(1) "Accumulated contributions" means the sum of all amounts deducted from the compensations of a member and credited to his or her individual account in the members' deposit fund, together with regular interest on the contributions;
(2) "Accumulated net benefit" means the aggregate amount of all benefits paid to or on behalf of a retired member;
(3) "Actuarial equivalent" means a benefit of equal value computed upon the basis of a mortality table and regular interest adopted by the board of trustees from time to time: Provided, That when used in the context of compliance with the federal maximum benefit requirements of Section 415 of the Internal Revenue Code, "actuarial equivalent" shall be computed using the mortality tables and interest rates required to comply with those requirements;
(4) "Annuity" means an annual amount payable by the retirement system throughout the life of a person. All annuities shall be paid in equal monthly installments, rounding to the upper cent for any fraction of a cent;
(5) "Annuity reserve" means the present value of all payments to be made to a retirant or beneficiary of a retirant on account of any annuity, computed upon the basis of mortality and other tables of experience, and regular interest, adopted by the board of trustees from time to time;
(6) "Beneficiary" means any person, except a retirant, who is entitled to, or will be entitled to, an annuity or other benefit payable by the retirement system;
(7) "Board of Trustees" or "board" means the Board of Trustees of the West Virginia Consolidated Public Retirement System;
(8) "Compensation" means the remuneration paid a member by a participating public employer for personal services rendered by the member to the participating public employer. In the event a member's remuneration is not all paid in money, his or her participating public employer shall fix the value of the portion of the remuneration which is not paid in money. Any lump sum or other payments paid to members that do not constitute regular salary or wage payments are not considered compensation for the purpose of withholding contributions for the system or for the purpose of calculating a member's final average salary. These payments include, but are not limited to, attendance or performance bonuses, one-time flat fee or lump sum payments, payments paid as a result of excess budget, or employee recognition payments. The board shall have final power to decide whether the payments shall be considered compensation for purposes of this article;
(9) "Contributing service" means service rendered by a member within this state and for which the member made contributions to a public retirement system account of this state, to the extent credited him or her as provided by this article;
(10) "Credited service" means the sum of a member's prior service credit, military service credit, workers' compensation service credit and contributing service credit standing to his or her credit as provided in this article;
(11) "Employee" means 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, including technicians and other personnel employed by the West Virginia National Guard whose compensation, in whole or in part, is paid by the federal government: Provided, That an employee of the Legislature whose term of employment is otherwise classified as temporary and who is employed to perform services required by the Legislature for its regular sessions or during the interim between regular sessions and who has been or is employed during regular sessions or during the interim between regular sessions in seven or more consecutive calendar years, as certified by the clerk of the house in which the employee served, is an employee, any provision to the contrary in this article notwithstanding, and is entitled to credited service in accordance with provisions of section fourteen, article ten, chapter five of this code and: Provided, however, That members of the legislative body of any political subdivision and judges of the State Court of Claims are employees receiving one year of service credit for each one-year term served and pro rated service credit for any partial term served, anything contained in this article to the contrary notwithstanding. In any case of doubt as to who is an employee within the meaning of this article, the Board of Trustees shall decide the question;
(12) "Employer error" means an omission, misrepresentation, or violation of relevant provisions of the West Virginia Code or of the West Virginia Code of State Regulations or the relevant provisions of both the West Virginia Code and of the West Virginia Code of State Regulations by the participating public employer that has resulted in an underpayment or overpayment of contributions required. A deliberate act contrary to the provisions of this section by a participating public employer does not constitute employer error.
(13) "Final average salary" means either of the following: Provided, That salaries for determining benefits during any determination period may not exceed the maximum compensation allowed as adjusted for cost of living in accordance with section seven, article ten-d, chapter five of this code and Section 401(a)(17) of the Internal Revenue Code: Provided, however, That the provisions of section twenty-two-h of this article are not applicable to the amendments made to this subdivision during the 2011 Regular Session of the Legislature.
(A) The average of the highest annual compensation received by a member (including a member of the Legislature who participates in the retirement system in the year 1971 or thereafter), during any period of three consecutive years of credited service contained within the member's fifteen years of credited service immediately preceding the date his or her employment with a participating public employer last terminated; or
(B) If the member has less than five years of credited service, the average of the annual rate of compensation received by the member during his or her total years of credited service; and in determining the annual compensation, under either paragraph (A) or (B) of this subdivision, of a member of the Legislature who participates in the retirement system as a member of the Legislature in the year 1971, or in any year thereafter, his or her actual legislative compensation (the total of all compensation paid under sections two, three, four and five, article two-a, chapter four of this code), in the year 1971, or in any year thereafter, plus any other compensation he or she receives in any year from any other participating public employer including the State of West Virginia, without any multiple in excess of one times his or her actual legislative compensation and other compensation, shall be used: Provided, That "final average salary" for any former member of the Legislature or for any member of the Legislature in the year 1971, who, in either event, was a member of the Legislature on November 30, 1968, or November 30, 1969, or November 30, 1970, or on November 30 in any one or more of those three years and who participated in the retirement system as a member of the Legislature in any one or more of those years means: (I) Either (notwithstanding the provisions of this subdivision preceding this proviso) $1,500 multiplied by eight, plus the highest other compensation the former member or member received in any one of the three years from any other participating public employer including the State of West Virginia; or (ii) "final average salary" determined in accordance with paragraph (A) or (B) of this subdivision, whichever computation produces the higher final average salary (and in determining the annual compensation under subparagraph (ii) of this proviso, the legislative compensation of the former member shall be computed on the basis of $1,500 multiplied by eight, and the legislative compensation of the member shall be computed on the basis set forth in the provisions of this subdivision immediately preceding this proviso or on the basis of $1,500 multiplied by eight, whichever computation as to the member produces the higher annual compensation);
(14) "Internal Revenue Code" means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, codified at Title 26 of the United States Code;
(15) "Limited credited service" means service by employees of the West Virginia Educational Broadcasting Authority, in the employment of West Virginia University, during a period when the employee made contributions to another retirement system, as required by West Virginia University, and did not make contributions to the Public Employees Retirement System: Provided, That while limited credited service can be used for the formula set forth in subsection (e), section twenty-one of this article, it may not be used to increase benefits calculated under section twenty- two of this article;
(16) "Member" means any person who has accumulated contributions standing to his or her credit in the members' deposit fund;
(17) "Participating public employer" means the State of West Virginia, any board, commission, department, institution or spending unit, and includes any agency created by rule of the Supreme Court of Appeals having full-time employees, which for the purposes of this article is considered a department of state government; and any political subdivision in the state which has elected to cover its employees, as defined in this article, under the West Virginia Public Employees Retirement System;
(18) "Plan year" means the same as referenced in section forty-two of this article;
(19) "Political subdivision" means the State of West Virginia, a county, city or town in the state; a school corporation or corporate unit; any separate corporation or instrumentality established by one or more counties, cities or towns, as permitted by law; any corporation or instrumentality supported in most part by counties, cities or towns; and any public corporation charged by law with the performance of a governmental function and whose jurisdiction is coextensive with one or more counties, cities or towns: Provided, That any mental health agency participating in the Public Employees Retirement System before July 1, 1997, is considered a political subdivision solely for the purpose of permitting those employees who are members of the Public Employees Retirement System to remain members and continue to participate in the retirement system at their option after July 1, 1997: Provided, however, That the Regional Community Policing Institute which participated in the Public Employees Retirement System before July 1, 2000, is considered a political subdivision solely for the purpose of permitting those employees who are members of the Public Employees Retirement System to remain members and continue to participate in the Public Employees Retirement System after July 1, 2000;
(20) "Prior service" means service rendered prior to July 1, 1961, to the extent credited a member as provided in this article;
(21) "Regular interest" means the rate or rates of interest per annum, compounded annually, as the Board of Trustees adopts from time to time;
(22) "Required beginning date" means April 1 of the calendar year following the later of: (A) The calendar year in which the member attains age seventy and one-half years of age; or (B) the calendar year in which a member who has attained the age seventy and one-half years of age and who ceases providing service covered under this system to a participating employer;
(23) "Retirant" means any member who commences an annuity payable by the retirement system;
(24) "Retirement" means a member's withdrawal from the employ of a participating public employer and the commencement of an annuity by the retirement system;
(25) "Retirement system" or "system" means the West Virginia Public Employees Retirement System created and established by this article;
(26) "Retroactive service" means: (1) Service between July 1, 1961, and the date an employer decides to become a participating member of the Public Employees Retirement System; (2) service prior to July 1, 1961, for which the employee is not entitled to prior service at no cost in accordance with 162 CSR 5.13; and (3) service of any member of a legislative body or employees of the State Legislature whose term of employment is otherwise classified as temporary for which the employee is eligible, but for which the employee did not elect to participate at that time;
(27) "Service" means personal service rendered to a participating public employer by an employee of a participating public employer; and
(28) "State" means the State of West Virginia.
(b) The purpose of this article is to provide a state pension plan which supplements the federal social security pension plan now in force and heretofore authorized by law for members of this retirement system.
(c) The retirement system is intended to meet the federal qualification requirements of Section 401(a) and related sections of the Internal Revenue Code as applicable to governmental plans. Notwithstanding any other provision of state law, the board shall administer the retirement system to fulfill this intent for the exclusive benefit of the members and their beneficiaries. Any provision of this article referencing or relating to such federal tax qualification requirements shall be effective as of the date required by federal law. The board may promulgate rules and amend or repeal conflicting rules in accordance with the authority granted to it pursuant to section one, article ten-d of this chapter to assure compliance with this section.
(a) The auditor of the state, by virtue of his office;
(b) The treasurer of the state, by virtue of his office;
(c) The commissioner of finance and administration, by virtue of his office;
(d) A resident of the state, who is not a member, retirant or beneficiary of the retirement system, to be appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate;
(e) One member of the retirement system, who is an employee of a participating public employer other than the state of West Virginia, to be appointed by the governor, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.
