Buying service
Purchasable (actuarial cost; $200 nonrefundable calculation fee, $50 per extra amount): legal leaves of absence (1 year per 5 years of actual service, up to 2 consecutive years), sabbatical, substitute teaching, involuntary furlough, local/state public employment, non-TRSL charter school, U.S. dependent schools, in-state private school, non-USERRA military (honorable discharge), out-of-state public school. Cost is the greater of actuarial cost or employee+employer contributions plus interest. Most purchases and all transfers must be finished before retirement or DROP; exceptions are unused sick/annual leave and USERRA military. Actuarial transfers and reciprocal recognition with other Louisiana systems are also available. Purchases & Transfers pp. 2-7, 11-14
Unused sick leave
Unused sick leave converts to service credit for the benefit only (never eligibility). The employer may pay up to 25 days at the daily rate on retiring or entering DROP; paid days are subtracted. Conversion of sick leave earned on or after July 1, 1990 is capped at one year; no cap on leave earned on or before June 30, 1988. Leave earned after July 1, 1990 left over after the 1-year cap may be purchasable. Member Handbook p. 19; Sick Leave brochure PDF pp. 1-7; Destination Retirement PDF p. 4; R.S. 11:752
Days to credit, first rows of each table
Leave earned by June 30, 1988
| Days | Years |
|---|---|
| 25-45 | 0.25 |
| 46-90 | 0.5 |
| 91-135 | 0.75 |
| 136-180 | 1 |
| 181-225 | 1.25 |
| 226-270 | 1.5 |
Leave earned from July 1, 1988 (9-month contract)
| Days | Years |
|---|---|
| 10-18 | 0.1 |
| 19-36 | 0.2 |
| 37-54 | 0.3 |
| 55-72 | 0.4 |
| 73-90 | 0.5 |
| 91-108 | 0.6 |
The full tables run longer and cover 9-, 10-, 11- and 12-month contracts. Sick Leave brochure PDF p. 3, Table 1; Sick Leave brochure PDF p. 5, Table 2
Annual leave
Unused annual leave counts only if purchased at actuarial cost; days remaining / contract days = fraction of a year; the employer may pay up to 50% of the cost (if it does so for all employees). Member Handbook p. 20, Annual leave
From the sources
- You can buy credit for leaves of absence, sabbatical, substitute teaching, furloughs, other Louisiana public work, out-of-state public school teaching, in-state private school, and military service. Most purchases need a $200 actuarial calculation fee, and all but sick/annual leave and USERRA military must be finished before you retire or enter DROP.Purchases & Transfers pp. 2-3
- Unused sick leave turns into service credit at retirement. Credit for leave earned on or after July 1, 1990 is capped at one year. Example: a 9-month employee with 50 unused pre-1988 days and 123 later days gets 0.5 + 0.7 = 1.2 years.Sick Leave brochure PDF pp. 4-6
Questions
What service can I buy from TRSL?
Leaves of absence, sabbatical, substitute teaching, furloughs, other Louisiana public work, out-of-state public school teaching, some private school and military service, among others. Most purchases must be finished before you retire or enter DROP.
Does unused sick leave count toward retirement?
Only toward the size of your benefit, never toward when you can retire.
What does it cost to get a TRSL purchase cost?
TRSL charges a $200 nonrefundable fee to calculate the cost, and $50 for each extra amount.
Source: TRSL Member Handbook: Regular Plan & Plan B, Last revised April 2026, pp. 19, 20. Also: Purchases & Transfers pp. 2-3, 2-7, 11-14; Sick Leave brochure PDF pp. 1-7, 3, 4-6, 5, 6; Destination Retirement PDF p. 4; La. R.S. 11:752. Last reviewed .