of the State Employees' Retirement System shall receive Class T-D service credit for all Class T-C school service performed before the effective date of this subsection, subject to the limitations contained in paragraph (4), provided the former school employee elects to become a Class T-D member pursuant to section 8305.1.

(4) (i) School service performed as Class T-C service before the effective date of this subsection shall be credited as Class T-D service only upon completion of all acts necessary for the school service to be credited as Class T-C service had this subsection not been enacted.

(ii) A person who is not a school employee or a State employee on June 30, 2001, and July 1, 2001, and who has previous school service shall not receive Class T-D service credit for school service performed before July 1, 2001, until the person becomes an active member or an active member of the State Employees' Retirement System and a multiple service member and earns three eligibility points by performing credited school service or State service after June 30, 2001. This subparagraph does not apply to a disability annuitant who returns to school service after June 30, 2001, upon termination of the disability annuity.

(d) Class T-E membership.--Notwithstanding any other provision, a person who first becomes a school employee and an active member, or a person who first becomes a multiple service member who is a State employee and a member of the State Employees' Retirement System, on or after the effective date of this subsection and before July 1, 2019, shall be classified as a Class T-E member upon payment of regular member contributions and the shared-risk contributions.

(e) Class T-F membership.--Notwithstanding any other provision, a person who first becomes a school employee and an active member, or a person who first becomes a multiple service member who is a State employee and a member of the State Employees' Retirement System, on or after the effective date of this subsection and who is eligible to become a Class T-E member shall have the right to elect into Class T-F membership, provided the person elects to become a Class T-F member pursuant to section 8305.2 (relating to election to become a Class T-F member), upon written election filed with the board and payment of regular member contributions and the shared-risk contributions.

(f) Class T-G membership.--A person who first becomes a school employee and an active member on or after July 1, 2019, shall be classified as a Class T-G member upon payment of regular member contributions and the shared-risk contributions.

(g) Class T-H membership or Class DC participant.--A person who first becomes a school employee and an active member on or after July 1, 2019, and who is eligible to become a Class T-G member shall have the right to elect to become one of the following:

(1) a Class T-H member, provided the person elects to become a Class T-H member pursuant to section 8305.3 (relating to election to become a Class T-H member), upon written election filed with the board and payment of regular member contributions and the shared-risk contributions; or

(2) a Class DC participant, provided the person elects to become a Class DC participant pursuant to section 8305.4 (relating to election to become a Class DC participant), upon written election filed with the board and payment of mandatory pickup participant contributions.