§87A-35 State and county contributions; employees hired after June 30, 1996, but before July 1, 2001, and retired with fewer than twenty-five years of service. (a) This section shall apply to state and county contributions to the fund for employees who were hired after June 30, 1996, but before July 1, 2001, and who retire with fewer than twenty-five years of credited service, excluding sick leave; provided that this section shall not apply to the following employees, for whom state and county contributions shall be made as provided by section 87A-33:

(1) An employee hired prior to July 1, 1996, who transfers employment after June 30, 1996, and who cumulatively accrues at least ten years of credited service; and

(2) An employee hired prior to July 1, 1996, who has at least ten years of credited service prior to a break in service.

For the purposes of this section:

"Break in service" means to leave state or county employment for more than ninety calendar days before returning to state or county employment.

"Transfer" means to leave state or county employment and return to state or county employment within ninety calendar days.

(b) For purposes of this section, if an employee leaves state or county employment and returns to state or county employment after June 30, 1996, upon retirement, the employee's years of service shall be computed in the same manner as set forth in chapter 88.

(c) The State, through the department of budget and finance, and the counties, through their respective departments of finance, shall pay to the fund:

(1) For retired employees enrolled in medicare or non-medicare health benefit plans with ten or more years but fewer than fifteen years of service, a monthly contribution equal to one-half of the base monthly contribution set forth under section 87A-33(b); and

(2) For retired employees enrolled in medicare or non-medicare health benefit plans with at least fifteen but fewer than twenty-five years of service, a monthly contribution of seventy-five per cent of the base monthly contribution set forth under section 87A-33(b).

If two employee-beneficiaries are married or in a civil union, the total contribution by the State or county shall not exceed the monthly contribution for a supplemental medicare family or non-medicare family plan, as appropriate. [L 2001, c 88, pt of §1; am L 2004, c 184, §1; am L 2019, c 51, §6]