ORS 238.156: Contributions, benefits and retirement credit for periods of service in uniformed services or Armed Forces; rules.

(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, but subject to subsection (4) of this section, an employee who leaves a qualifying position for the purpose of performing service in the uniformed services is entitled to receive contributions, benefits and service credit for the period under rules adopted by the Public Employees Retirement Board pursuant to subsection (2) of this section. (2) The board shall adopt rules establishing contributions, benefits and service credit for any period of service in the uniformed services by an employee described in subsection (1) of this section. For the purpose of adopting rules under this subsection, the board shall consider and take into account all federal law relating to contributions, benefits and service credit for any period of service in the uniformed services. Contributions, benefits and service credit under rules adopted by the board pursuant to this subsection may not exceed contributions, benefits and service credit required under federal law for periods of service in the uniformed services. (3) Subject to subsection (4) of this section, an employee who leaves a qualifying position for the purpose of entering or reentering active service in the Armed Forces shall acquire retirement credit for the period during which the employee served in the Armed Forces if: (a) The employee returns to the service of the employer who employed the employee immediately before commencing service in the Armed Forces in a qualifying position; (b) The employee returns to that employment within one year after being otherwise than dishonorably discharged from the Armed Forces and within five years after the date that the employee entered or reentered active service in the Armed Forces; and (c) After returning to employment and before retirement, the employee pays to the Public Employees Retirement Board in a lump sum six percent of the salary that would have been paid to the member during the period of military service in the Armed Forces based on the employee’s salary rate at the time the employee entered or reentered the Armed Forces, as though the employee had remained in the employment of the employer. Any lump sum contribution made under this paragraph shall be added to the employee’s regular account and in all respects shall be considered as though made by payroll deduction. (4) An employee may not receive benefits under both subsections (1) and (3) of this section for the same period of service in the Armed Forces or uniformed services. If an employee is entitled to benefits under both subsections (1) and (3) of this section by the terms of those provisions, the employee shall receive benefits under the subsection that provides the greater benefit. (5) For the purposes of this section: (a) “Armed Forces” means the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard and Space Force. (b) “Uniformed services” means: (A) The Armed Forces; (B) The Army National Guard or the Air National Guard when the employee is engaged in active duty for training, inactive duty for training or full-time National Guard duty; (C) The commissioned corps of the United States Public Health Service; (D) The commissioned corps of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; and (E) Any other category of persons designated by the President of the United States in time of war or national emergency. [1997 c.175 §2 (enacted in lieu of 238.155); 2001 c.945 §42; 2003 c.625 §21; 2003 c.733 §51a; 2005 c.152 §8; 2017 c.641 §1; 2025 c.453 §5]