All full-time employees who were employed on April 1, 1998, when the plan was enhanced, were given the opportunity to choose to either:

• Remain in the prior, non-contributory plan, or
• Join the enhanced, contributory plan

All full-time employees employed after April 1, 1998 and before January 1, 2010 were automatically enrolled in the enhanced contributory plan.

Note: Certain full-time employees who are covered under a state pension plan are not eligible to participate in the Cobb County plan.

An employee's pre-tax contribution is a percentage of the employee's gross pay.  Employee contributions are 8.75%.

The county's contribution is 23.59% for FY24. It is updated annually to be the Annual Required Contribution as determined in the annual actuarial report.

Employees hired or rehired prior to January 1, 2009 are vested with seven (7) years of full-time service. Effective January 1, 2024, the vesting for certain employees hired after January 1, 2009 in the Hybrid Pension Plan moved from ten (10) to seven (7) years.

If an employee leaves the county before they are vested, they will not lose their contribution. Instead, their contribution will be returned to them along with an approved amount of annually compounded interest. The employee may have these funds paid directly to them or choose a direct rollover into an approved Individual Retirement Account.

The annual retirement benefit calculation formula uses the Final Average Earnings (defined as the average of the highest five (5) consecutive years, within the ten (10) years prior to the employee’s termination of employment) times a multiplier of 2.5% times the number of years and months of credited service.

Note: Prior service which has been restored to the employee may be calculated at a different percentage rate.

Example: Final Average Earnings = $45,000 X 2.5% = $1,125 X 30 years of service = $33,750 Annual Benefit.

Overtime pay, if any, is included in an employee’s Final Average Earnings.  Employee contributions to the Plan are calculated on regular pay and overtime pay.