How soon can exit Co. Pension and keep co. contributions

[Dublin2]

Joined a company in October 2002, joined company pension scheme in April 2003 & company made a lump sum contribution to scheme at that stage backdated to October 2002 and has contributed every month since then.

Have heard you have to be with a company for 2 years before you can leave and retain the company's contribution to the scheme? Not sure if this is true or if it is 2 years with the company or 2 years in the pension scheme? Please clarify

 

[Guest]

The statutory "vesting period" after which you are entitled to preserved benefits in respect of employer and employee contributions is two years (including any membership periods in respect of occupational funds transferred in from another occupational scheme). Some schemes may have shorter periods although I think that's rare. The time that you have been employed is irrelevant in this context. It's the time that you've been a member of the scheme that counts. See the PB website for more on this sort of stuff:

www.pensionsboard.ie/publ...id=2&CID=2