(b) The board of trustees shall appoint an executive secretary of the retirement system. The executive secretary shall be the chief administrative officer of the system; and he shall not be a member of the board. He shall perform such duties as are required of him in this article and as the board shall from time to time delegate to him. The compensation of the executive secretary shall be fixed by the board subject to the approval of the governor. He shall, with the approval of the board of trustees, employ such administrative, technical, and clerical employees as shall be required in the proper operation of the system.
(c) The state treasurer shall be treasurer of the retirement system and the custodian of its funds. All bonds and other investments purchased according to the provisions of this article shall forthwith be deposited with the state treasurer. It shall be his duty to collect the principal thereof and the interest and dividends thereon as the same become due and payable, and when so collected deposit same to the credit of the retirement system. All disbursements from the funds of the system shall be made by the state treasurer only upon written certification duly authorized by a continuing or specific resolution adopted by the board of trustees. He shall furnish the board with a statement of the retirement system securities in his safekeeping as the board shall from time to time request.
(d) The attorney general shall be the legal advisor to the board of trustees.
(e) The board of trustees shall appoint an actuary who shall be the technical advisor to the board regarding the operation of the retirement system on an actuarial basis.
(b) Beginning in one thousand nine hundred sixty-six, and in each five-year period thereafter, the actuary shall make actuarial investigations into the experiences of the members, retirants and beneficiaries of the retirement system. Based upon such investigations, the board of trustees shall adopt for the system rates of mortality, withdrawal from service, superannuation retirement and disability retirement and salary scales for final average salary.
(c) Beginning in one thousand nine hundred sixty-two, and at least once in each three-year period thereafter, the actuary shall make an actuarial valuation of the assets and liabilities of the retirement system: Provided, That until the first actuarial investigations are made, the valuations shall be based upon decrement assumptions which are, in the opinion of the actuary, applicable to the members, retirants and beneficiaries of the system.
(d) Beginning in one thousand nine hundred sixty-two, the actuary shall annually compute the annuity reserve liabilities for annuities being paid retirants and beneficiaries.
(e) The board shall specify and adopt all actuarial assumptions for the system at its first meeting of every calendar year or as soon thereafter as may be practicable, which assumptions shall become part of the terms of the system.
(1) In no event may less than ten days of service rendered by a member in any calendar month be credited as a month of service: Provided, That for employees of the State Legislature whose term of employment is otherwise classified as temporary and who are employed to perform services required by the Legislature for its regular sessions or during the interim between regular sessions and who have been or are so employed during regular sessions or during the interim between regular sessions in seven consecutive calendar years, service credit of one month shall be awarded for each ten days employed in the interim between regular sessions, which interim days shall be cumulatively calculated so that any ten days, regardless of calendar month or year, shall be calculated toward any award of one month of service credit;
(2) Except for hourly employees, ten or more months of service credit earned in any calendar year shall be credited as a year of service: Provided, That no more than one year of service may be credited to any member for all service rendered by him or her in any calendar year and no days may be carried over by a member from one calendar year to another calendar year where the member has received a full-year credit for that year; and
(3) Service may be credited to a member who was employed by a political subdivision if his or her employment occurred within a period of thirty years immediately preceding the date the political subdivision became a participating public employer.
(b) The Board of Trustees shall grant service credit to employees of boards of health, the Clerk of the House of Delegates and the Clerk of the State Senate or to any former and present member of the State Teachers Retirement System who have been contributing members for more than three years, for service previously credited by the State Teachers Retirement System and shall require the transfer of the member's contributions to the system and shall also require a deposit, with interest, of any withdrawals of contributions any time prior to the member's retirement. Repayment of withdrawals shall be as directed by the Board of Trustees.
(c) Court reporters who are acting in an official capacity, although paid by funds other than the county commission or State Auditor, may receive prior service credit for time served in that capacity.
(d) Active members who previously worked in CETA (Comprehensive Employment and Training Act) may receive service credit for time served in that capacity: Provided, That in order to receive service credit under the provisions of this subsection the following conditions must be met: (1) The member must have moved from temporary employment with the participating employer to permanent full-time employment with the participating employer within one hundred twenty days following the termination of the member's CETA employment; (2) the board must receive evidence that establishes to a reasonable degree of certainty as determined by the board that the member previously worked in CETA; and (3) the member shall pay to the board an amount equal to the employer and employee contribution plus interest at the amount set by the board for the amount of service credit sought pursuant to this subsection: Provided, however, That the maximum service credit that may be obtained under the provisions of this subsection is two years: Provided further, That a member must apply and pay for the service credit allowed under this subsection and provide all necessary documentation by the thirty-first day of March, two thousand three: And provided further, That the board shall exercise due diligence to notify affected employees of the provisions of this subsection.
(e)(1) Employees of the State Legislature whose terms of employment are otherwise classified as temporary and who are employed to perform services required by the Legislature for its regular sessions or during the interim time between regular sessions shall receive service credit for the time served in that capacity in accordance with the following. For purposes of this section, the term "regular session" means day one through day sixty of a sixty-day legislative session or day one through day thirty of a thirty-day legislative session. Employees of the State Legislature whose term of employment is otherwise classified as temporary and who are employed to perform services required by the Legislature for its regular sessions or during the interim time between regular sessions and who have been or are employed during regular sessions or during the interim time between regular sessions in seven consecutive calendar years, as certified by the Clerk of the House in which the employee served, shall receive service credit of six months for all regular sessions served, as certified by the Clerk of the House in which the employee served, or shall receive service credit of three months for each regular thirty-day session served prior to one thousand nine hundred seventy-one: Provided, That employees of the State Legislature whose term of employment is otherwise classified as temporary and who are employed to perform services required by the Legislature for its regular sessions and who have been or are employed during the regular sessions in thirteen consecutive calendar years as either temporary employees or full-time employees or a combination thereof, as certified by the Clerk of the House in which the employee served, shall receive a service credit of twelve months for each regular session served, as certified by the Clerk of the House in which the employee served: Provided, however, That the amendments made to this subsection during the two thousand two regular session of the Legislature only apply to employees of the Legislature who are employed by the Legislature as either temporary employees or full-time employees as of the first day of January, two thousand two, or who become employed by the Legislature as temporary or full-time employees for the first time after the first day of January, two thousand two. Employees of the State Legislature whose terms of employment are otherwise classified as temporary and who are employed to perform services required by the Legislature during the interim time between regular sessions shall receive service credit of one month for each ten days served during the interim between regular sessions, which interim days shall be cumulatively calculated so that any ten days, regardless of calendar month or year, shall be calculated toward any award of one month of service credit: Provided further, That no more than one year of service may be credited to any temporary legislative employee for all service rendered by that employee in any calendar year and no days may be carried over by a temporary legislative employee from one calendar year to another calendar year where the member has received a full year credit for that year. Service credit awarded for legislative employment pursuant to this section shall be used for the purpose of calculating that member's retirement annuity, pursuant to section twenty-two of this article, and determining eligibility as it relates to credited service, notwithstanding any other provision of this section. Certification of employment for a complete legislative session and for interim days shall be determined by the Clerk of the House in which the employee served, based upon employment records. Service of fifty-five days of a regular session constitutes an absolute presumption of service for a complete legislative session and service of twenty-seven days of a thirty-day regular session occurring prior to one thousand nine hundred seventy-one constitutes an absolute presumption of service for a complete legislative session. Once a legislative employee has been employed during regular sessions for seven consecutive years or has become a full-time employee of the Legislature, that employee shall receive the service credit provided in this section for all regular and interim sessions and interim days worked by that employee, as certified by the Clerk of the House in which the employee served, regardless of when the session or interim legislative employment occurred: And provided further, That regular session legislative employment for seven consecutive years may be served in either or both houses of the Legislature.
(2) For purposes of this section, employees of the Joint Committee on Government and Finance are entitled to the same benefits as employees of the House of Delegates or the Senate: Provided, That for joint committee employees whose terms of employment are otherwise classified as temporary, employment in preparation for regular sessions, certified by the legislative manager as required by the Legislature for its regular sessions, shall be considered the same as employment during regular sessions to meet service credit requirements for sessions served.
(f) Any employee may purchase retroactive service credit for periods of employment in which contributions were not deducted from the employee's pay. In the purchase of service credit for employment prior to the year one thousand nine hundred eighty-nine in any department, including the Legislature, which operated from the General Revenue Fund and which was not expressly excluded from budget appropriations in which blanket appropriations were made for the state's share of public employees' retirement coverage in the years prior to the year one thousand nine hundred eighty-nine, the employee shall pay the employee's share. Other employees shall pay the state's share and the employee's share to purchase retroactive service credit. Where an employee purchases service credit for employment which occurred after the year one thousand nine hundred eighty-eight, that employee shall pay for the employee's share and the employer shall pay its share for the purchase of retroactive service credit: Provided, That no legislative employee and no current or former member of the Legislature may be required to pay any interest or penalty upon the purchase of retroactive service credit in accordance with the provisions of this section where the employee was not eligible to become a member during the years for which he or she is purchasing retroactive credit or had the employee attempted to contribute to the system during the years for which he or she is purchasing retroactive service credit and such contributions would have been refused by the board: Provided, however, That a legislative employee purchasing retroactive credit under this section does so within twenty-four months of becoming a member of the system or no later than the last day of December, two thousand eight, whichever occurs last: Provided further, That once a legislative employee becomes a member of the retirement system, he or she may purchase retroactive service credit for any time he or she was employed by the Legislature and did not receive service credit. Any service credit purchased shall be credited as six months for each sixty-day session worked, three months for each thirty-day session worked or twelve months for each sixty-day session for legislative employees who have been employed during regular sessions in thirteen consecutive calendar years, as certified by the Clerk of the House in which the employee served, and credit for interim employment as provided in this subsection: And provided further, That this legislative service credit shall also be used for months of service in order to meet the sixty-month requirement for the payments of a temporary legislative employee member's retirement annuity: And provided further, That no legislative employee may be required to pay for any service credit beyond the actual time he or she worked regardless of the service credit which is credited to him or her pursuant to this section: And provided further, That any legislative employee may request a recalculation of his or her credited service to comply with the provisions of this section at any time.
