McHUGH, Chief Justice:
In this appeal, the West Virginia Consolidated Retirement Board (hereinafter “the Board”), which administers the Public Employees Retirement System (hereinafter “PERS”),1 appeals an order entered in the Circuit Court of Randolph County in which respondent James F. Cain was awarded an additional year of service credit under PERS for fifteen and one-half months of temporary employment. This Court has before it the petition for appeal, all matters of record and the briefs and arguments of counsel. For the reasons discussed below, the order of the circuit court is reversed.
I.
Respondent, who, for twenty-eight years, served as the Prosecuting Attorney of Randolph County2 and who is a member of PERS3 with twenty-eight years of accumulated service credit,4 seeks one additional year of service credit5 for his employment in 1962-63 at the West Virginia State Road Commission (now the Division of Highways). Various facts regarding respondent’s employment at the Division of Highways (hereinafter “DOH”) are undisputed. From June 1, 1962 until September 13, 1963, respondent was employed by the DOH while he was a student at the West Virginia University College of Law. During his employment there, respondent worked full time as a salaried employee in the summer months of 1962 and 1963 and during the remaining months, he was paid on an hourly basis, working eighty hours per month. According to DOH records, respondent was classified, at all times during his employment, as a “temporary” employee.
II.
A.
When respondent’s application to the Board for additional service credit under PERS was denied, respondent requested an appeal.6 The sole issue before Hearing Examiner Jack W. DeBolt was whether respondent was entitled to one year of service credit for Ms fifteen and one-half month period of temporary employment at the DOH. In [516]*516his recommended decision, dated February 16,1994, the hearing examiner recommended that respondent’s application for additional service credit be denied on the grounds that respondent was classified as a temporary employee7 at the DOH and, as such, did not meet the statutory requirements for membership in PERS.
W. Va.Code, 5-10-17 [1991] provides that “membership of [PERS] shall consist of ... (a) [a]ll employees, as defined in [W. Va. Code, 5-10-2] [.] W. Va.Code, 5-10-2(6) [1988] defines “employee,” in relevant part, as
any person who serves regularly as an officer or employee, full time, on a salary basis, whose tenure is not restricted as to temporary or provisional appointment, in the service of, and whose compensation is payable, in whole or in part, by any political subdivision, or an officer or employee whose compensation is calculated on a daily basis and paid monthly or on completion of assignment [.]8
(emphasis and footnote added).
The hearing examiner’s recommended decision was subsequently adopted by the Board. Respondent appealed the Board’s decision to the Circuit Court of Randolph County. Though the circuit court adopted the hearing examiner’s findings of fact and, specifically, the finding that respondent was classified as a temporary employee while at the DOH, it, nevertheless, reversed the Board’s order and awarded respondent an [517]*517additional year of service credit. In its May 15, 1994 order, the circuit court stated, inter alia,
as a matter of fact, and it appears uncon-troverted, that during the fifteen and a half (15-1/2) month period, from June 1, 1962, to September 13, 1963, the [respondent] was ‘classified’ as a temporary employee. It also appears uncontroverted that during the period of time in question, June 1, 1962, to September 13, 1963, the [respondent] accumulated more than 1,040 hours of service as an employee at any twelve (12) months during that fifteen and a half (15-1/2) month period of time.
The Court finds that, although the Court adopts his Findings of Fact, the hearing examiner reached an incorrect conclusion of law in finding that the [respondent] failed to qualify for one year’s service because of his employment with [the DOH]. Both the statutes and the case law direct that the rules be liberally construed and the rules have specified that employment for more than 1,040 hours during a one (1) year’s period shall be considered as full time employment despite some artificial classification of either temporary or permanent.
As its order suggests, the circuit court was of the opinion that during respondent’s employment at the DOH, which at all times was classified as “temporary,” he met the statutory definition of “employee” because he was employed “full time” and his “compensation [was] calculated on a daily basis and paid monthly or on completion of assignment[.]” W. Va.Code, 5-10-2(6) [1988]. “Full time employment” is defined in 162 C.S.R. 5-7 as “[e]mployment of an employee by a participating public employer in a position which normally requires twelve (12) months per year service and/or requires at least [1,04-0] hours per year service in that position is considered full-time employment.” (emphasis added). The circuit court apparently calculated the number of hours respondent worked during his 15 and 1/2 month employment, which included the 160 hours per month during the summer months of 1962 and 1963, for which he was paid on a salary basis, and the 80 hours per month during the remaining nine months, for which respondent was paid by the hour. Upon concluding that respondent “accumulated more than 1,040 hours of service as an employee at any twelve (12) months during that fifteen and a half (15-1/2) month period of time[,]” the circuit court awarded respondent one year’s service credit on the grounds that “the rules have specified that employment for more than 1,040 hours during a one (1) year’s period shall be considered as full time employment despite some artificial classification of either temporary or permanent.”
