Participating Employers & Membership Overview

SCERS provides retirement benefits to employees of Sacramento County and a group of independent public agencies known as Participating Employers. This partnership ensures that eligible employees are covered by a reliable, defined benefit retirement system from the day they start in a permanent position.

This page outlines which employers participate in SCERS, which types of employees are covered, and how membership categories and tiers are assigned.

Participating Employers

SCERS serves a broad range of public agencies in Sacramento County. The following employers currently participate in the retirement system:

  • Sacramento County
  • Sacramento County Superior Court
  • Sacramento Area Sewer District
  • Sacramento Employment and Training Agency
  • Carmichael Recreation and Park District
  • Elk Grove-Cosumnes Cemetery District
  • Fair Oaks Cemetery District
  • Galt-Arno Cemetery District
  • Mission Oaks Recreation and Park District
  • Orangevale Recreation and Park District
  • Rio Linda Elverta Recreation and Park District
  • Sunrise Recreation and Park District

Each of these employers has formally entered into an agreement with SCERS to provide retirement benefits to eligible employees. These employers are responsible for submitting member and payroll data, coordinating enrollment and separation activities, and ensuring timely retirement contributions.

Who Is Covered?

Employees are automatically enrolled in SCERS if they are hired into a:

  • Permanent full-time position
  • Permanent part-time position

SCERS membership is effective the day an employee begins employment in a SCERS-covered position.

The following types of employment are typically excluded from SCERS membership:

  • Temporary or seasonal roles
  • Intermittent, on-call, or limited-term positions
  • Independent contractors or employees of third-party vendors

If you’re unsure whether a position qualifies for SCERS membership, refer to your agency’s HR policies or contact SCERS directly.

Membership Categories

SCERS categorizes members based on their job function:

  • Miscellaneous Members – Most administrative, technical, clerical, professional, and all other positions that are not designated for Safety Membership
  • Safety Members – Law enforcement, fire personnel, and others whose roles meet specific safety classification criteria

Membership categories are defined in accordance with County Employees Retirement Law of 1937 (CERL).

Tier Assignment

An employee’s benefit tier is determined by several factors:

  • Date of hire into a SCERS-covered position
  • Reciprocity status (whether they’ve worked for another reciprocal public retirement system)
  • Previous membership history

Employers assign each new member to the correct tier at the time of enrollment. This tier affects their retirement age, benefit formula, and contribution rate.

If a rehired employee previously worked in a SCERS or reciprocal agency position, special rules may apply. Contact SCERS for guidance on assigning tiers in those cases.