18A:66-176 Group life insurance and disability benefits; noncontributory; coverage.

10. As of July 1, 1969 the group contract providing life insurance and disability benefits for all participants in the alternate benefit program of each public institution of higher education in the State shall be on a non-contributory basis and shall be in lieu of any non-contributory and contributory benefits provided pursuant to sections 18A:64C-11.1 to 18A:64C-11.9 (inclusive) and article 16 of chapter 65 of Title 18A of the New Jersey Statutes, chapters 278 and 281 of the laws of 1967, and chapter 181 of the laws of 1968. In accordance with the provisions of this act such group contract or contracts providing life insurance shall be in an amount equal to 3 1/2 times the base annual salary of the participant in the alternate benefit program; provided, however, that if death shall occur after retirement, the amount payable shall equal 1/2 of the participant's base annual salary.

For purposes of this section a participant shall be deemed to be in service and covered by the group life insurance for a period of no more than 93 days while on official leave of absence without pay when such leave is due to any reason other than illness, except for a leave up to one year to fulfill a residency requirement for an advanced degree, for a period of no more than one year in the event of an official leave due to maternity and for a period of no more than two years if satisfactory evidence is presented to the Division of Pensions and Benefits that such official leave of absence without pay is due to illness. A participant shall be deemed to be on an official leave of absence only if the leave is formally approved by his employer prior to the time the leave commenced and timely notice is filed by the employer with the Division of Pensions and Benefits; the lack of such timely notice shall place the responsibility for the payment of any benefits pursuant to this section directly upon the employer if the participant was otherwise eligible for such benefits.

In the event of the death of a participant in active service in the first year of participation as a result of an accident met in the actual performance of duty at some definite time and place, the death benefit payable pursuant to this section shall be computed at the annual rate of base salary.

No beneficiary of a retired member shall be entitled to receive the death benefits payable in the event of death after retirement pursuant to this section unless such member (a) had at least 10 years of credited New Jersey participation in an alternate benefit program established pursuant to this act and (b) had attained 60 years of age and was an actively employed participant in such a program in the year immediately preceding his initial receipt of a retirement annuity.

L.1969,c.242,s.10; amended 2003, c.75, s.1.