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HomeGovernment CodeDiv. 5Pt. 3Ch. 11Art. 1§ 20891 Retirement Fund Reclassification Exemption

§ 20891 Retirement Fund Reclassification Exemption

Government Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 20891 Retirement Fund Reclassification Exemption

Key Takeaways

  • •If you switch to a certain type of state job (like a police officer or firefighter), some old retirement rules don’t apply to you.
  • •But if you want those old rules to apply, you have to pay back money you took out of your retirement fund earlier, plus interest.
  • •You also have to pay extra money you would have put into the fund if you had been under different rules, plus interest on that too.

Example

Imagine you used to work a regular state job and took out some of your retirement savings when you left. Now you become a firefighter. Normally, some old retirement rules wouldn’t apply to you, but if you want them to, you have to pay back what you took out, plus interest, and also pay extra money you would have saved if you’d been a firefighter the whole time.

This law says that if you switch to a job like a police officer or firefighter, you don’t have to follow some old retirement rules unless you choose to. If you choose to, you have to pay back money you took out earlier, plus interest, and also pay extra money you would have saved under different rules.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 20891 Retirement Fund Reclassification Exemption

Section 20066 and subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 20068 shall not apply to a state miscellaneous or state industrial member subject to Section 21076, 21076.5, or 21077 who becomes a patrol member, a state safety member, or a state peace officer/firefighter member as a result of an amendment to this part defining those members, or is reclassified as a state peace officer/firefighter member pursuant to Section 20395 or 20398, unless the member elects to: (a) deposit in the retirement fund an amount equal to any accumulated contributions that he or she withdrew pursuant to Section 20737, plus an amount equal to the interest which would have been credited to his or her account, to the date of completion of payments, had those contributions not been withdrawn; and (b) deposit in the retirement fund the amount that he or she would have contributed had he or she not been subject to subdivision (c) of Section 20677, plus an amount equal to the interest, to the date of completion of payments, which would have been credited to those contributions had he or she been subject to subdivision (a) or (b) of Section 20677. (Amended by Stats. 2013, Ch. 526, Sec. 12. (SB 220) Effective January 1, 2014.)

Last verified: January 22, 2026

Key Terms

state miscellaneous or state industrial memberpatrol memberstate safety memberstate peace officer/firefighter memberretirement fundaccumulated contributionsSection 20737Section 20677

Related Statutes

  • § 20906 Employee Organization Leave Benefits
  • § 20908 Service Credit Election Period
  • § 20910 Service Credit Election Rights
  • § 21500 Unclaimed Retirement Benefit Funds
  • § 19770 Military Leave For State Employees

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Government Code. Section 20891.
View Official Source