McKenzie v. BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF PUBLIC EMPLOYEES'RETIREMENT SYSTEM

# McKenzie v. Board of Trustees of Public Employees' Retirement System **What Happened** McKenzie, a former government employee, attempted to claim veteran retirement benefits. He had left his job but later purchased credits for his earlier years of service. He argued that combining these purchased credits with his age should qualify him for veteran retirement benefits, even though he was no longer actively working for the government when he met the age and service requirements. **What the Court Decided** The appellate court sided with the Board of Trustees, rejecting McKenzie's claim. The court confirmed that to receive veteran retirement benefits, an employee must still be actively employed in government service when they reach the necessary age and service requirements. Simply buying back old service credits after leaving the job does not satisfy this requirement. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling clarifies that retirement benefit eligibility depends on *when* you meet the requirements, not just what credits you accumulate. Workers considering leaving government jobs should understand that purchasing prior service credits cannot retroactively create eligibility for benefits requiring active employment status at a specific time.