National Association of State Retirement Administrators
Employee Contributions
Introduction
Unlike in the private sector, nearly all employees of state and local government are required to share in the cost of their retirement benefit. Employee contributions typically are set as a percentage of salary by statute or by the board that oversees the retirement system. Although investment earnings and employer contributions account for a larger portion of total public pension fund revenues, by providing a consistent and predictable stream of revenue to public pension funds, contributions from employees fill a vital role in financing pension benefits. Reforms made in the wake of the 2008-09 market decline included higher employee contribution rates for many public pension plans. This issue brief examines employee contribution plan designs, policies and recent trends.
Date Published
September 2021
Contact
Keith Brainard, Research Director
Alex Brown, Research Manager
Download Issue Brief