OSPS APES: Opting Out
This section is intended to give guidance regarding the correct procedures to follow for employees who wish to opt out of OSPS. The procedure to be followed depends on when the member opts out.
If you have a policy of not admitting employees at a later date if they opt out, then you should inform them of this before they sign the opt-out form.
Opt out from the start
If a new employee has been given the information pack for new and prospective employees and wants to opt out immediately they should complete Election not to join OSPS (during first 3 months of service) (OPT1) form
(60kb).
Please ensure that the member signs and dates the form to show that
they have been given information about the scheme and are aware of the
benefits
they are giving up.
Please countersign the form on behalf of the employer and send it to the Pensions Office. We recommend that you keep a copy of the form for your records.
Within the first three months
If a member has signed Application to join (APP1) form 
(62kb) but changes their
mind
before you have sent it to the Pensions Office and
before you
have taken any contributions you can follow the same procedure as above.
If a member has signed Application to join (APP1) form (62kb) but changes their mind
after you have sent form APP1 to the Pensions Office
then you
should get the member to sign Election not to join OSPS (during first 3 months of service) (OPT1) form (60kb) as above. You can refund through
the
payroll both employee and employer contributions already taken. Please
tick the
box on form OPT1 to show that you have done this.
Please countersign the form on behalf of the employer and send it to the Pensions Office. We recommend that you keep a copy of the form for your records.
After the first three months
If a member wishes to opt out after they have been in the scheme for three months, they have to give 28 days notice of opting out. The date of leaving OSPS is the end of the pay period in which the 28 days notice expires. The member should be told that they cannot opt out with effect from the date they sign the opt out form.
The member should sign Application to withdraw from OSPS (while in pensionable service) (OPT2) form (57kb)
and give it to you. Once you
have run the payroll for the pay period in which the 28 days notice
expires you
should complete Notification of withdrawal from OSPS (while in pensionable service) (OPT3) form (120kb).
Please send forms OPT2 and OPT3 together to the
Pensions Office.
If you operate a Salary Exchange scheme you should use Withdrawal from OSPS (salary exchange colleges only) (OPT3(S)) form (129kb)
instead.
On receipt of forms OPT2 and OPT3 OSPS will do the necessary reconciliations and calculations and contact the former member directly concerning their options.