§ 79-930. Member; separation from service; return to work; how treated.
AI-assisted research summary: A member who separated from service may return as a temporary employee, substitute employee, or volunteer, but the retirement-status rules change depending on whether the member later becomes a regular employee and on the timing of any return to work.
(1)(a) A member who experiences a separation from service with the member's employer but has not submitted a retirement application or a request for distribution pursuant to section 79-955, or received a retirement benefit, disability retirement benefit, or distribution pursuant to section 79-955, from the retirement system, may return to work as a temporary employee, substitute employee, or volunteer for any employer participating in the retirement system. Such an employee: (i) Shall be deemed to have incurred a termination for purposes of sections 79-921, 79-932, 79-933.02 to 79-933.06, and 79-933.08; (ii) Shall not be deemed to have incurred a termination for purposes of sections 79-933, 79-951, and 79-955, and shall not be eligible to receive a retirement benefit, disability retirement benefit, or distribution pursuant to section 79-955, from the retirement system, until the member incurs a termination of employment as described in subdivision (45) of section 79-902; and (iii) Except as provided in subdivision (1)(b) of this section, shall not be eligible to contribute to the retirement system pursuant to section 79-958 or accrue service credit in the retirement system pursuant to section 79-927. (b)(i) A member as described in subdivision (1)(a) of this section who becomes a regular employee for an employer participating in the retirement system shall immediately begin making contributions pursuant to section 79-958 on all compensation paid by such employer and accrue service credit pursuant to section 79-927 for all such service performed for such employer, including any work as a temporary employee or substitute employee. (ii) A member as described in subdivision (1)(a) of this section who has not established eligibility as a regular employee at another employer shall not make contributions pursuant to section 79-958 on all compensation paid by such employer nor accrue service credit pursuant to section 79-927 for work performed by the member as a temporary employee or substitute employee for such employer. (c) Work performed while the member is not contributing to the retirement system pursuant to subdivision (1)(a) of this section shall not accrue service credit in the retirement system pursuant to section 79-927 and cannot be purchased as service credit under sections 79-933.03 to 79-933.06 and 79-933.08. (2)(a) A member who experiences a separation from service with the member's employer and has submitted a retirement application or a request for distribution pursuant to section 79-955, or received a retirement benefit, disability retirement benefit, or distribution pursuant to section 79-955, from the retirement system, shall not be deemed to have incurred a termination of employment if the member subsequently returns to work for any employer participating in the retirement system within one hundred twenty days after separating from service. (b) The one-hundred-twenty-day period begins on the later of: (i) The date the member experienced a bona fide separation from service of all employment with all employers participating in the retirement system; or (ii) The date the Nebraska Public Employees Retirement Systems receives the member's retirement application or request for distribution pursuant to section 79-955. (c)(i) A member may seek a determination from the executive director of the Nebraska Public Employees Retirement Systems that it has been at least one hundred twenty days since the member satisfied the requirements described in this subsection. The executive director shall make such determination if the member produces clear and convincing evidence that is received by the executive director within forty-five days after the later of: (A) The date the member experienced a bona fide separation of service of all employment with all employers participating in the retirement system; or (B) The date the member's retirement application or request for distribution pursuant to section 79-955 is received by the Nebraska Public Employees Retirement Systems. (ii) A member may appeal the executive director's determination to the board within thirty days after receiving such determination. (iii) The board's determination on the appeal shall be final and shall not be appealable to any court. History: Laws 2024, LB198, § 9; Laws 2026, LB820, § 21; Laws 2026, LB824, § 3.