(g)(1) Notwithstanding any provision to the contrary, the seven consecutive calendar years requirement and the thirteen consecutive calendar years requirement and the service credit requirements set forth in this section shall be applied retroactively to all periods of legislative employment prior to the passage of this section, including any periods of legislative employment occurring before the seven consecutive and thirteen consecutive calendar years referenced in this section: Provided, That the employee has not retired prior to the effective date of the amendments made to this section in the two thousand two regular session of the Legislature.
(2) The requirement of seven consecutive years and the requirement of thirteen consecutive years apply retroactively to all legislative employment prior to the effective date of the two thousand six amendments to this section.
(h) The Board of Trustees shall grant service credit to any former or present member of the State Police Death, Disability and Retirement Fund who has been a contributing member of this system for more than three years for service previously credited by the State Police Death, Disability and Retirement Fund if the member transfers all of his or her contributions to the State Police Death, Disability and Retirement Fund to the system created in this article, including repayment of any amounts withdrawn any time from the State Police Death, Disability and Retirement Fund by the member seeking the transfer allowed in this subsection: Provided, That there shall be added by the member to the amounts transferred or repaid under this subsection an amount which shall be sufficient to equal the contributions he or she would have made had the member been under the Public Employees Retirement System during the period of his or her membership in the State Police Death, Disability and Retirement Fund, excluding contributions on lump sum payment for annual leave, plus interest at a rate determined by the board.
(i) The provisions of section twenty-two-h of this article are not applicable to the amendments made to this section during the two thousand six regular session.
(2) In addition to any benefit provided by federal law, any member of the retirement system who has previously served in or enters the active service of the Armed Forces of the United States during any period of compulsory military service or during a period of armed conflict shall receive credited service for the time spent in the Armed Forces of the United States, not to exceed five years if the member:
(A) Has been honorably discharged from the Armed Forces; and
(B) Substantiates by appropriate documentation or evidence his or her active military service and entry into military service during any period of compulsory military service or during periods of armed conflict.
(3) Any member of the retirement system who enters the active service of the Armed Forces of the United States during any period of compulsory military service or during a period of armed conflict shall receive the credit provided by this section regardless of whether he or she was a public employee at the time of entering the military service.
(4) If a member of the Public Employees Retirement System enters the active service of the United States and serves during any period of compulsory military service or during any period of armed conflict, during the period of the armed service and until the member's return to the employ of a participating public employer, the member's contributions to the retirement system is suspended and any credit balance remaining in the member's deposit fund shall be accumulated at regular interest: Provided, That notwithstanding any provision in this article to the contrary, if an employee of a participating political subdivision serving in the military service during any period of compulsory military service or armed conflict has accumulated credited service prior to the last entry into military service, in an amount that, added to the time in active military service while an employee equals nine or more years, and the member is unable to resume employment with a participating employer upon completion of duty due to death during or as a result of active service, all time spent in active military service, up to and including a total of five years, is considered to be credited service and death benefits are vested in the member: Provided, however, That the active service during the time the member is an employee must be as a result of an order or call to duty, and not as a result of volunteering for assignment or volunteering to extend the time in service beyond the time required by order or call.
(5) No member may receive duplicate credit for service for a period of compulsory military service which falls under a period of armed conflict.
(6) In any case of doubt as to the period of service to be credited a member under the provisions of this section, the board of trustees have final power to determine the period.
(7) The Board may consider a petition by any member whose tour of duty, in a territory that would reasonably be considered hostile and dangerous, was extended beyond the period in which an armed conflict was officially recognized, if that tour of duty commenced during a period of armed conflict, and the member was assigned to duty stations within the hostile territory throughout the period for which service credit is being sought. The Board has the authority to evaluate the facts and circumstances peculiar to the petition, and rule on whether granting service credit for the extended tour of duty is consistent with the objectives of this article. In that determination, the Board may grant full credit for the period under petition subject to the limitations otherwise applicable, or to grant credit for any part of the period as the board considers appropriate, or to deny credit altogether.
(8) The Board of Trustees may propose legislative rules for promulgation in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code to administer the provisions of this section.
(b) For purposes of this section, the following definitions apply:
(1) "Period of armed conflict" means the Spanish-American War, the Mexican border period, World War I, World War II, the Korean conflict, the Vietnam era, the Persian Gulf War and any other period of armed conflict by the United States, including, but not limited to, those periods sanctioned by a declaration of war by the United States Congress or by executive or other order of the President.
(2) "Spanish-American War" means the period beginning on the twenty-first day of April, one thousand eight hundred ninety-eight, and ending on the fourth day of July, one thousand nine hundred two, and includes the Philippine Insurrection, the Boxer Rebellion, and in the case of a veteran who served with the United States military forces engaged in hostilities in the Moro Province, means the period beginning on the twenty-first day of April, one thousand eight hundred ninety-eight, and ending on the fifteenth day of July, one thousand nine hundred three.
(3) "The Mexican border period" means the period beginning on the ninth day of May, one thousand nine hundred sixteen, and ending on the fifth day of April, one thousand nine hundred seventeen, in the case of a veteran who during the period served in Mexico, on its borders or in the waters adjacent to it.
(4) "World War I" means the period beginning on the sixth day of April, one thousand nine hundred seventeen, and ending on the eleventh day of November, one thousand nine hundred eighteen, and in the case of a veteran who served with the United States military forces in Russia, means the period beginning on the sixth day of April, one thousand nine hundred seventeen, and ending on the first day of April, one thousand nine hundred twenty.
(5) "World War II" means the period beginning on the seventh day of December, one thousand nine hundred forty-one, and ending on the thirty-first day of December, one thousand nine hundred forty-six.
(6) "Korean conflict" means the period beginning on the twenty-seventh day of June, one thousand nine hundred fifty, and ending on the thirty-first day of January, one thousand nine hundred fifty-five.
(7) "The Vietnam era" means the period beginning on the twenty-eighth day of February, one thousand nine hundred sixty-one, and ending on the seventh day of May, one thousand nine hundred seventy-five, in the case of a veteran who served in the Republic of Vietnam during that period; and the fifth day of August, one thousand nine hundred sixty-four, and ending on the seventh day of May, one thousand nine hundred seventy-five, in all other cases.
(8) "Persian Gulf War" means the period beginning on the second day of August, one thousand nine hundred ninety, and ending on the eleventh day of April, one thousand nine hundred ninety-one.
(c) Notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this section, contributions, benefits and service credit with respect to qualified military service shall be provided in accordance with Section 414(u) of the Internal Revenue Code. For purposes of this section, "qualified military service" has the same meaning as in Section 414(u) of the Internal Revenue Code. No military service credit may be used in more than one retirement system administered by the Consolidated Public Retirement Board and once used in any system, may not be used again in any other system. The Board is authorized to determine all questions and make all decisions relating to this section and, pursuant to the authority granted to the Board in section one, article ten-d of this chapter, may promulgate rules relating to contributions, benefits and service credit to comply with Section 414(u) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Members entitled to out-of-state service credit under the provisions of this section shall make additional contribution to the retirement system equal to the actuarial equivalent of the amount which would have been contributed, together with earnings thereon, by the member and the employer, had the member been covered during the period of the retroactive service credit.
(b) In any case of doubt as to the period of service to be credited a member under the provisions of this section, the Board of Trustees has the final power to determine this period.
(a) All employees, as defined in section two of this article, who are in the employ of a political subdivision the day preceding the date it becomes a participating public employer and who continue in the employ of the participating public employer on and after that date shall become members of the retirement system; and all persons who become employees of a participating public employer on or after that date shall thereupon become members of the system; except as provided in subdivisions (b) and (c) of this section.
(b) The membership of the Public Employees Retirement System shall not include any person who is an active contributing member of, or who has been retired by, any of the State Teachers retirement systems, the Judges Retirement System, any Retirement System of the West Virginia State Police, the Deputy Sheriff Retirement System or any municipal retirement system for either, or both, police or firefighter; and the Bureau of Employment Programs, by the Commissioner of the Bureau, may elect whether its employees will accept coverage under this article or be covered under the authorization of a separate enactment: Provided, That the exclusions of membership do not apply to any member of the State Legislature, the Clerk of the House of Delegates, the Clerk of the State Senate or to any member of the legislative body of any political subdivision provided he or she once becomes a contributing member of the retirement system: Provided, however, That any retired member of the State Police Death, Disability and Retirement Fund, the West Virginia State Police Retirement System, the Deputy Sheriff Retirement System and any retired member of any municipal retirement system for either, or both, police or firefighter may on and after the effective date of this section become a member of the retirement system as provided in this article, without receiving credit for prior service as a municipal police officer or firefighter or as a member of the State Police Death, Disability and Retirement Fund, the West Virginia State Police Retirement System or the Deputy Sheriff Retirement System: Provided further, That any retired member of the State Police Death, Disability and Retirement Fund, the West Virginia State Police Retirement System, the Deputy Sheriff Retirement System and any retired member of any municipal retirement system for either, or both, police or firefighters, who begins participation in the retirement system established in this article on or after the first day of July, two thousand five, may not receive a combined retirement benefit in excess of one hundred five percent of the member's highest annual salary earned while either a member of the retirement system established in this article or while a member of the other retirement system or systems from which he or she previously retired when adding the retirement benefit from the retirement system created in this article to the retirement benefit received by that member from the other retirement system or systems set forth herein from which he or she previously retired: And provided further, That the membership of the retirement system does not include any person who becomes employed by the Prestera Center for Mental Health Services, Valley Comprehensive Mental Health Center, Westbrook Health Services or Eastern Panhandle Mental Health Center on or after the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-seven: And provided further, That membership of the retirement system does not include any person who becomes a member of the federal railroad retirement act on or after the first day of July, two thousand.
