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43A.346 Postretirement option.

Subdivision 1. Definition. For purposes of this section, "state employee" means a person currently occupying a civil service position in the executive branch of state government, the Minnesota State Retirement System, or the Office of the Legislative Auditor, or a person employed by the Metropolitan Council.

Subd. 2. Eligibility. This section applies to a state or Metropolitan Council employee who:

(1) for at least the five years immediately preceding separation under clause (2), has been regularly scheduled to work 1,044 or more hours per year in a position covered by a pension plan administered by the Minnesota State Retirement System or the Public Employees Retirement Association;

(2) terminates state or Metropolitan Council employment;

(3) at the time of termination under clause (2), meets the age and service requirements necessary to receive an unreduced retirement annuity from the plan and satisfies requirements for the commencement of the retirement annuity or, for an employee under the unclassified employees retirement plan, meets the age and service requirements necessary to receive an unreduced retirement annuity from the plan and satisfies requirements for the commencement of the retirement annuity or elects a lump-sum payment; and

(4) agrees to accept a postretirement option position with the same or a different appointing authority, working a reduced schedule that is both (i) a reduction of at least 25 percent from the employee's number of regularly scheduled work hours; and (ii) 1,044 hours or less in state or Metropolitan Council service.

Subd. 3. Unclassified service. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, state postretirement option positions shall be in the unclassified service but shall not be covered by the Minnesota State Retirement System unclassified employees plan.

Subd. 4. Annuity reduction not applicable. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, when an eligible state employee in a postretirement option position under this section commences receipt of the annuity, the provisions of section 352.115, subdivision 10, or 353.37 governing annuities of reemployed annuitants, shall not apply for the duration of employment in the position.

Subd. 5. Appointing authority discretion. The appointing authority has sole discretion to determine if and the extent to which a postretirement option position under this section is available to a state employee. Any offer of such a position must be made in writing to the employee by the appointing authority on a form prescribed by the Department of Employee Relations and the Minnesota State Retirement System or the Public Employees Retirement Association. The appointing authority may not require a person to waive any rights under a collective bargaining agreement or unrepresented employee compensation plan as a condition of participation.

Subd. 6. Duration. Postretirement option employment shall be for an initial period not to exceed one year. During that period, the appointing authority may not modify the conditions specified in the written offer without the employee's agreement, except as required by law or by the collective bargaining agreement or compensation plan applicable to the employee. At the end of the initial period, the appointing authority has sole discretion to determine if the offer of a postretirement option position will be renewed, renewed with modifications, or terminated. Postretirement option employment may be renewed for periods of up to one year, not to exceed a total duration of five years. No person shall be employed in one or a combination of postretirement option positions under this section for a total of more than five years.

Subd. 7. Copy to fund. The appointing authority shall provide the Minnesota State Retirement System or the Public Employees Retirement Association with a copy of the offer, the employee's acceptance of the terms, and any subsequent renewal agreement.

Subd. 8. No service credit. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, a person may not earn service credit in the Minnesota State Retirement System or the Public Employees Retirement Association for employment covered under this section, and employer contributions and payroll deductions for the retirement fund must not be made based on earnings of a person working under this section. No change shall be made to a monthly annuity or retirement allowance based on employment under this section.

Subd. 9. Insurance contribution. Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, the appointing authority must make an employer insurance contribution for a person who is employed in a postretirement option position under this section and who is not receiving any other state-paid or Metropolitan Council-paid employer insurance contribution. The amount of the contribution must be equal to the percent time worked in the postretirement option position (hours scheduled to be worked annually divided by 2,088) times 1.5 times the full employer contribution for employee-only health and dental coverage. The appointing authority must contribute that amount to a health reimbursement arrangement.

Subd. 10. Subsequent employment. If a person has been in a postretirement option position and accepts any other position in state or Metropolitan Council-paid service, in the subsequent state or Metropolitan Council-paid employment the person may not earn service credit in the Minnesota State Retirement System or Public Employees Retirement Association, no employer contributions or payroll deductions for the retirement fund shall be made, and the provisions of section 352.115, subdivision 10, or section 353.37, shall apply.

HIST: 2005 c 156 art 3 s 2

Official Publication of the State of Minnesota
Revisor of Statutes