Section 36-27-54.1

Section 36-27-54.1Purchase of credit for prior service with Alabama State Docks.

(a) Any active and contributing member of the Employees' Retirement System, who is employed by the Alabama State Docks on October 1, 1993, may purchase credit in the Employees' Retirement System for prior service with the state docks if the member has not received credit in the system for the same prior service and has not vested or otherwise become eligible to receive a retirement benefit by using the same prior service credit in another pension plan offered by the state docks.



(b) A member of the Employees' Retirement System who is eligible to purchase any prior service credit under subsection (a) shall receive the credit if he or she pays into the system on or before his or her date of retirement, an amount of five percent of the greater of the member's current annual earnable compensation or average final compensation for the entire period of prior service claimed, or any portion thereof, plus eight percent compounded interest thereon through the date of repayment, for each year of prior service purchased. Prior service may only be purchased in yearly increments. At the same time that the employee makes his or her payment for the prior service credit, the Alabama State Docks shall remit to the Employees' Retirement System the employer's share of the cost for the prior service credit being purchased, plus eight percent compounded interest thereon through the date of repayment, as determined by the actuary for the system.



(c)(1) A member purchasing prior service credit under this section shall waive any and all present and future benefits which he or she has qualified to receive under any federal railroad retirement laws, any collective bargaining agreements, or any other pension plans offered by the Alabama State Docks. Failure to waive those benefits shall render a member ineligible to purchase any prior service credit in the Employees' Retirement System under this section.



(2) The reopening of the Employees' Retirement System for purchase of prior service credit under this section shall terminate on the date of retirement of the affected employee.

(Acts 1993, No. 93-364, p. 607, §§1-3.)