(c) Any member of the State Legislature, the Clerk of the House of Delegates, the Clerk of the State Senate and any employee of the State Legislature whose employment is otherwise classified as temporary and who is employed to perform services required by the Legislature for its regular sessions or during the interim between regular sessions and who has been or is employed during regular sessions or during the interim between sessions in seven consecutive calendar years, as certified by the Clerk of the House in which the employee served, or any member of the legislative body of any other political subdivision shall become a member of the retirement system provided he or she notifies the retirement system in writing of his or her intention to be a member of the system and files a membership enrollment form as prescribed by the Board of Trustees, and each person, upon filing his or her written notice to participate in the retirement system, shall by that act authorize the Clerk of the House of Delegates or the Clerk of the State Senate or such person or legislative agency as the legislative body of any other political subdivision shall designate to deduct the member's contribution, as provided in subsection (b), section twenty-nine of this article, and after the deductions have been made from the member's compensation, the deductions shall be forwarded to the retirement system.
(d) If question arises regarding the membership status of any employee, the Board of Trustees has the final power to decide the question.
(e) Any individual who is a leased employee is not eligible to participate in the system. For the purposes of this article, the term "leased employee" means any individual who performs services as an independent contractor or pursuant to an agreement with an employee leasing organization or other similar organization. If a question arises regarding the status of an individual as a leased employee, the Board has final authority to decide the question.
(b) The Prestera Center for Mental Health Services, Valley Comprehensive Mental Health Center, Westbrook Health Services and Eastern Panhandle Mental Health Center, and their successors in interest, shall provide for their employees a pension plan in lieu of the Public Employees Retirement System during the existence of the named mental health centers and their successors in interest.
(c) The administrative bodies of the Prestera Center for Mental Health Services, Valley Comprehensive Mental Health Center, Westbrook Health Services and Eastern Panhandle Mental Health Center shall, on or before May 1, 1997, give written notice to each employee who is a member of the Public Employees Retirement System of the option to withdraw from or remain in the system. The notice shall include a copy of this section and a statement explaining the member's options regarding membership. The notice shall include a statement in plain language giving a full explanation and actuarial projection figures in support of the explanation regarding the individual member's current account balance, vested and nonvested, and his or her projected return upon remaining in the Public Employees Retirement System until retirement, disability or death, in comparison with the projected return upon withdrawing from the Public Employees Retirement System and joining a private pension plan provided by the Community Mental Health Center and remaining therein until retirement, disability or death. The administrative bodies shall keep in their respective records a permanent record of each employee's signature confirming receipt of the notice.
(d) Effective March 1, 2003, and ending December 31, 2004, any member may purchase credited service previously forfeited by him or her and the credited service shall be restored to his or her credit: Provided, That he or she returns to the members' deposit fund the amount, if any, he or she withdrew from the fund, together with interest on the withdrawn amount from the date of withdrawal to the date of repayment at a rate to be determined by the board. The repayment under this section may be made by lump sum or repaid over a period of time not to exceed sixty months. Where the member elects to repay the required amount other than by lump sum, the member is required to pay interest at the rate determined by the board until all sums are fully repaid.
(e) Effective July 1,2005, and ending December 31, 2006, any emergency services personnel may purchase service credit for the time period beginning January 1, 1990, and ending December 31, 1995: Provided, That person was employed as an emergency service person in this state for that time period: Provided, however, That any person obtaining service credit under this subsection is required to pay the employee's share and the employer's share upon his or her actual salary for the years in question plus interest at the assumed actuarial rate of return for the plan year being repurchased.
(f) Jobs for West Virginia's graduates and their successors in interest shall provide a pension plan in lieu of the Public Employees Retirement System for employees hired on or after July 1, 2005.
(g) Wetzel County Hospital and their successors in interest shall provide a pension plan in lieu of the Public Employees Retirement System for employees hired on or after July 1, 2005.
(b) Any member who qualifies for deferred retirement benefits in accordance with subsection (a) of this section and has ten or more years of credited service in force and who has attained age fifty-five as of the date of his or her separation, may, prior to the effective date of his or her retirement, but not thereafter, elect to receive the actuarial equivalent of his or her deferred retirement annuity as a reduced annuity commencing on the first day of any calendar month between his or her date of separation and his or her attainment of age sixty-two years and payable throughout his or her life.
(c) Any member who qualifies for deferred retirement benefits in accordance with subsection (a) of this section and has twenty or more years of credited service in force may elect to receive the actuarial equivalent of his or her deferred retirement annuity as a reduced annuity commencing on the first day of any calendar month between his or her fifty-fifth birthday and his or her attainment of age sixty-two years and payable throughout his or her life.
(d) Notwithstanding any of the other provisions of this section or of this article, except sections twenty-seven-a and twenty-seven-b of this article, and pursuant to rules promulgated by the board, any member who has thirty or more years of credited service in force, at least three of which are contributing service, and who elects to take early retirement, which for the purposes of this subsection means retirement prior to age sixty, whether an active employee or a separated employee at the time of application, is entitled to the full computation of annuity according to section twenty-two of this article, as that section was in force as of the date of retirement application, but with the reduced actuarial equivalent of the annuity the member would have received if his or her benefit had commenced at age sixty when he or she would have been entitled to full computation of benefit without any reduction.
(e) Notwithstanding any of the other provisions of this section or of this article, except sections twenty-seven-a and twenty-seven-b of this article, any member of the retirement system may retire with full pension rights, without reduction of benefits, if he or she is at least fifty-five years of age and the sum of his or her age plus years of contributing service and limited credited service, as defined in section two of this article, equals or exceeds eighty: Provided, That on and after July 1, 2011, any person who becomes a new member of this retirement system shall, in qualifying for retirement under this subsection, have five or more years of service, all of which years shall be actual, contributory ones. The member's annuity shall begin the first day of the calendar month immediately following the calendar month in which his or her application for the annuity is filed with the board.
Effective Date ofPercentage of
RetirementRetirement Allowance Increase
July 1, 1961 through June 30, 1962 .........................24.00
July 1, 1962 through June 30, 1963 .........................22.00
July 1, 1963 through June 30, 1964 .........................20.00
July 1, 1964 through June 30, 1965 .........................18.00
July 1, 1965 through June 30, 1966 .........................16.00
July 1, 1966 through June 30, 1967 .........................14.00
July 1, 1967 through June 30, 1968 .........................12.00
July 1, 1968 through June 30, 1969 .........................10.00
July 1, 1969 through June 30, 1970 ..........................8.00
July 1, 1970 through June 30, 1971 ..........................6.00
July 1, 1971 through June 30, 1972 ..........................4.00
July 1, 1972 through June 30, 1973 ..........................2.00
Any additional benefit conferred herein shall not be retroactive to the time of retirement but shall become effective the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy-four.
In no event, however, when the amount of an annuity is affected by this section, shall the total of the additional benefit herein provided and other retirement allowances provided elsewhere in this article exceed the sum of four thousand two hundred dollars annually.
Each such annuitant shall receive as his supplemental benefit an increased annual amount which is the product of the sum of eighteen dollars multiplied by his years of credited service: Provided, That the total annuity of any annuitant affected by the provisions of this section, together with any of the other provisions of this article, shall not exceed seven thousand five hundred dollars annually.
Any annuitant receiving the supplemental benefit provided for herein for the annuity payment period just prior to the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred eighty-five, or any annuitant made newly eligible for receipt of such supplemental benefit on such date, shall receive a nineteen percent increase in the amount of such supplemental benefit prior received or newly calculated, effective on and after the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred eighty-five, and irrespective of the maximum total annuity proviso and limitation of seven thousand five hundred dollars annually. In any fiscal year in which pay increases are granted by the Legislature to active public employees, there may also be given an increase in retirement benefits for retired public employees, if funding is available for this purpose.
For the purpose of calculating the supplemental benefit provided in this section, fractional parts of a service credit year are to be disregarded unless in excess of one half of a credited service year, in which event the same shall constitute a full year of service credit.
For the purpose of computation for determination of eligibility and for the amount of any supplemental benefit hereunder, separate computation shall be made of a retirant's own benefit and that which may be receivable as beneficiary of another, under the provisions of this article, with each such benefit being eligible for the supplemental benefit herein provided.
(a) For the purposes of this section: (1) "Contract" means any personal service agreement, not involving the sale of commodities, that cannot be performed within sixty days or that exceeds two thousand five hundred dollars in any twelve-month period. The term "contract" does not include any agreement obtained by a retirant through a bidding process and which is for the furnishing of any commodity to a government agency and that term does not include any person who retired under this section who works as a contract employee for the Legislature when such employment commences after the thirty-first day of December, one thousand nine hundred ninety-nine: Provided, That such employment may not exceed one hundred ten days; (2) "governmental entity" means the state of West Virginia; a constitutional branch or office of the state government, or any subdivision thereof; a county, city or town in the state; a county board of education; a separate corporation or instrumentality established pursuant to a state statute; any other entity currently permitted to participate in any state public retirement system or the public employees insurance agency; or any officer or official of any entity listed above who is acting in his or her official capacity; (3) "part-time elected or appointed office" means any elected or appointed office that pays annual compensation of less than two thousand five hundred dollars or requires less than sixty days of service in any twelve-month period; (4) "substitute teacher" means a teacher, public school librarian, registered professional nurse employed by the county board of education or any other person employed for counseling or instructional purposes in a public school in this state who is temporarily fulfilling the duties of an existing real person employed in a specific position who is temporarily absent from that specified position.
