Overview
SDCERS was established by the City of San Diego in 1927 to administer retirement benefits for its Members. Since the San Diego Unified Port District was established in 1962, SDCERS has administered the Port’s retirement plan for Port employees. SDCERS provides benefits to its vested Members when they retire. SDCERS’ responsibilities include collecting contributions, making payments, investing earnings, and managing the retirement fund with direction from a 13-member Board of Administration.
You become a Member of SDCERS once you are appointed to a position as any classified or unclassified, full-time Port employee and the Port begins contributing to SDCERS on your behalf.
Your defined benefit plan with the Port is a retirement plan to which the Port contributes to while you are a Member, and that entitles you to a benefit, once eligible, from the time you retire until your death.
NOTE: On September 20, 2024, the Port amended their plan to eliminate the five-year waiting period for membership in SDCERS. If you were hired or rehired by the Port on or after September 20, 2019 and participate in this plan tier, your benefit calculation may be slightly different than what is detailed in this plan summary. Please contact SDCERS for more information.
Plan Sponsor
San Diego Unified Port District
Plan Name
Port General Miscellaneous
Hire Date
Initially hired on or after January 1, 2009, but before January 1, 2013; OR
Initially hired before January 1, 2009, but terminated Port employment and subsequently rehired on or after January 1, 2009 (becoming a blended member - see Reciprocity & Blended Membership Fact Sheet for more information); OR
Initially hired by the Port on or after January 1, 2013, but established incoming reciprocity with a reciprocal hire date before 2013.
Member Contribution Rate
The Port pays both the employee and employer contributions on behalf of all members in this plan.
Earning Service Credit
Miscellaneous Members begin earning service credit on the first day of their sixth consecutive year of employment, or on September 20, 2024 - whichever comes first.
Service Credit represents the amount of time you have worked for the Port while the Port contributed to SDCERS on your behalf. It is one of the factors used in determining your pension benefit amount when you retire.
Vesting
You must have at least five full years of service credit to be vested in the retirement system and eligible for retirement benefits once you have met the minimum age requirement. Reciprocal service credits may be used to satisfy vesting requirements.
Service Retirement Eligibility
- Age 55 (or older) with 20 or more years of service credit; or
- Age 62 (or older) with five or more years of service credit
Pension Benefit
Your service retirement benefit is based on a formula which includes:
- Retirement Factor;
- Service Credit;
- Final Compensation (your highest pensionable pay during your career averaged over a three-year period); and
- Cost of Living Annuity
Pension Benefit Formula
(Retirement Factor) x (Service Credit) x (Final Compensation) + Cost of Living Annuity
Retirement Factor
Create a Member Portal account to calculate your estimated future pension benefit.