(a) As used in this Code section, the term "local retirement system" means a retirement or pension system maintained by a county which includes as members thereof employees of the county department of family and children services and the term includes any such retirement or pension system created by law or created by ordinance or resolution of the county under the home rule provisions of the Constitution of Georgia.

(b) Any employee or former employee of a county department of family and children services who is or was a member of a local retirement system and who is or becomes a member of this retirement system, subject to the requirements of this Code section, shall obtain creditable service under this retirement system as provided in this subsection. Upon notification in writing by the board of trustees of this retirement system to the board of trustees or other managing body of the local retirement system, the board of trustees or other managing body of the local retirement system shall transfer to this retirement system an amount equal to the employer contributions, plus regular interest thereon, which had been paid to the local retirement system on behalf of each employee and any employee contributions which have been paid to the local retirement system by or on behalf of each employee and have not been withdrawn from the local retirement system, plus regular interest thereon. The board of trustees of this retirement system shall determine the period of time that such amount will fund as creditable service under this retirement system without creating any additional accrued liability of the retirement system. The amount of creditable service so determined shall be the creditable service to which the member is entitled.

(c) Employees or former employees of a county department of family and children services were in service on July 1, 1996, and who are subject to the provisions of this Code section and who failed to exercise the option provided by this Code section by notification in writing to the board of trustees of this retirement system, the board of trustees or other managing body of the local retirement system, and to the county governing authority in a timely manner shall be forever barred from exercising such option. For employees or former employees of a county department of family and children services who become members of this retirement system after July 1, 1996, such election and notification must be made within six months of becoming a member of this retirement system. Any such employee failing to exercise the option granted by this Code section within such time limitation shall not at any time thereafter be eligible to become a member of this retirement system as an employee of a county department of family and children services. Any such employee shall make payment to the board of trustees of this retirement system of a sum equal to his or her employee contributions which had been paid to the local retirement system during the years of service for which credit is being claimed and thereafter shall not be entitled to receive any benefit from the local retirement system.

(d) Employees or former employees of a county department of family and children services who are or become members of this retirement system and who obtain credit for service pursuant to the provisions of this Code section shall be subject to the provisions of Code Section 47-2-334, except to the extent that said Code section prohibits obtaining prior service as creditable service as authorized by subsection (b) of this Code section.

(e) To the extent this Code section conflicts with or is inconsistent with the provisions of a local retirement or pension system affected by this Code section, whether such local retirement or pension system was created by law or by local ordinance, the provisions of this Code section shall control.