What makes a retiree eligible to become a member of OEA-Retired? The OEA Policies below define the eligibility of a retired member:
OEA Bylaw Membership Classes 2-1.f.
Retired membership shall be open to any officially retired person who has held active membership in the Association for at least one (1) year and who has retired through a State Retirement System in Ohio. Retired life memberships shall be available to retired members and shall entitle the member for life to those rights and privileges of a retired member as the latter may, from time to time, be determined by the OEA Constitution and Bylaws. Retired life memberships shall also be available to active members and shall, upon retirement, entitle the member for life to those rights and privileges of a retired member as the latter may, from time to time, be determined by the OEA Constitution and Bylaws. Retired membership provides no entitlement to the rights, privileges, or benefits of active membership class. Further, a retired member who becomes employed by or in a public school district, public or private college or university, or other public institution devoted primarily to education, if eligible, must seek active membership in the OEA. The member will be placed in the proper membership class as outlined in Bylaw 2-1 with full membership rights and will be assessed the appropriate dues for that membership class regardless of eligibility for retired membership status pursuant to Bylaw 2-1.
OEA Executive Board Policy 900.050 – RETIRED MEMBERS – ELIGIBILITY
Bylaw 3-3 does not exclude retirees from other Ohio retirement systems from such membership class. It permits not only educators who have officially retired from a State Retirement System in Ohio to join the OEA as a retired member, but such section also permits other individuals who have retired from active educational service from institutions under another state retirement system in Ohio to join OEA as retired members, as long as such persons meet the requirements in Bylaw 2-1.f. and as long as they are not eligible for another classification of membership.
What is the cost of a Retired Unified Membership?: Any OEA active member who retired after 1985 shall be a unified member of the OEA-R and NEA-R. Current Unified retired annual dues is $60.00 and Unified Life dues is $400.00. In addition the OEA Executive Board Policy 910.090 speaks to first year OEA-R memberships: “ Members, who retire from active service after May 1988 shall upon payment of the appropriate national, district and local dues for retirees, be granted a waiver of the first year’s membership dues OEA-R. The dues waived under this policy may not be applied as a credit against the retired life membership fee provided in Bylaw 2-1.f.”
What kind of employment would require a retired member to seek active membership: A retired member who becomes employed in a bargaining unit position represented by OEA and/or an affiliated local is eligible for and must seek active membership in OEA.
Back to being employed – so what happens to your retired membership: A retired life membership will be changed to a pre-retired membership and you would be enrolled as an active member of the OEA with full membership rights and will be assessed the appropriate dues for that membership class. Once you have returned to full time retired status, your retired life membership will be reinstated.
Questions regarding OEA-Retired membership may be directed to the Membership Department of the Ohio Education Association at 1-800-282-1500 extension 4056 or at membership@ohea.org.