Index 16.0 - Optional Retirement Plan (ORP)
Once ORP, always ORP! 
Remember this phrase when hiring new employees, especially those who previously elected to participate in the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) during prior public higher education employment. 
An employee’s decision to join ORP is irrevocable. The employee must remain in ORP during all periods of Louisiana public education employment that would normally meet the criteria for TRSL-covered employment. 
EXAMPLE #1:
School Board A hires a physical education teacher who once worked for LSU. While at LSU, the teacher elected to participate in ORP instead of joining the TRSL Regular Plan.
  • Even though switching to a K-12 employer, this teacher must remain in ORP because prior ORP participation was in a Louisiana public higher ed institution.
Did you know?
Vested TRSL Regular Plan members with five or more years of service credit may have the opportunity to elect to participate in the ORP later in their careers.  If a vested K-12 member becomes employed by a higher education employer in a TRSL-covered position, he may be offered the opportunity to participate in the ORP, regardless of the number of years he has vested in the TRSL Regular Plan.
EXAMPLE #2:
A vested TRSL Regular Plan member with 10 years of service credit with a K-12 employer changes jobs and is now, for the first time, working as an unclassified employee at a Louisiana public higher education institution.
  • The employee has 60 days to make an irrevocable election to join the ORP. 
TRSL Regular Plan members who later join the ORP have the option to transfer their accumulated employee contributions to their selected ORP carrier. When determining whether to transfer these contributions, an employee should consider if he is vested or non-vested in the TRSL Regular Plan, as this may impact his decision.
  • Because ORP participants can never rejoin the TRSL Regular Plan, a non-vested member (less than five years of service credit) will never accrue enough service credit to earn a benefit from the Regular Plan.
  • While a vested Regular Plan member (five or more years of service credit) can also not rejoin the Regular Plan, he will be eligible for a retirement benefit when he reaches normal retirement eligibility and severs all TRSL related employment. This benefit would be calculated using his service credit and final average compensation at the time he ends participation in TRSL's Regular Plan.
In each case, an employee needs to make the decision on whether to transfer employee contributions based on his individual retirement needs.
In order to transfer the employee contributions to their ORP account, the employee must make the request on the Application for Optional Retirement Plan or Change of Carrier (Form 16).
If this section is not completed, TRSL will not transfer the employee contributions to the ORP carrier.
Please refer to Index 16.0 for more information on ORP eligibility. 
"Mastering the Manual" takes you through the TRSL Employer Procedures Manual, index by index, to give you helpful tips and guidance that will make your job easier. Look for it in your inbox every couple of weeks!
Questions? Contact Sharon Lachney or Heather Landry.
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