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A.  Upon termination of participation in both the plan and employment, a participant shall:

(1)  At the participant’s option, receive either a lump sum payment from the account equal to the amount then credited to his individual subaccount; or systematic disbursements based on his individual subaccount in any manner approved by the board; and

(2)  Begin to receive regular monthly retirement benefits based on the option selected at the time of election to participate in the plan, as adjusted pursuant to Subsection D of this Section.

(3)  For the purposes of this Section, a termination of employment shall not mean a termination from one position covered by the system to take another position covered by the system, as long as there is no break in service.

B.  Upon termination of participation in the plan but not employment, credits to the account shall cease and no retirement benefits shall be paid to the participant until employment is terminated.  The balance in the participant’s subaccount shall be placed in a self-directed subaccount in the name of the participant as provided for in La. Rev. Stat. 11:451.1, and the participant shall then be bound by the provisions of that Section. No payment shall be made based on credits in the subaccount until employment is terminated as defined in this Section.  The participant may continue employment after termination of participation in the plan for the sole purpose of accruing a supplemental benefit, and employer and employee contributions shall resume.  Participants who have ended their participation in the Deferred Retirement Option Plan but not employment shall make contributions at the rate established in La. Rev. Stat. 11:62.

C.  If the participant dies, whether still participating in the Deferred Retirement Option Plan or after participation but while still employed, his credits and benefits, if any, that are due to his beneficiaries shall be payable as if he had retired immediately prior to death and his retirement was in accordance with La. Rev. Stat. 11:441 through 446 for a regular member, La. Rev. Stat. 11:562 and 562.1 for judges and court officers, and La. Rev. Stat. 11:591 for wildlife agents.

D.  Monthly retirement benefits payable to a participant after termination of participation in the plan and employment shall be calculated as follows:

(1)  There shall be a “base benefit” which shall equal the participant’s monthly credit to the account as calculated at the time of the participant’s entry into the plan.

(2)  If the participant does not continue employment after termination of participation in the plan, his monthly retirement benefit shall equal his base benefit.

(3)(a)  Except as provided in Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph, if  the participant continues employment after termination of participation in the plan for a period of less than thirty-six months, his monthly retirement benefit shall equal his base benefit plus a supplemental benefit based upon the service credit for the additional employment, based upon the final average compensation used to calculate the monthly credit. If the employment is for less than three months, then the service credit shall be rounded to the nearest tenth.

(b)  For a participant whose final average compensation period is more than thirty-six months, if the participant continues employment after termination of participation in the plan for a period of less than his final average compensation period, his monthly retirement benefit shall equal his base benefit plus a supplemental benefit based upon the service credit for the additional employment, based upon the final average compensation used to calculate the monthly credit. If the employment is for less than three months, then the service credit shall be rounded to the nearest tenth.

(4)(a)  Except as provided in Subparagraph (b) of this Paragraph, if the participant continues employment after termination of participation in the plan for a period of thirty-six months or more, his monthly retirement benefit shall equal his base benefit plus a supplemental benefit based upon the service credit for the additional employment, based upon the final average compensation for the period of employment after termination of participation in the plan.

(b)  For a participant whose final average compensation period is more than thirty-six months, if the participant continues employment after termination of participation in the plan for a period equal to or longer than his final average compensation period, his monthly retirement benefit shall equal his base benefit plus a supplemental benefit based upon the service credit for the additional employment, based upon the final average compensation for the period of employment after termination of participation in the plan.

(5)  The amount of unused sick and annual leave at the time of termination may be converted to retirement credit under the provisions of La. Rev. Stat. 11:424.  If a participant continues employment for less than three years after termination of participation in the plan, then unused sick and annual leave shall be used to compute a supplemental benefit using the member’s final average compensation as provided in Paragraph (D)(1) of this Section.  If a participant continues employment for more than three years after termination of participation in the plan, then unused sick and annual leave shall be used to compute a supplemental benefit using the member’s final average compensation as provided in Paragraph (D)(4) of this Section.

(6)  In no instance shall a supplemental benefit and a base benefit, added together, exceed one hundred percent of the applicable final average compensation.

Acts 1990, No. 14, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1991; Redesignated from La. Rev. Stat. 42:578.4 by Acts 1991, No. 74, §3, eff. June 25, 1991; Acts 1995, No. 1110, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 1996; Acts 1997, No. 525, §1, eff. July 3, 1997, retroactive to Jan. 1, 1991; Acts 1999, No. 1320, §1, eff. July 12, 1999; Acts 2001, No. 308, §1, eff. June 6, 2001; Acts 2003, No. 818, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2004; Acts 2006, No. 835, §1, eff. July 1, 2006; Acts 2007, No. 353, §1, eff. June 30, 2007; Acts 2008, No. 714, §1, eff. July 1, 2009, or sixty days after a final judgment, whichever is later; Acts 2011, No. 368, §1, eff. July 1, 2011; Acts 2013, No. 220, §28, eff. June 11, 2013; Acts 2014, No. 791, §5; Acts 2014, No. 851, §1, eff. Jan. 1, 2015; Acts 2014, No. 852, §1, eff. June 30, 2014.

NOTE:  See Acts 2004, No. 7, §6, providing that the Act shall not affect or change any law relative to retirement or retirement or survivor benefits of employees of the Dept. of Public Safety and Corrections.