The Defined Contribution Retirement Plan puts you in the driver’s seat. Both you and your employer contribute to your individual account. You then control how your contributions are invested choosing from the investment options available in the plan. Your benefit will depend on the size of your individual account balance at retirement. Your account balance, in turn, depends on contributions and investment earnings. Investment earnings can be either positive or negative during any period of time. In the Defined Contribution Retirement Plan you assume the investment risk, but are also entitled to all investment returns. Your account will grow over time, depending on the following:

• Contributions
• Investment earnings (either positive or negative) and
• Length of time invested

Total contributions to your individual account will be 12.09%.

• 7.90% Employee
• 4.19% Employer

In addition to contributing to your account, your employer contributes the following:

• 2.37% to the Plan Choice Rate
• 0.04% to the Education Fund
• 0.30% to the Long-Term Disability Fund
• 0.27% to the Temporary Supplemental Contributions to PERS and Disability Funds.