79-921. Retirement system; membership; termination; employer; duty; member; duty; reinstatement; application for restoration of relinquished creditable service; payment required.

(1) The membership of any person in the retirement system shall cease only if he or she (a) withdraws his or her accumulated contributions under section 79-955, (b) retires on a school or formula or disability retirement allowance, or (c) dies.

(2)(a) The employer shall (i) notify the board in writing of the date upon which a termination of employment has occurred and provide the board with such information as the board deems necessary, (ii) notify the board in writing whether or not a member accepted and received an early retirement inducement, and (iii) submit in writing with the notice of termination of employment and notice of receipt of an early retirement inducement a completed certification by the employer and member under penalty of prosecution pursuant to section 79-949 that, prior to the member's termination, there was no prearranged written or verbal agreement for the member to return to service in any capacity with the same employer.

(b) The member shall submit certification to the board on a form prescribed by the board, under penalty of prosecution pursuant to section 79-949, whether or not the member accepted and received an early retirement inducement from his or her employer.

(c) The board may adopt and promulgate rules and regulations and prescribe forms as the board determines appropriate in order to carry out this subsection and to ensure full disclosure and reporting by the employer and member in order to minimize fraud and abuse and prevent the filing of false or fraudulent claim or benefit applications.

(3)(a) A former member of the retirement system who has withdrawn his or her accumulated contributions under section 79-955 shall be reinstated to membership in the retirement system if such person again becomes a school employee.

(b) The date of such membership shall relate back to the beginning of his or her original membership in the retirement system only if such school employee has repaid all amounts required in accordance with subsection (4) of this section. Unless and until all such amounts are repaid, the school employee shall be considered a new member, effective as of the date he or she again becomes a school employee.

(4)(a) With respect to any person who is reinstated to membership in the retirement system pursuant to subdivision (3)(a) of this section prior to April 17, 2014, and who files a valid and complete one-time application with the retirement board for the restoration of part or all of his or her relinquished creditable service prior to six years after April 17, 2014, but prior to termination, the following shall apply:

(i) Such member shall pay to the retirement system an amount equal to the previously withdrawn contributions for the creditable service to be restored, plus an amount equal to the actuarial assumed rate of return on such amount to the date of repayment; and

(ii) Payment for restoration of such relinquished creditable service must be completed within seven years of April 17, 2014, or prior to termination, whichever is earlier.

(b) With respect to any person who is reinstated to membership in the retirement system pursuant to subdivision (3)(a) of this section on and after April 17, 2014, and who files a valid and complete one-time application with the retirement board for the restoration of part or all of his or her relinquished creditable service within five years after the date of such member's reinstatement to membership in the retirement system but prior to termination, the following shall apply:

(i) Such member shall pay to the retirement system an amount equal to the previously withdrawn contributions for the creditable service to be restored, plus an amount equal to the actuarial assumed rate of return on such amount to the date of repayment; and

(ii) Payment for restoration of such relinquished creditable service must be completed within five years of the date of such member's reinstatement to membership in the retirement system or prior to termination, whichever is earlier.

(5)(a) If less than full payment is made by the member, relinquished creditable service shall be restored in proportion to the amounts repaid.

(b) Repayment may be made through direct payment, installment payments, an irrevocable payroll deduction authorization, cash rollover contributions pursuant to section 79-933.02, or trustee-to-trustee transfers pursuant to section 79-933.09, except that if the application for the restoration of part or all of the relinquished creditable service is received by the retirement system within one year before the member's termination date or the applicable last payment date as specified in subsection (4) of this section, whichever is earlier, repayment may only be made through a lump-sum direct payment, cash rollover contributions pursuant to section 79-933.02, or trustee-to-trustee transfers pursuant to section 79-933.09.

Source