B.
The circuit court’s legal determination that respondent met the statutory definition of “employee” for membership in PERS, entitling him to one year of service credit for his temporary employment at the DOH, is subject to de novo review by this Court: “ ‘Where the issue on appeal from the circuit court is clearly a question of law or involving an interpretation of a statute, we apply a de novo standard of review.’ Syllabus Point 1, Chrystal R.M. v. Charlie A.L., 194 W.Va. 138, 459 S.E.2d 415 (1995).” Syl. pt. 1, In re Petition of City of Beckley, 194 W.Va. 423, 460 S.E.2d 669 (1995).
As set forth above, the term “employee” is defined as
any person who serves regularly as an officer or employee, full time, on a salary basis, whose tenure is not restricted as to temporary or provisional appointment, in the service of, and whose compensation is payable, in whole or in part, by any political subdivision, or an officer or employee whose compensation is calculated on a daily basis and paid monthly or on completion of assignment [.]
W.
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McHUGH, Chief Justice:
In this appeal, the West Virginia Consolidated Retirement Board (hereinafter “the Board”), which administers the Public Employees Retirement System (hereinafter “PERS”),1 appeals an order entered in the Circuit Court of Randolph County in which respondent James F. Cain was awarded an additional year of service credit under PERS for fifteen and one-half months of temporary employment. This Court has before it the petition for appeal, all matters of record and the briefs and arguments of counsel. For the reasons discussed below, the order of the circuit court is reversed.
I.
Respondent, who, for twenty-eight years, served as the Prosecuting Attorney of Randolph County2 and who is a member of PERS3 with twenty-eight years of accumulated service credit,4 seeks one additional year of service credit5 for his employment in 1962-63 at the West Virginia State Road Commission (now the Division of Highways). Various facts regarding respondent’s employment at the Division of Highways (hereinafter “DOH”) are undisputed. From June 1, 1962 until September 13, 1963, respondent was employed by the DOH while he was a student at the West Virginia University College of Law. During his employment there, respondent worked full time as a salaried employee in the summer months of 1962 and 1963 and during the remaining months, he was paid on an hourly basis, working eighty hours per month. According to DOH records, respondent was classified, at all times during his employment, as a “temporary” employee.
II.
A.
When respondent’s application to the Board for additional service credit under PERS was denied, respondent requested an appeal.6 The sole issue before Hearing Examiner Jack W. DeBolt was whether respondent was entitled to one year of service credit for Ms fifteen and one-half month period of temporary employment at the DOH. In [516]*516his recommended decision, dated February 16,1994, the hearing examiner recommended that respondent’s application for additional service credit be denied on the grounds that respondent was classified as a temporary employee7 at the DOH and, as such, did not meet the statutory requirements for membership in PERS.
W. Va.Code, 5-10-17 [1991] provides that “membership of [PERS] shall consist of ... (a) [a]ll employees, as defined in [W. Va. Code, 5-10-2] [.] W. Va.Code, 5-10-2(6) [1988] defines “employee,” in relevant part, as
any person who serves regularly as an officer or employee, full time, on a salary basis, whose tenure is not restricted as to temporary or provisional appointment, in the service of, and whose compensation is payable, in whole or in part, by any political subdivision, or an officer or employee whose compensation is calculated on a daily basis and paid monthly or on completion of assignment [.]8
(emphasis and footnote added).
The hearing examiner’s recommended decision was subsequently adopted by the Board. Respondent appealed the Board’s decision to the Circuit Court of Randolph County. Though the circuit court adopted the hearing examiner’s findings of fact and, specifically, the finding that respondent was classified as a temporary employee while at the DOH, it, nevertheless, reversed the Board’s order and awarded respondent an [517]*517additional year of service credit. In its May 15, 1994 order, the circuit court stated, inter alia,
as a matter of fact, and it appears uncon-troverted, that during the fifteen and a half (15-1/2) month period, from June 1, 1962, to September 13, 1963, the [respondent] was ‘classified’ as a temporary employee. It also appears uncontroverted that during the period of time in question, June 1, 1962, to September 13, 1963, the [respondent] accumulated more than 1,040 hours of service as an employee at any twelve (12) months during that fifteen and a half (15-1/2) month period of time.
