TRS webinar explains pension, survivor and insurance rules for substitute teachers

A representative of the Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) said during a webinar that substitute teachers who are paid by Illinois public school districts (outside the city of Chicago) are TRS members, pay 9% of gross earnings into the system and can earn service credit toward a defined benefit pension.

The TRS presenter said membership and retirement rules differ by tier: workers who first contributed to any Illinois public pension system before Jan. 1, 2011, are in tier 1; those who first contributed after that date are in tier 2. For tier 1 members, the presenter said a member may retire at age 60 with at least 10 years of service credit, or at 62 with five to nine years of service credit. Service credit in TRS is measured by days worked in a TRS-covered position; TRS counts 170 days in a school year as one year of service credit.

Nut graf: The webinar emphasized that substitute teachers who fill certified positions — not paraprofessional or teacher aide roles — contribute to TRS and accumulate the days that determine vesting, eligibility for health coverage and pension calculations. The session also described purchase options for prior service, disability and survivor benefits and limits on working after beginning to collect a TRS pension.

Most important details

- Contributions and pension formula: All TRS members pay 9% of gross pay into TRS. The annual pension calculation described by the presenter is service credit multiplied by a factor of 2.2% multiplied by a member’s final average…