OCERS Milestones
1944 |
November 7: Orange County voters approve a proposition to adopt the County Employees Retirement Act of 1937, setting the stage for OCERS’ establishment. |
1945 |
January 1: OCERS is officially established, initially governed by a five-member Retirement Board.
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1962 |
June 1: Transition from a “money purchase plan” to a “defined benefit plan,” with retirement benefits based on age, service years, and salary. |
1967 |
Membership eligibility changes to include employees on their hire date and part-time employees working half-time or more. |
1971 |
July 7: Minimum retirement age is lowered to 50, and the average salary calculation shifts to a one-year average. |
1973 |
Retirement System employees are allowed to have administrative costs charged to system earnings but remain part of the County Treasurer’s Office. |
1975 |
January 1: Safety Members can retire after 20 years of service, regardless of age. |
1979 |
September 21: Tier II is introduced, changing benefit formulas and increasing the salary averaging period to three years for new members. |
1983 |
Mandatory retirement age is repealed. |
1989 |
February 1: OCERS becomes a separate department, independent of the County Treasurer’s Office |
1992 |
Proposition 162 (California Pension Protection Act) gives the Retirement Board “plenary authority” over the system. |
1995 |
February: OCERS declares complete independence from Orange County through a Board Resolution. |
1997 |
OCERS set to depart its original location: 2942 Daimler St. Santa Ana, California. |
1998 |
March 31: OCERS officially moves to 2223 E Wellington Ave. Santa Ana, California; its current location. |
2002 |
June 27: AB 1992 passes, granting OCERS status as an independent district and allowing negotiation of benefit formulas. |
2010 |
OCERS logo was updated. |
2013 |
January 1: The California Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act (PEPRA) introduces new retirement eligibility criteria and benefit formulas for members hired after this date. |
2020 |
August 4: OCERS logo was registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. |
2024 |
Membership grows to over 31,000 active and deferred members and 21,000 payees. |
2025 |
OCERS celebrates its 80th anniversary, marking nearly eight decades of service and benefit provision. |