The Court finds that, although the Court adopts his Findings of Fact, the hearing examiner reached an incorrect conclusion of law in finding that the [respondent] failed to qualify for one year’s service because of his employment with [the DOH]. Both the statutes and the case law direct that the rules be liberally construed and the rules have specified that employment for more than 1,040 hours during a one (1) year’s period shall be considered as full time employment despite some artificial classification of either temporary or permanent.
As its order suggests, the circuit court was of the opinion that during respondent’s employment at the DOH, which at all times was classified as “temporary,” he met the statutory definition of “employee” because he was employed “full time” and his “compensation [was] calculated on a daily basis and paid monthly or on completion of assignment[.]” W. Va.Code, 5-10-2(6) [1988]. “Full time employment” is defined in 162 C.S.R. 5-7 as “[e]mployment of an employee by a participating public employer in a position which normally requires twelve (12) months per year service and/or requires at least [1,04-0] hours per year service in that position is considered full-time employment.” (emphasis added). The circuit court apparently calculated the number of hours respondent worked during his 15 and 1/2 month employment, which included the 160 hours per month during the summer months of 1962 and 1963, for which he was paid on a salary basis, and the 80 hours per month during the remaining nine months, for which respondent was paid by the hour. Upon concluding that respondent “accumulated more than 1,040 hours of service as an employee at any twelve (12) months during that fifteen and a half (15-1/2) month period of time[,]” the circuit court awarded respondent one year’s service credit on the grounds that “the rules have specified that employment for more than 1,040 hours during a one (1) year’s period shall be considered as full time employment despite some artificial classification of either temporary or permanent.”
B.
The circuit court’s legal determination that respondent met the statutory definition of “employee” for membership in PERS, entitling him to one year of service credit for his temporary employment at the DOH, is subject to de novo review by this Court: “ ‘Where the issue on appeal from the circuit court is clearly a question of law or involving an interpretation of a statute, we apply a de novo standard of review.’ Syllabus Point 1, Chrystal R.M. v. Charlie A.L., 194 W.Va. 138, 459 S.E.2d 415 (1995).” Syl. pt. 1, In re Petition of City of Beckley, 194 W.Va. 423, 460 S.E.2d 669 (1995).
As set forth above, the term “employee” is defined as
any person who serves regularly as an officer or employee, full time, on a salary basis, whose tenure is not restricted as to temporary or provisional appointment, in the service of, and whose compensation is payable, in whole or in part, by any political subdivision, or an officer or employee whose compensation is calculated on a daily basis and paid monthly or on completion of assignment [.]
W. Va.Code, 5-10-2(6) [1988], in relevant part. Under the language of W. Va.Code, 5-10-2(6) [1988], an individual is a member of PERS if his or her employment is full time and not restricted as to temporary or provisional appointment. Id. Contrary to this statutory language, the circuit court failed to give proper consideration to the fact that respondent was classified as a “temporary” employee at all times during his employment [518]*518at DOH. Rather, the circuit court determined that respondent qualified as an “employee” under PERS based solely upon the finding that respondent worked the requisite number of hours for full-time employment under 162 C.S.R. 5-7, supra. We find this to be a misapplication of W. Va.Code, 5-10-2(6) [1988].
We hold that pursuant to W. Va.Code, 5-10-2(6) [1988], an individual is an employee for membership in the Public Employees Retirement System if such individual is employed full time and his or her tenure is not restricted as to temporary or provisional appointment. These requirements apply to any person who serves regularly as an officer or employee, on a salary basis, in the service of, and whose compensation is payable, in whole or in part, by any political subdivision, as well as to an officer or employee whose compensation is calculated on a daily basis and paid monthly or on completion of assignment.
III.
Respondent, whose employment at the DOH was, at all times, classified as “temporary,” was not an employee for membership in PERS and was, thus, not entitled to an additional year of service credit. See Id. It was, therefore, error for the circuit court to award respondent an additional year of service credit for his temporary employment at the DOH.9 Accordingly, the May 15, 1994 order of the Circuit Court of Randolph County is hereby reversed.
Reversed.