Members may buy up to five years of service credit, but only if they meet the service threshold, apply on time, and pay the required amount in full.
§429. Purchase of service credit A. Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any member of the system who has credit in the system for at least one year of service shall be eligible to obtain credit for up to five years of service credit in one-year increments provided that he shall apply to the system for such credit on or before June 30, 2005, and pay to the system by June 30, 2006, the greater of the amount calculated in accordance with the actuarial cost provisions of R.S. 11:158 or the employee and employer contributions plus interest based on the member's current salary, which totally offsets the increase in accrued liability of the system resulting from the receipt of the credit by the member. The amount to be paid shall be paid in one lump sum, and no service credit shall be given to the member until or unless the amount is paid in full. B.(1) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any member of the system who has credit in the system for at least five years of service shall be eligible to obtain credit for up to five years of service credit in one-year increments provided that he shall apply to the system for such credit and pay to the system the greater of the amount calculated in accordance with the actuarial cost provisions of R.S. 11:158, excluding R.S. 11:158(C)(1)(b), or the employee contributions for each additional year of service credit being obtained based upon the greater of the member's current salary or the member's current final average compensation. The amount to be paid shall be paid in one lump sum, and no service credit shall be given to the member until or unless the amount is paid in full. Any credit purchased pursuant to this Paragraph shall be used for calculation of benefits only and shall not be used for purposes of attaining eligibility for retirement except as otherwise authorized in this Subsection. (2) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any member of the system who has credit in the system for at least five years of service shall be eligible to obtain credit for purposes of attaining eligibility for retirement and calculation of benefits for up to five years of service credit in one-year increments provided that he shall apply to the system for such credit and pay the greater of the amount calculated in accordance with the actuarial cost provisions of R.S. 11:158, excluding R.S. 11:158(C)(1)(b), or the employee contributions for each additional year of service credit being obtained based upon the greater of the member's current salary or the member's current final average compensation. The amount to be paid shall be paid in one lump sum, and no service credit shall be given to the member until or unless the amount is paid in full. (3) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, any member of the system who has purchased service credit under the provisions of Paragraph (1) of this Subsection shall be eligible to upgrade all or a portion of the service credit previously purchased for calculation of benefits to service credit for attaining eligibility and benefit calculation in one-year increments provided that he shall apply to the system for such credit and pay to the system the actuarial cost of such upgrade calculated in accordance with the actuarial cost provisions of R.S. 11:158, excluding R.S. 11:158(C)(1)(b). The amount to be paid shall be paid in one lump sum, and no service credit shall be given to the member until or unless the amount is paid in full. (4) Notwithstanding any other provision of law to the contrary, the premiums for health insurance coverage paid by any retiree participating in the Office of Group Benefits program who has purchased service credit pursuant to Paragraph (2) or (3) of this Subsection, and who retires earlier than he would otherwise have been eligible for regular retirement without such purchased credit, shall be increased by an amount sufficient to pay for any increase in the employer's premiums that results from such retirement. Such increase in the retiree's premium shall be deducted from the retiree's monthly benefit and remitted to the Office of Group Benefits to offset the employer's premium payments by such amount. The premium payments made pursuant to this Paragraph shall cease when the retiree attains the age at which his earned creditable service, not including service purchased pursuant to this Subsection, would have been sufficient to meet eligibility requirements for regular retirement. Acts 1992, No. 289, §1; Acts 2004, No. 340, §1, eff. July 1, 2004; Acts 2005, No. 75, §1, eff. July 1, 2005; Acts 2011, No. 322, §1, eff. July 1, 2011.