Rule 3309-1-44 | Purchase of service credit; pregnancy and adoption resignation.
A member who resigned due to pregnancy or adoption of a child may purchase service credit for such period(s) of resignation during which no contributions were made to the system and no service credit granted under any other section of the Revised Code in accordance with section 3309.473 of the Revised Code and this rule.
(A)
(1) The member must have resigned from a contributing position under Chapter 3309. of the Revised Code due to pregnancy or adoption of a child;
(2) The member must have returned to a contributing position under Chapter 3309. of the Revised Code not later than the first day of classes of the third school year following the date of the resignation; and
(3) The member must have earned a minimum of one year of school employees retirement system contributing service credit after the resignation.
(B)
(1) A member who meets the requirements of paragraph (A) of this rule shall apply to the system to purchase service credit for a period of resignation on a form provided by the system;
(2) The member shall provide, with the application to purchase service credit, documentation satisfactory to the system that the resignation was due to pregnancy or adoption of a child. Such documentation may include, but is not limited to:
(a) In case of resignation due to pregnancy, copies of the member's child's birth certificate, copies of hospital or medical records, or an attending physician's statement; or
(b) In the case of resignation due to adoption, copies of the adoption decree.
(3) The employer who accepted the resignation shall certify on a form provided by the system, the date of the member's resignation and the reason, if any, given for the resignation;
(4) For each year of service credit purchased, the member shall pay to the system for credit to the member's accumulated account an amount equal to the member's retirement contributions for full-time employment for the first year of contributing service subsequent to the member's return from the period of resignation, plus interest thereon compounded annually at a rate set by the board of the school employees retirement system from the date of the member's return to contributing service to the date of payment.
(5) For each year of service credit purchased, the employer who accepted the resignation shall pay to the system an amount equal to the employer contribution for full-time employment for the member's first year of contributing service subsequent to the member's return from the period of resignation, plus interest thereon compounded annually at a rate set by the board of the school employees retirement system from the date of the member's return to contributing service to the date of payment. Payment shall be made:
(a) In one lump-sum payment from the employer directly to the school employees retirement system; or
(b) By authorization of the employer from the amounts allocated to the employer under Chapter 3317. of the Revised Code.
(C) A member who meets the foregoing requirements is eligible to purchase service credit for the lesser of the actual period of time from the resignation to the return to employment in a contributing position or two years.
Last updated October 26, 2023 at 8:42 AM
Supplemental Information