40 ILCS 5/15-134.5

(40 ILCS 5/15-134.5)

Sec. 15-134.5. Retirement program elections.

(a) All participating employees are participants under the traditional benefit package prior to January 1, 1998.

Effective as of the date that an employer elects, as described in Section 15-158.2, to offer to its employees the portable benefit package and the self-managed plan as alternatives to the traditional benefit package, each of that employer's eligible employees (as defined in subsection (b)) shall be given the choice to elect which retirement program he or she wishes to participate in with respect to all periods of covered employment occurring on and after the effective date of the employee's election. The retirement program election made by an eligible employee must be made in writing, in the manner prescribed by the System, and within the time period described in subsection (d) or (d-1).

The employee election authorized by this Section is a one-time, irrevocable election. If an employee terminates employment after making the election provided under this subsection (a), then upon his or her subsequent re-employment with an employer the original election shall automatically apply to him or her, provided that the employer is then a participating employer as described in Section 15-158.2.

An eligible employee who fails to make this election shall, by default, participate in the traditional benefit package.

(b) "Eligible employee" means an employee (as defined in Section 15-107) who is either a currently eligible employee or a newly eligible employee. For purposes of this Section, a "currently eligible employee" is an employee who is employed by an employer on the effective date on which the employer offers to its employees the portable benefit package and the self-managed plan as alternatives to the traditional benefit package. A "newly eligible employee" is an employee who first becomes employed by an employer after the effective date on which the employer offers its employees the portable benefit package and the self-managed plan as alternatives to the traditional benefit package. A newly eligible employee participates in the traditional benefit package until he or she makes an election to participate in the portable benefit package or the self-managed plan. If an employee does not elect to participate in the portable benefit package or the self-managed plan, he or she shall continue to participate in the traditional benefit package by default.

(c) An eligible employee who at the time he or she is first eligible to make the election described in subsection (a) does not have sufficient age and service to qualify for a retirement annuity under Section 15-135 may elect to participate in the traditional benefit package, the portable benefit package, or the self-managed plan. An eligible employee who has sufficient age and service to qualify for a retirement annuity under Section 15-135 at the time he or she is first eligible to make the election described in subsection (a) may elect to participate in the traditional benefit package or the portable benefit package, but may not elect to participate in the self-managed plan.

(d) A currently eligible employee must make this election within one year after the effective date of the employer's adoption of the self-managed plan.

A newly eligible employee must make this election within 6 months after the date on which the System receives the report of status certification from the employer. If an employee elects to participate in the self-managed plan, no employer contributions shall be remitted to the self-managed plan when the employee's account balance transfer is made. Employer contributions to the self-managed plan shall commence as of the first pay period that begins after the System receives the employee's election.

(d-1) A newly eligible employee who, prior to the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly, fails to make the election within the period provided under subsection (d) and participates by default in the traditional benefit package may make a late election to participate in the portable benefit package or the self-managed plan instead of the traditional benefit package at any time within 6 months after the effective date of this amendatory Act of the 91st General Assembly.

(e) If a currently eligible employee elects the portable benefit package, that election shall not become effective until the one-year anniversary of the date on which the election is filed with the System, provided the employee remains continuously employed by the employer throughout the one-year waiting period, and any benefits payable to or on account of the employee before such one-year waiting period has ended shall not be determined under the provisions applicable to the portable benefit package but shall instead be determined in accordance with the traditional benefit package. If a currently eligible employee who has elected the portable benefit package terminates employment covered by the System before the one-year waiting period has ended, then no benefits shall be determined under the portable benefit package provisions while he or she is inactive in the System and upon re-employment with an employer covered by the System he or she shall begin a new one-year waiting period before the provisions of the portable benefit package become effective.

(f) An eligible employee shall be provided with written information prepared or prescribed by the System which describes the employee's retirement program choices. The eligible employee shall be offered an opportunity to receive counseling from the System prior to making his or her election. This counseling may consist of videotaped materials, group presentations, individual consultation with an employee or authorized representative of the System in person or by telephone or other electronic means, or any combination of these methods.

(Source: P.A. 90-766, eff. 8-14-98; 91-887, eff. 7-6-00.)