(b) Beginning on the first day of April, one thousand nine hundred eighty-eight, and continuing through the thirty-first day of December, one thousand nine hundred eighty-eight (or as extended by eligibility qualification requirement, as hereinafter specified), eligible members, being those active, contributing members actually and currently employed on such beginning date, retiring pursuant to this section, and from any state, county or municipal position, covered under the two divisions of this retirement system (the state division and the public employer, nonstate division) including those so employed on said beginning date and leaving the system during the incentive period and who are eligible for taking deferred retirement (but not disability retirees) may elect to participate in this incentive program and may elect any one of the three following incentive options:
(1) Retirement incentive option one:
For the purpose of computing the member's annuity, the normal final average salary shall be computed and one-eighth thereof shall be added thereto in arriving at the true final average salary for use in actual computation of retirement benefit.
(2) Retirement incentive option two:
A member may elect a lump sum payment, in addition to his or her regular retirement annuity, equal to ten percent of his or her final average salary not to exceed five thousand dollars, and in the case of a deferred retirement electing this option, such lump sum payment shall be receivable and deferred to the time of receipt of such deferred retirement annuity.
(3) Retirement incentive option three:
A person shall be credited with an additional two years of contributing service and an additional two years of age. The years credited under this option shall in no way add to a member's final average salary factor of computation.
Active, contributing members who desire to retire under this section but who are unable to retire by the thirty-first day of December, one thousand nine hundred eighty-eight, and make use of the incentive retirement program because an element of eligibility for retirement, such as age or other element, will not be met until a date after the thirty-first day of December, one thousand nine hundred eighty-eight, and before the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred eighty-nine, shall be permitted to postpone actual retirement until the date of fulfilling such element of eligibility and shall retire on such date, before the temporary retirement incentive program ends on the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred eighty-nine, with proper credit to be granted for such extended period: Provided, That they shall have made application for retirement, including choice of their respective option, and given notice to their respective employer by the thirty-first day of December, one thousand nine hundred eighty-eight, although postponing actual retirement, as aforesaid.
(c) Any member participating in this retirement incentive program is not eligible to accept further employment or accept, directly or indirectly, work on a contract basis from any governmental entity: Provided, That nothing in this section shall affect any contract entered into prior to the effective date of this section: Provided, however, That the executive director may approve, upon written request and for good cause shown, an exception allowing a retirant to perform work on a contract basis. The executive director shall report all approved exceptions to the board of trustees: Provided further, That a person may retire under this section and thereafter serve in an elective office: And provided further, That he or she shall not receive an incentive option under this section during the term of service in said office, but shall receive his or her annuity calculated on regular basis, as if originally taken not under this section but on such regular basis. At the end of such term and cessation of service in such office during which the member shall rejoin and reenter the retirement system and pay contributions therefor, such regular annuity shall be recalculated and an increased annuity due to such additional employment shall be granted and computed on regular basis and in similar manner as under section forty-eight of this article. In respect of an appointive office, as distinguished from an elective office, any person retiring under this section and thereafter serving in such appointive office shall not receive an incentive option under this section during the term of service in said office, but the same shall be suspended during such period: And provided further, That at the end of such term and cessation of service in such appointive office the incentive option provided for under this section shall be resumed: And provided further, That any person elected or appointed to office by the state or any of its political subdivisions who waives whatever salary, wage or per diem compensation he or she may be entitled to by virtue of service in such office and who does not receive any income therefrom except such reimbursement of out-of-pocket costs and expenses as may be permitted by the statutes governing such office shall continue to receive an incentive option under this section. Such service shall not be counted as contributed or credited service for purposes of computing retirement benefits.
If such elected or appointed office is a part-time elected or appointed office, a person electing retirement under this section may serve in such elected or appointed office without a loss of the benefits provided under this section.
Prior to the initiation or renewal of any contract entered into pursuant to the provisions of this section or the acceptance of any elective or appointive office by a person who has elected to retire under the early retirement provisions of this article, such person shall complete a disclosure and waiver statement executed under oath and acknowledged by a notary public. The board shall promulgate rules, pursuant to chapter twenty-nine-a, of this code regarding the form and contents of the disclosure and waiver statement. The disclosure and waiver statement shall be forwarded to the appropriate state public retirement system administrator who shall take action to ensure that the early retirement incentive benefits are reduced in accordance with the provisions of this section. The administrator shall then certify such action in writing to the appropriate governmental entity.
In any event, an eligible member may retire under this section and thereafter continue to receive his or her incentive annuity and be employed as a substitute teacher or as adjunct faculty.
Any such incentive retirants, under this section, may not thereafter receive such annuity and enter or reenter any governmental retirement system established or authorized to be established by the state, notwithstanding any provision of the code to the contrary, unless required by constitutional provision or as hereby specifically permitted to those retiring and thereafter serving in elective office, as aforesaid.
The additional annuity allowed for temporary early retirement under these options, in respect of state division retirants of this system, is intended to be paid from the retirement incentive account hereby created as a special account in the state treasury and from the funds therein established with moneys required to be transferred by heads of spending units from the unused portion of salary and fringe benefits in their budgets accruing in respect of such positions vacated and subsequently canceled under this temporary early retirement program. Salary and fringe benefit moneys actually saved in a particular fiscal year shall constitute the fund source for payment of such additional annuity, the funds of the retirement system to be used for payment of the base annuity under the early retirement incentive program: Provided, That such additional annuity shall be paid from the unused portion of both salary and fringe benefits and with any remainder of any fringe benefit moneys, as such, to remain with the spending unit and any remainder of salary, as such, to be directed as additional funding to the teachers retirement system and as a part of the assets thereof. No such additional annuity shall be disallowed even though initial receipts may not be sufficient, with funds of the system to be applied for such purpose, as for the base annuity. With respect to public employer division retirants (nonstate division retirants of the system), such incentive annuity shall be paid from the nonstate division funds of the system.
(d) The executive secretary of the retirement system shall provide forms for applicants. Such forms shall include a detailed description of the incentive plan options.
The executive secretary of the retirement system shall file a report to the Legislature no later than the fifteenth day of February, one thousand nine hundred eighty-nine, and quarterly thereafter, detailing the number of retirees who have elected to accept early retirement incentive options, the dollar cost to date by option selected, and the projected annual cost through the year two thousand.
(e) Within every spending unit, department, board, corporation, commission, or any other agency or entity wherein two or multiples of two members elect to retire either under the temporary early retirement incentives set forth above, or under regular, voluntary retirement, and countable on an agency-wide or entity-wide basis, no more than one of such vacated positions may be filled, with the second position being abolished upon the effective day of the member's retirement. The vacant position abolishment requirement shall not apply to elective positions or appointed public officers whose positions are established by state constitutional or statutory provision. The retirant's employing entity shall decide as to which of the vacated positions made available through special early retirement or through regular, voluntary retirement are to be abolished and the head of such spending unit shall immediately notify the state auditor, the legislative auditor, and the commissioner of the department of finance and administration of the decisions and shall then apply and/or transfer the remaining salary and fringe benefits as aforesaid: Provided, That this vacant position abolishment provision shall not apply to any county or municipal position except those under the authority of a county board of education, nor to any position or positions, whether designated by spending unit, department, agency, commission, entity or otherwise, which the governor in respect of the executive branch, or the chief justice of the supreme court of appeals in respect of the judicial branch, or the president of the Senate or speaker of the House of Delegates, in respect of the legislative branch, may exempt or amend, under such abolishment provision, upon his or her respective recommendation that such exemption or amendment is necessary to provide for continuity of governmental operation or to preserve the health, welfare or safety of the people of West Virginia, and with the prior concurrence of the joint committee on government and finance in such recommendation, after the chairmen thereof shall cause such committee to meet.
(f) Special rule of eighty. -- Any active, contributing member of the retirement system as of the first day of April, one thousand nine hundred eighty-eight, who selects one of the incentive options in this section, may retire under the special early retirement provisions with full pension rights, without reduction of benefits if the sum of such member's age plus years of contributing service equals or exceeds eighty: Provided, That such person has at least twenty years of contributing service; up to two years of which may be military service, or prior service, or any combination thereof not exceeding an aggregate of two years.
(g) Termination of temporary retirement incentives program. -- The right to elect, choose, select or use any of the options, special rule of eighty, or other benefits set forth in this section shall terminate on the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred eighty-nine.
(h) The board shall promulgate rules and regulations in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine of this code regarding the calculation of the amount of incentive option that may be forfeited pursuant to the provisions of subsection (b) of this section.
(b) The total amount of the supplement due to qualified annuitants who retired during the period commencing on the first day of April, one thousand nine hundred eighty-eight, and ending on the thirty-first day of December, one thousand nine hundred ninety-two, shall be three percent of their retirement benefit including any supplemental benefits provided on or before the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy-four: Provided, That annuitants who retired during the period set forth in this subsection shall be required to elect between receiving the supplemental benefit provided in this section or any incentives provided in section twenty-two-c of this article or any other supplements provided in this article: Provided, however, That the consolidated public retirement board shall provide written notification to members eligible for the benefit provided in this subsection of the availability and terms of the benefit provided in this subsection and members electing to select this benefit in lieu of any other incentive the member has or is receiving shall submit an application for the benefit on the form prescribed by the board.
(c) The total amount of the supplement due to qualified annuitants who retired during the period commencing on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred eighty-five, and ending on the thirty-first day of March, one thousand nine hundred eighty-eight, shall be five percent of their retirement benefit including any supplemental benefits provided on or before the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy-four, plus the amount of the percentage supplement provided in subsection (b) of this section.
