State service credit is earned when you work for a State of Texas agency or a public institution of higher education in the state of Texas. State service affects your annual leave (vacation) accruals and eligibility for longevity pay. If you transferred to the university from another state agency with no break in service, your vacation and sick leave accruals may be transferred.
The university does not automatically receive information about your state service history, so it's very important to be sure your state service record is complete and correct.
Review your state service information in Workday. State service is reflected in the worker's View Profile of Workday from the Actions button navigate to Additional Data and select View All.
What State Employment Qualifies for State Service?
If you have questions about what previous employment counts toward your state service credit, refer to the State of Texas Agencies list or the list of Public Universities in Texas.
Employment at an independent school district or community college in Texas does not qualify as state service credit for annual leave and longevity purposes, even though this employment often qualifies as creditable service with Teacher Retirement System.
State of Texas Retirees
If you are retired from a State of Texas agency, please notify Human Resources, Records immediately by HR Portal or phone 512-471-HRSC (4772) or toll-free 1-800-687-4178. Please include your retirement date, the state agency(s) you worked for, and the retirement system from which you retired (Teacher Retirement System, TRS; Employee Retirement System, ERS; Optional Retirement Program, ORP; or other).
How to Add Prior State Service
Contact Human Resources
If you worked for a State of Texas agency or institution of higher education in the past, please notify Human Resources, Records by HR Portal or phone 512-471-HRSC (4772). Please include the name of the state agency(s) you worked for, the approximate hire date, the approximate termination date, and any previous names you may have used. Records will contact the agency(s) on your behalf.
Contact the Previous State Agency
If you prefer, you may contact each state agency directly and ask them to transfer your service information to The University of Texas at Austin. Send each agency a transfer of prior state service credit form (PDF).
Transferring Retirement Benefits
State service credit determines vacation accrual rates and longevity pay. It does not determine retirement benefits or creditable service toward retirement. If you need information about your creditable service or retirement benefits, contact the Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) at 512-542-6400, or 1-800-223-8778. If your retirement benefits are managed through the Optional Retirement Program (ORP), contact the retirement vendor that you selected to administer your account.
Understanding Service Credit
You earn different types of credit for your service when you work for The University of Texas at Austin and the State of Texas. You also earn creditable service toward retirement when you participate in the Teacher Retirement System or Optional Retirement Program. See the service comparison table below to understand how these different types of credit are calculated and learn about who is eligible for state service credit, service awards, and retirement service credit.
Service Comparison
| Type of Service | Who is Eligible | What Service is Eligible | Service Calculation Method | Information Contact |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| State Service | All employees, including faculty, staff, and student employees regardless of the percent time appointed. | Includes service with all Texas state agencies and institutions of higher education. | Actual months and days appointed. | HR Portal 512-471-4772 |
| Service Awards | Classified and Administrative and Professional (A&P) staff appointed at least 20 hours per week in an eligible position. Current Faculty members who hold an active staff job title of at least 20 hours or more per week and have accumulated at least 10 years of eligible staff service time. | Service with any University of Texas institution prior to 9-1-01 is included. Only University of Texas at Austin service is included if earned 9-1-01 or later. | One month of service is given for each month or fraction of a month of an active appointment in an eligible title. Eligible service is computed through May 31 of the award year. Time in student titles do not count towards Service Award time. | HR Staff Awards Team |
| Retirement Service | Benefits-eligible faculty and staff employees. | Only service in a position for which a contribution to a mandatory retirement program was made. | TRS and ORP participants must have a minimum of 90 paid days during each September 1 - August 31 plan year to earn a year of retirement service credit. Review Retirement Service Credit for more details. | Teacher Retirement System of Texas Optional Retirement Program |
Quick Links
- Transfer of Prior State Service (PDF)
- Teacher Retirement System of Texas
- Texas State Agencies
- Texas Public Universities
Contact Info
Human Resource Service Center
Phone: 512-471-4772
Email: HR Portal