Plan changes for group 1

If you’re in group 1, learn how the changes affect you and improve your lifetime pension. You are a member of group 1 if you are not a police officer or firefighter.

Changes to early retirement rules

Removing the bridge benefit on future service

The biggest change for group 1 members is a higher lifetime pension. This is balanced by changes to early retirement rules, including the removal of the bridge benefit on service as of January 1, 2022.

The bridge benefit is paid to those who choose to retire before age 65. All members contributed to this benefit, but not all members took advantage of it.

The bridge benefit will still be available for all service earned before January 1, 2022.

Group 1 members who retire before age 65 with service earned before January 1, 2022, will receive a bridge benefit for that service.

Learn how changes to the bridge benefit affect group 1 members in this video.

Removing the rule of 90*

The rule of 90 has been eliminated for service earned on or after January 1, 2022. Members who qualify for the rule of 90 at their retirement date will continue to receive an unreduced pension for their service earned before January 1, 2022. These members will have a reduction applied only to the pension based on service earned after this date (on retirement before age 60).

All contributory service, including service you earn after 2022, will count in determining if you meet the rule of 90 for an unreduced pension for service earned before January 1, 2022.

The reason for this change is that, historically, only a small percentage of members qualified for the rule of 90 before age 60, yet the cost was being paid by all members and their employers through contributions to the plan.

Learn how changes to the rule of 90 affect group 1 members in this video.

*The rule of 90 determines eligibility for an unreduced pension if your age at retirement plus years of contributory service is at least 90. For example, if you started working at the age of 20, and worked for 35 years, you would meet the rule of 90 if you retired at age 55 (55 years old plus 35 years of service = 90).