(d) The total amount of the supplement due to qualified annuitants who retired during the period commencing on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred eighty-two, and ending on the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred eighty-five, shall be five percent of their retirement benefit including any supplemental benefits provided on or before the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy-four, plus the amount of the percentage supplements provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section.
(e) The total amount of the supplement due to qualified annuitants who retired during the period commencing on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy-nine, and ending on the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred eighty-two, shall be sixteen percent of their retirement benefit including any supplemental benefits provided on or before the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy-four, plus the amount of the percentage supplements provided in subsections (b), (c) and (d) of this section.
(f) The total amount of the supplement due to qualified annuitants who retired during the period commencing on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy-six, and ending on the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred seventy-nine, shall be sixteen percent of their retirement benefit including any supplemental benefits provided on or before the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy-four, plus the amount of the percentage supplements provided in subsections (b), (c), (d) and (e) of this section.
(g) The total amount of the supplement due to qualified annuitants who retired during the period commencing on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy-three, and ending on the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred seventy-six, shall be sixteen percent of their retirement benefit including any supplemental benefits provided on or before the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy-four, plus the amount of the percentage supplements provided in subsections (b), (c), (d), (e) and (f) of this section.
(h) The total amount of the supplement due to qualified annuitants who retired during the period commencing on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy, and ending on the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred seventy-three, shall be twenty-four percent of their retirement benefit including any supplemental benefits provided on or before the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy-four, plus the amount of the percentage supplements provided in subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), (f) and (g) of this section.
(i) The total amount of the supplement due to qualified annuitants who retired during the period commencing on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred sixty-seven, and ending on the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred seventy, shall be twenty-four percent of their retirement benefit including any supplemental benefits provided on or before the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy-four, plus the amount of the percentage supplements provided in subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g) and (h) of this section.
(j) The total amount of the supplement due to qualified annuitants who retired during the period commencing on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred sixty-four, and ending on the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred sixty-seven, shall be twenty-four percent of their retirement benefit including any supplemental benefits provided on or before the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy-four, plus the amount of the percentage supplements provided in subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (h) and (i) of this section.
(k) The total amount of the supplement due to qualified annuitants who retired during the period commencing on the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred sixty-one, and ending on the thirtieth day of June, one thousand nine hundred sixty-four, shall be twenty-four percent of their retirement benefit including any supplemental benefits provided on or before the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy-four, plus the amount of the percentage supplements provided in subsections (b), (c), (d), (e), (f), (g), (h), (i) and (j) of this section.
(l) For each annuitant, a preliminary supplement shall be computed on the basis of the original annual benefit including any supplemental benefits provided on or before the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy-four, received by the original retiree as provided by subsections (b) through (k) of this section, inclusive. This preliminary supplement shall be calculated only on amounts up to, but not exceeding, the first five thousand four hundred dollars of the original annual retirement benefit paid including any supplement provided on or before the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy-four.
(m) Each annuitant shall receive as that annuitant's supplement under this section an amount equal to the preliminary supplement or a supplement as calculated in subsections (n) and (o) of this section as appropriate.
(n) Each survivor beneficiary shall receive as that survivor beneficiary's supplement under this section an amount equal to that pro rata share of that survivor beneficiary's preliminary supplement, as defined above, as such survivor beneficiary's benefit, without regard to any supplements, constitutes as a pro rata share of the original benefit of the original retiree: Provided, That for any person who becomes a survivor beneficiary, after the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred ninety-four, the benefit provided under this section shall be recomputed under the provisions of this subsection.
(o) Each disabled retiree shall receive as that disabled retiree's supplement under this section that pro rata share of that disabled retiree's preliminary supplement, as defined above, as such disabled retiree's current benefit, without regard to any supplements, constitutes as a pro rata share of that disabled retiree's original benefit: Provided, That any disabled retiree scheduled under the terms of the retirement system to have a benefit recomputed at some time subsequent to the effective date of this section will, at the time of that recomputation, also have the supplemental benefit recomputed under the terms of the preceding sentence.
(p) Any supplemental benefit computed under this section shall only be paid in lieu of, and not in addition to, the payment of any prior supplemental benefit amounts or incentives provided by law after the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred seventy-four, which are currently being paid: Provided, That any annuitant receiving a supplemental benefit greater than that provided in this section shall continue to receive the current supplemental benefits.
(q) The supplement provided in this section shall be recalculated on a pro rata basis of the preliminary supplement whenever the original annuity amount is adjusted due to the death or disability of an annuitant or any other event.
(1) For retirees who, as of the first day of July, two thousand one, are at least sixty-five years of age and who have been an annuitant for at least five consecutive years, this one-time supplement shall equal five percent of his or her annuity benefit as of the effective date of this section;
(2) For retirees who, as of the first day of July, two thousand one, are at least seventy years of age and who have been an annuitant for at least five consecutive years, this one-time supplement shall equal ten percent of his or her annuity benefit as of the effective date of this section; and
(3) For any person who, as of the first day of July, two thousand one, is at least sixty-five years of age and who retired under the early retirement incentive provided in section twenty-two-c of this article, this one-time supplement shall equal three percent of his or her annuity benefit as of the effective date of this section and subdivisions (1) and (2) of this subsection do not apply.
(b) The one-time supplement provided for in this section applies only to members who have retired prior to or as of the effective date of this section or, if applicable, to beneficiaries receiving benefits under the retirement system prior to or as of the effective date of this section: Provided, That the supplement provided herein is subject to any applicable limitations thereon under Section 415 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(b) If any increase of existing benefits or creation of new benefits for any retirees or beneficiaries currently receiving monthly benefit payments under the system, other than an increase in benefits or new benefits effected by operation of law in effect on the effective date of this article, causes any additional unfunded actuarial accrued liability in the system as calculated in the annual actuarial valuation for the plan during any fiscal year, the additional unfunded actuarial accrued liability of that pension system shall be fully amortized over no more than the six consecutive fiscal years following the date the increase in benefits or new benefits become effective as certified by the Consolidated Public Retirement Board. The Consolidated Public Retirement Board shall include the six year amortization in the determination of the adequacy of the employer contribution percentage for the system.
(c) The state will not increase any existing benefits or create any new benefits for active members due to retirement, death or disability of the system unless the actuarial accrued liability of the plan is at least eighty-five percent funded as of the last day of the prior fiscal year as determined in the actuarial valuation for the plan completed for the Consolidated Public Retirement Board as of the first day of the following fiscal year as of the date the improvement is adopted by the Legislature. Any additional unfunded actuarial accrued liability due to any improvement in active members benefits shall be fully amortized over not more than ten years following the date the increase in benefits or new benefits become effective as certified by the Consolidated Public Retirement Board. The Consolidated Public Retirement Board shall include the ten year amortization in the determination of the adequacy of the employer contribution percentage for the system.
(b) The one-time supplement provided in this section applies only to members who have retired at least five years prior to the first day of July, two thousand six, or, if applicable, to beneficiaries of deceased members who have been receiving benefits under the retirement system at least five years prior to the first day of July, two thousand six: Provided, That the supplement provided herein is subject to any applicable limitations thereon under Section 415 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(b) In the event that all claims to benefits payable to, or on behalf of, a retired member expire, and the accumulated contributions exceed the accumulated net benefit payments paid to or on behalf of the retired member, the balance in the retired member's account shall be paid to the person or persons as the retired member has nominated by written designation duly executed and filed with the board of trustees. If there is no designated person or persons surviving the retired member following the expiration of claims, the excess of the accumulated contributions over the accumulated net benefit, if any, shall be paid to the retired member's estate.
Option A -- Joint and survivor annuity. -- Upon the death of a retirant who elected option A, his or her reduced annuity shall be continued throughout the life of and paid to the beneficiary, having an insurable interest in the retirant's life, whom the retirant nominated by written designation duly executed and filed with the board of trustees prior to the effective date of his or her retirement; or
Option B -- Modified joint and survivor annuity. -- Upon the death of a retirant who elected option B, one half of his or her reduced annuity shall be continued throughout the life of and paid to the beneficiary, having an insurable interest in the retirant's life, whom the retirant nominated by written designation duly executed and filed with the board of trustees prior to the effective date of his or her retirement.
(b) Upon the death of a spouse, a retirant may elect any of the retirement options offered by the provisions of this section in an amount adjusted on a fair basis to be of equal actuarial value as the annuity prospectively in effect relative to the retirant at the time the new option is elected.
(c) Upon divorce, a retirant may elect to change any of the retirement benefit options offered by the provisions of this section to a life annuity in an amount adjusted on a fair basis to be of equal actuarial value of the annuity prospectively in effect relative to the retirant at the time the option is elected: Provided, That the retirant furnishes to the board satisfactory proof of entry of a final decree of divorce or annulment: Provided, however, That the retirant certifies under penalty of perjury that no qualified domestic relations order, final decree of divorce, or other court order that would restrict the election is in effect: Provided further, That no cause of action against the board may then arise or be maintained on the basis of having permitted the retirant to name a new spouse as annuitant for any of the survivorship retirement benefit options.
(d) Upon remarriage, a retirant may name the new spouse as an annuitant for any of the retirement benefit options offered by the provisions of this section: Provided, That the retirant shall furnish to the board proof of marriage: Provided, however, That the retirant certifies under penalty of perjury that no qualified domestic relations order, final decree of divorce or other court order that would restrict the designation is in effect: Provided further, That no cause of action against the board may then arise or be maintained on the basis of having permitted the retirant to name a new spouse as annuitant for any of the survivorship retirement benefit options. The value of the new survivorship annuity shall be the actuarial equivalent of the retirant's benefit prospectively in effect at the time the new annuity is elected.
(b) A member with less than ten years of credited service shall have the service requirement provided in subsection (a) above (including the requirement of three years contributing service) waived in the event: (1) The board finds his or her total and permanent disability to be the natural and proximate result of a personal injury or disease arising out of and in the course of his or her actual performance of duty in the employ of a participating public employer; and (2) he or she is receiving or has received workers' compensation benefits on account of the physical or mental disability.
