§ 23-224. Creditable service.

(a)

Any person who becomes a member of the system on January 1, 1973 and who was employed by Jefferson Parish on December 31, 1972 and who was not eligible for membership in any retirement system during such service, other than the Parochial Employees' Retirement System of Louisiana, shall be entitled to prior service credit for all parish service rendered prior to the effective date of this division, for which service he has been given credit with the Parochial Employees' Retirement System of Louisiana or which he would have been given credit for had he not been denied membership because of age.

(1)

Any member who purchases his military service to be applied as membership service in the Parochial Employees' Retirement System of Louisiana prior to August 1, 1976, shall be given the same membership service for such military service under the Employees' Retirement System of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, provided the employee was actively employed on or before December 31, 1975. Employees hired on or after January 1, 1976, and desiring to purchase military service credit, shall be required to purchase such service credit, when eligible to purchase after two (2) years of employment, from both the Parochial Employees Retirement System of Louisiana and the Employees' Retirement System of Jefferson Parish, based on current salary at time of purchase, plus interest to be determined by the board of trustees.

(2)

The Employees' Retirement System of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, shall recognize as additional membership service the same credit for unused leave granted by the Parochial Employees Retirement System of Louisiana, pursuant to Act 302 of the 1974 regular session of the State Legislature, and the parish shall pay to the Employees' Retirement System of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, an amount equal to the cash value of such unused leave according to the Personnel Rules of Jefferson Parish.

(3)

All employees eligible for membership in the Employees' Retirement System of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana; including those not members of the Parochial Employees Retirement System of Louisiana, who were actively employed on or before December 31, 1975, be given free credit for military service, limited to the benefits received under the Employees' Retirement System of Jefferson Parish. Application for such creditable service shall be made to the Secretary-Manager of the Employees' Retirement System of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, in the same manner and with same requirements as application for said service is made to the Parochial Employees' Retirement System of Louisiana. Employees hired on or after January 1, 1976 and desiring to purchase military service credit, when eligible after two (2) years of employment, shall be required to purchase such service credit from the Employees' Retirement System of Jefferson Parish, based on current salary at time of purchase, plus interest to be determined by the board of trustees.

(4)

All current members of the Employees' Retirement System of Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, who served as an elected official of Jefferson Parish, prior to the adoption of Ordinance No. 11027 and who would have been eligible for membership service in this system had it been in existence at the time of such service as an elected official, may purchase membership service for such service as an elected official of Jefferson Parish.

The qualified members shall make application to the board of trustees for membership service as an elected official of Jefferson Parish for such service rendered prior to the adoption of Ordinance No. 11027 and upon approval of proper documentary evidence of service the board of trustees shall grant membership service upon receipt from the applicant an amount equal to the current rate of employees contribution based on the compensation of the members for the time of such prior service as an elected official of Jefferson Parish plus interest established by the board.

(b)

The board of trustees shall fix and determine by appropriate rules and regulations how much service in any year is equivalent to one (1) year of service, but in no case shall more than one (1) year of service be creditable for all service in one (1) calendar year.

(c)

Upon verification of the statements of service, the board of trustees shall issue a prior service certificate certifying to each member the length of prior service for which credit shall have been allowed on the basis of these certified statements of service. So long as membership continues a prior service certificate shall be final and conclusive for retirement purposes as to such service, provided that any member may within one (1) year from the date of issuance or modification of such certificate, request the board of trustees to modify or correct his prior service certificate.

When membership ceases, such prior service certificate shall become null and void. Should the employee again become a member of the system, he shall enter the system as an employee not entitled to prior service credit except as provided for under the rules and regulations of the Parochial Employees' Retirement System of Louisiana.

(d)

Creditable service at retirement on which the retirement allowance of a member shall be based shall consist of the membership service rendered by him since he last became a member, and, also all prior service supported by a prior service certificate which is in full force and effect at the time of his retirement.

(Ord. No. 11027, § 4, 1-18-73; Ord. No. 11833, § 1, 10-24-74; Ord. No. 11909, § 1, 1-9-75; Ord. No. 12103, §§ 1, 2, 8-7-75; Ord. No. 14149, § 1, 12-5-79)