Definition: State service credit is earned when you work for a State of Texas agency or a public institution of higher education (as recognized by the State of Texas). In most instances, this does not include community colleges, 2-year colleges, or school districts.
Process: Benefits-eligible employees with prior Texas State employment must complete the Prior State Service Verification Form for each State agency. Once the form is complete, the employee must submit it to the ESO Records Department. The ESO Records Specialist will contact the agencies to verify prior State employment. Upon verification, the ESO Records Specialist will update your service years, apply the correct vacation accrual and longevity if applicable.
Requests for Prior State Service are processed on a first-come, first-serve basis and, in some cases, require considerable research and time to verify.
How it affects me: If your State of Texas service history is not accurate, your vacation accruals and eligibility for longevity pay could be affected. The university does not automatically receive information about your State service history; this includes UH System institutions. It is the responsibility of the employee to provide the form and ensure that your state service is complete and correct.
It is also important to note that Prior State Service and State of Texas Retirement are not collective. Prior State Service credit only determines vacation accrual rates and longevity pay; it doesn’t determine retirement benefits. TRS and ERS calculate creditable service, sometimes called “service credit,” to determine retirement benefits eligibility.
Contact: If you have any questions regarding Prior State Service, please contact the ESO Records Department at 713-221-8060 or ESOrecords@uhd.edu.
The HUB Employee 