(c) For any member retiring and any member retired, as of March 1, 1970, he or she shall receive a straight life annuity computed according to section twenty-two hereof and he or she shall have the right to elect an option provided in section twenty-four hereof: Provided, That his or her straight life annuity payable to his or her attainment of age sixty-five years may not be less than fifty percent of his or her final average salary; and his or her straight life annuity payable from and after his or her attainment of age sixty-five years may not be less than twenty percent of his or her final average salary: Provided, however, That his or her annuity shall be subject to section twenty-six hereof.
(b) A disability retirant who is returned to the employ of a participating public employer shall again become a member of the retirement system and the retirant's credited service in force at the time of his or her retirement shall be restored.
(c) If a review of the disability retirant's annual statement of earnings or other financial information as required by the Board determines that the disability retirant's earned income for the preceding year exceeds the substantial gainful activity amount as defined by the United States Social Security Administration, the disability retirant's annuity shall be terminated by the Board, upon recommendation of the Board's disability review committee, on the first day of the month following the Board's action. Any person who wishes to reapply for disability retirement and whose disability retirement annuity has been terminated by the Board may do so within ninety days of the effective date of termination by requesting an examination at the applicant's expense by an appropriate medical professional chosen by the Board.
(2) In the event any member or former member, who first became a member of the Public Employees Retirement System after the effective date of amendments made to this section during the two thousand six regular legislative session and who has ten or more years of credited service and who is entitled to a deferred annuity, pursuant to section twenty-one of this article: Dies without leaving a surviving spouse; but leaves surviving him or her a child who is financially dependent on the member by virtue of a permanent mental or physical disability upon evidence satisfactory to the board; and has named the disabled child as sole beneficiary, the disabled child shall immediately receive an annuity computed in the same manner in all respects as if the member had: (A) Retired the day preceding the date of his or her death, notwithstanding that he or she might not have attained age sixty or sixty-two years, as the case may be; (B) elected option A provided in section twenty-four of this article; and (C) nominated his or her disabled child as beneficiary. A member or former member with ten or more years of credited service, who does not leave surviving him or her a spouse or a disabled child, may elect to have the preretirement death benefit paid as a return of accumulated contributions in a lump sum amount to any beneficiary or beneficiaries he or she chooses.
(b)(1) In the event any member who has ten or more years of credited service, or any former member with ten or more years of credited service and who is entitled to a deferred annuity, pursuant to section twenty-one of this article: Dies; and leaves a surviving spouse, the surviving spouse shall immediately receive an annuity computed in the same manner in all respects as if the member had: (A) Retired the day preceding the date of his or her death, notwithstanding that he or she might not have attained age sixty or sixty-two years, as the case may be; (B) elected option A provided in section twenty-four of this article; and (C) nominated his or her surviving spouse as beneficiary. However, the surviving spouse shall have the right to waive the annuity provided in this section: Provided, That he or she executes a valid and notarized waiver on a form provided by the board and that the member or former member attests to the waiver. If the waiver is presented to and accepted by the board, the member or former member, may nominate a beneficiary who has an insurable interest in the member's or former member's life. As an alternative to annuity option A, the member or former member may elect to have the preretirement death benefit paid as a return of accumulated contributions in a lump sum amount to any beneficiary or beneficiaries he or she chooses in the event a waiver, as provided in this section, has been presented to and accepted by the board.
(2) Whenever any member or former member who first became a member of the retirement system after the effective date of the amendments to this section made during the two thousand six regular legislative session and who has ten or more years of credited service and who is entitled to a deferred annuity, pursuant to section twenty-one of this article: Dies; and leaves a surviving spouse, the surviving spouse shall immediately receive an annuity computed in the same manner in all respects as if the member had: (A) Retired the day preceding the date of his or her death, notwithstanding that he or she might not have attained age sixty or sixty-two years, as the case may be; (B) elected option A provided in section twenty-four of this article; and (C) nominated his or her surviving spouse as beneficiary. However, the surviving spouse shall have the right to waive the annuity provided in this section: Provided, That he or she executes a valid and notarized waiver on a form provided by the board and that the member or former member attests to the waiver. If the waiver is presented to and accepted by the Board, the member or former member may: (1) Elect to have the preretirement death benefit paid in a lump sum amount, rather than annuity option A provided in section twenty-four of this article, as a return of accumulated contributions to any beneficiary or beneficiaries he or she chooses; or (2) may name his or her surviving child, who is financially dependent on the member by virtue of a permanent mental or physical disability, as his or her sole beneficiary to receive an annuity computed in the same manner in all respects as if the member had: (A) Retired the day preceding the date of his or her death, notwithstanding that he or she might not have attained the age of sixty or sixty-two as the case may be; (B) elected option A provided in section twenty-four of this article; and (C) nominated his or her disabled child as beneficiary.
(c) In the event any member who has ten or more years of credited service or any former member with ten or more years of credited service and who is entitled to a deferred annuity, pursuant to section twenty-one of this article: (1) Dies without leaving surviving him or her a spouse; but (2) leaves surviving him or her an infant child or children; and (3) does not have a beneficiary nominated as provided in subsection (a) of this section, the infant child or children are entitled to an annuity to be calculated as follows: The annuity reserve shall be calculated as though the member had retired as of the date of his or her decease and elected a straight life annuity and the amount of the annuity reserve shall be paid in equal monthly installments to the member's infant child or children until the child or children attain age twenty-one or sooner marry or become emancipated; however, in no event shall any child or children receive more than two hundred fifty dollars per month each. The annuity payments shall be computed as of the date of the death of the member and the amount of the annuity shall remain constant during the period of payment. The annual amount of the annuities payable by this section shall not exceed sixty percent of the deceased member's final average salary.
(d) In the event any member or former member does not have ten or more years of credited service, no preretirement death annuity may be authorized, owed or awarded under this section, except as provided in subdivision (4), subsection (a), section fifteen of this article as amended during the two thousand five regular session of the Legislature.
(b) In the event a member dies and does not leave a beneficiary entitled to an annuity payable by the retirement system, his accumulated contributions standing to his credit in the members deposit fund at the time of his death shall be paid to such person or persons as he shall have nominated by written designation duly executed and filed with the board of trustees. If there be no such designated person or persons surviving the said member, his said accumulated contributions shall be paid to his estate.
(c) Refunds of a member's contributions or accumulated contributions, as the case may be, may be made in equal installments according to such rules and regulations as the board of trustees may from time to time adopt.
(d) In the event a member dies and a refund of his contributions is due to be made to an infant child or children by reason of being the person or persons nominated by written designation duly executed and filed with the retirement system, and the amount of said refund is less than one thousand dollars, then, and in said event, the board of trustees may make said refund, upon written application, to the closest relative or natural guardian for the use of said infant child or children. The board of trustees may, at its discretion, require that said relative or natural guardian post bond with the retirement system to insure that said money will be used for the benefit of said infant child or children. In any event, before said refund is made to said relative or natural guardian of the said infant or infants, said relative or natural guardian shall give the retirement system an indemnifying release of said sums so paid over.
(b) Based upon the provisions of section thirteen of this article, the participating public employers' contributions to the retirement system, as determined by the Consolidated Public Retirement Board by legislative rule promulgated in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code, shall be a percent of the members' total annual compensation related to benefits under this retirement system. In determining the amount, the Board shall give consideration to setting the amount at a sum equal to an amount which, if paid annually by the participating public employers, will be sufficient to provide for the total normal cost of the benefits expected to become payable to all members and to amortize any unfunded liability found by application of the actuarial funding method chosen for that purpose by the Consolidated Public Retirement Board, over a period of years determined actuarially appropriate. When proposing a rule for promulgation which relates to the amount of employer contribution, the Board may promulgate emergency rules pursuant to the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code, if the inability of the board to increase employer contributions will detrimentally affect the actuarial soundness of the retirement system. A signed statement from the state actuary shall accompany the statement of facts and circumstances constituting an emergency which shall be filed in the State Register. For purposes of this section, subdivision (2), subsection (b), section fifteen-a, article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code is not applicable to the Secretary of State's determination of whether an emergency rule should be approved.
(a) The participating employer, in order to provide the benefits set forth herein, shall pay an additional contribution to the retirement system as shall be the actuarial equivalent of the amount which would have been contributed, together with earnings thereon, by the employer had the employee who is to receive retroactive credit been covered during the period of the retroactive service credit. This contribution may be made by the employer either in one lump sum or, at the election of the employer, by level term payments over a period not in excess of fifteen years or by both lump sum payments and level term payments, as determined by the employer and the board of trustees under rules and regulations promulgated by the board;
(b) The additional service credit shall be applicable to employees working for the participating employer on the effective date of the change of date of participation;
(c) There shall be no increase in benefits and annuities paid to former members of the system who were retired prior to the effective date of this section;
(d) Employees entitled to such retroactive service credit under the provisions of this section shall make such additional contribution to the retirement system equal to the actuarial equivalent of the amount which would have been contributed, together with earnings thereon, by the employee had the employee been covered during the period of the retroactive service credit;
(e) Each employer and employee shall be required to pay into the retirement system in the manner hereinafter provided the amount necessary for the additional service credit provided by this section, based upon an actuarial study of each employer that elects to participate in the retirement system under this section and as determined by the board of trustees;
(f) The actuarial basis for determining the additional contributions shall be that currently in effect for the valuation of the retirement system on the effective date of the employer's election;
(g) Any new participating employer and any participating employer which is currently a participant and who began participating after the first day of July, one thousand nine hundred sixty-one, who desires additional service credit must elect to provide such service credit within one year following the effective date of this section;
(h) Any participating employer requesting additional service credit as provided by this section shall provide such employee data as may be requested from the board of trustees of the retirement system for the determination of the employer's contributions;
(i) The consulting actuary's fees for computing the additional contribution rates under this section shall be paid directly by the participating employer to the consulting actuary selected by the board of trustees of the retirement system; and
(j) For the purpose of reopening the effectiveness of the provisions of this section for a period of one year following the effective date of the amendment to this section, and for the purpose of granting, retroactively service credit to current employees of employers participating in the public employees retirement system during such period, this section is hereby renewed and reestablished; but any such credited service granted hereunder shall be on the actuarially sound basis for determining required additional contributions, of both employer and employee, required in light of benefits that would be computed in respect of such later point in time and such subsequent final average salary amount.
