Plan Adoption and Notification

Adopting a Pickup Plan

For STRS Ohio purposes, pickup plans may be adopted for one or more recognized employee groups:

  1. Superintendent or president
  2. Administrators or administrative faculty
  3. Teachers or teaching faculty

Each employee who is a member of STRS Ohio (including substitute teachers and tutors) is considered a part of one of these groups.

Once an employer pickup plan is adopted for an employee group, pickup is a condition of employment and not optional for individual employees. Also, employees within that group may not be given the option of receiving the contributions directly.

STRS Ohio may refuse to accept pickup plans if so directed by the IRS, if guidelines based upon the changing state of the law are not followed, or if the qualified plan status of STRS Ohio is placed in jeopardy.

Notifying STRS Ohio

Employers are required to send the following documentation to STRS Ohio anytime a pickup plan is adopted or modified:

  1. A Notification of Employer Pickup of Employee Contribution form; and
  2. A certified copy of the applicable school board resolution or action. This resolution must include the rate of pickup, plan type, member groups covered by the plan and effective date. View the sample board resolution.

The procedure and required forms are the same for plan adoptions and modifications.

Please review your pickup plan information in ESS for accuracy. If updates are needed, email new plan documentation to [email protected].