(b) In the case of any member whose compensation is paid out of moneys derived in whole or in part out of any special fund, or from any source other than the state, then contributions on behalf of such member in any year shall be paid out of such special fund or by such other source in proportion to that part of the member's compensation derived therefrom for that year. The governing body of each participating public employer is hereby authorized to make such contributions from funds of the participating public employer as shall be necessary to pay its proportionate share of contributions on account of each state employee whose compensation is paid by such participating public employer.
(b) If any participating public employer, other than the state, fails to make any payment due the retirement system for a period of sixty days after the payment is due, the participating public employer shall become delinquent, and such delinquency shall be certified to the state auditor by the board of trustees. If any participating public employer becomes delinquent, as provided herein, the state auditor is authorized and directed to withhold any money due such participating public employer by the state until such delinquency, together with regular interest thereon, from the date due, is satisfied. Such money so withheld by the state auditor shall be paid to the retirement system.
Acts, 1994 Reg. Sess., Ch. 133.
(b) Underpayments: Any error resulting in an underpayment to the retirement system of required contributions may be corrected by the member or retirant remitting the required employee contribution and the participating public employer remitting the required employer contribution. Interest shall accumulate in accordance with the Legislative Rule 162 CSR 7 concerning retirement board refund, reinstatement and loan interest factors and any accumulating interest owed on the employee and employer contributions resulting from an employer error shall be the responsibility of the participating public employer. The participating public employer may remit total payment and the employee reimburse the participating public employer through payroll deduction over a period equivalent to the time period during which the employer error occurred. If the correction of an error involving an underpayment of required contributions to the retirement system will result in increased payments to a retirant, including increases to payments already made, any adjustments shall be made only after the board receives full payment of all required employee and employer contributions, including interest.
(c) Overpayments: (1) When mistaken or excess employer contributions, including any overpayments, have been made to the retirement system by a participating public employer, due to error or other reason, the board shall credit the participating public employer with an amount equal to the erroneous contributions, to be offset against the participating public employer's future liability for employer contributions to the system. Earnings or interest shall not be credited to the employer.
(2) When mistaken or excess employee contributions, including any overpayments, have been made to the retirement system, due to error or other reason, the board shall have sole authority for determining the means of return, offset or credit to or for the benefit of the employee of the amounts, and may use any means authorized or permitted under the provisions of Section 401(a), et seq. of the Internal Revenue Code and guidance issued thereunder applicable to governmental plans. Alternatively, in its full and complete discretion, the board may require the participating public employer to pay the employee the amounts as wages, with the board crediting the participating public employer with a corresponding amount to offset against its future contributions to the plan: Provided, That the wages paid to the employee shall not be considered compensation for any purposes under this article. Earnings or interest shall not be returned, offset, or credited under any of the means utilized by the board for returning mistaken or excess employee contributions, including any overpayments, to an employee.
(a) The Legislature finds that a compelling state interest exists in maintaining an actuarially sound retirement system and that this interest necessitates that certain limitations be placed upon an individual's ability to retire from the system and to then later return to state employment as an employee with a participating public employer while contemporaneously drawing an annuity from the system. The Legislature hereby further finds and declares that the interests of the public are served when persons having retired from public employment are permitted, within certain limitations, to render post-retirement employment in positions of public service, either in elected or appointed capacities. The Legislature further finds and declares that it has the need for qualified employees and that in many cases an employee of the Legislature will retire and be available to return to work for the Legislature as a per diem employee. The Legislature further finds and declares that in many instances these employees have particularly valuable expertise which the Legislature cannot find elsewhere. The Legislature further finds and declares that reemploying these persons on a limited per diem basis after they have retired is not only in the best interests of this state, but has no adverse effect whatsoever upon the actuarial soundness of this particular retirement system.
(b) For the purposes of this section: (1) ôRegularly employed on a full-time basisö means employment of an individual by a participating public employer, in a position other than as an elected or appointed public official, which normally requires twelve months per year service and at least one thousand forty hours of service per year in that position; (2) ôtemporary full-time employment or temporary part-time employmentö means employment of an individual on a temporary or provisional basis by a participating public employer, other than as an elected or appointed public official, in a position which does not otherwise render the individual as regularly employed; (3) ôformer employee of the Legislatureö means any person who has retired from employment with the Legislature and who has at least ten years' contributing service with the Legislature; and (4) ôreemployed by the Legislatureö means a former employee of the Legislature who has been reemployed on a per diem basis not to exceed one hundred seventy-five days per calendar year.
(c) In the event a retirant becomes regularly employed on a full-time basis by a participating public employer, payment of his or her annuity shall be suspended during the period of his or her reemployment and he or she shall become a contributing member to the retirement system. If his or her reemployment is for a period of one year or longer, his or her annuity shall be recalculated and he or she shall be granted an increased annuity due to the additional employment, the annuity to be computed according to section twenty-two of this article. A retirant may accept temporary full-time or temporary part-time employment from a participating employer without suspending his or her retirement annuity so long as he or she does not receive annual compensation in excess of $15,000: Provided, That a retirant may be employed by the Legislature on a per diem basis without suspension of the retirement annuity if the retirant's annual compensation from the Legislature does not exceed $20,000.
(d) In the event a member retires and is then subsequently elected to a public office or is subsequently appointed to hold an elected public office, or is a former employee of the Legislature who has been reemployed by the Legislature, he or she has the option, notwithstanding subsection (c) of this section, to either:
(1) Continue to receive payment of his or her annuity while holding public office or during any reemployment of a former employee of the Legislature on a per diem basis, in addition to the salary he or she may be entitled to as an office holder or as a per diem reemployed former employee of the Legislature; or
(2) Suspend the payment of his or her annuity and become a contributing member of the retirement system as provided in subsection (c) of this section. Notwithstanding the provisions of this subsection, a member who is participating in the system as an elected public official may not retire from his or her elected position and commence to receive an annuity from the system and then be elected or reappointed to the same position unless and until a continuous twelve-month period has passed since his or her retirement from the position: Provided, That a former employee of the Legislature may not be reemployed by the Legislature on a per diem basis until at least sixty days after the employee has retired: Provided, however, That the limitation on compensation provided by subsection (c) of this section does not apply to the reemployed former employee: Provided further, That in no event may reemployment by the Legislature of a per diem employee exceed one hundred seventy-five days per calendar year.
(e) A member who is participating in the system simultaneously as both a regular, full-time employee of a participating public employer and as an elected or appointed member of the legislative body of the state or any political subdivision may, upon meeting the age and service requirements of this article, elect to retire from his or her regular full-time state employment and may commence to receive an annuity from the system without terminating his or her position as a member of the legislative body of the state or political subdivision: Provided, That the retired member shall not, during the term of his or her retirement and continued service as a member of the legislative body of a political subdivision, be eligible to continue his or her participation as a contributing member of the system and shall not continue to accrue any additional service credit or benefits in the system related to the continued service.
(f) Notwithstanding the provisions of section twenty-seven-b of this article, any publicly elected member of the legislative body of any political subdivision or of the State Legislature, the Clerk of the House of Delegates and the Clerk of the Senate may elect to commence receiving in-service retirement distributions from this system upon attaining the age of seventy and one-half years: Provided, That the member is eligible to retire under the provisions of section twenty or twenty-one of this article: Provided, however, That the member elects to stop actively contributing to the system while receiving the in-service distributions.
(g) The provisions of section twenty-two-h of this article are not applicable to the amendments made to this section during the 2006 Regular Session.
(1) City council, by appropriate ordinance, permits all of its policemen of its police department and/or all of its firemen of its fire department to withdraw from the system.
(2) Each member of its police department and/or fire department so withdrawing from the retirement system must execute a release of all claims against the West Virginia public employees retirement system.
(3) Before any such withdrawal shall be effective, the consulting actuary to the retirement system shall compute all past, present and future liabilities and the municipality shall pay the retirement system for all such liabilities before any withdrawal shall be effective; after an effective withdrawal, pursuant to the terms hereof, if additional liabilities of a municipality are discovered, the board of trustees shall certify such sums due the retirement system and the municipality shall thereafter forthwith pay said sum due the system.
(4) Compliance with rules and regulations as the board of trustees may from time to time promulgate supplementing the above conditions.
Any termination of benefits may be appealed pursuant to the state administrative procedures act in chapter twenty-nine-a of this code. The board shall promulgate rules and regulations regarding the procedure for termination of benefits and the repayment of any benefit in accordance with the provisions of article three, chapter twenty-nine-a of this code.
(a) As an additional bonus payment to other retirement allowances provided, a one-time bonus payment to retirement benefits shall be paid to retirants of the system as provided in subsection (b) of this section. The one-time bonus payment shall equal $1,200 and shall be paid on July 27, 2011.
(b) The one-time bonus payment provided by this section applies to any retirant with at least twenty years of credited service who currently receives an annual retirement annuity of not more than $7,200. This bonus payment is subject to any applicable limitations under section 415 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.
(c) The one-time bonus payment provided by this section shall be payable pro rata to any beneficiaries of a qualifying retirant who currently receive an annuity or other benefit payable by the system. Note: WV Code updated with legislation passed through the 2012 1st Special Session
Print