§ 49-12-301. Contributions -- Two levels -- Election by a participating employer to pay employee contributions -- Accounting for and vesting of member contributions -- Deductions.

(1) Participating employers and members shall jointly pay the certified contribution rates to the office to maintain this system on a financially and actuarially sound basis.

(2) For purposes of determining contribution rates, this system is divided into two levels according to participating employers as follows:

(a) Level A includes the state, its independent agencies, independent entities, public corporations, and other instrumentalities, all participating educational institutions, and all other participating employers whose activities are associated with participating educational institutions.

(b) Level B includes all other participating employers in this system.

(3)

(a) A participating employer may elect to pay all or part of the required member contributions, in addition to the required participating employer contributions.

(b) Any amount contributed by a participating employer under this section shall vest to the member's benefit as though the member had made the contribution.

(c) The required member contributions shall be reduced by the amount that is paid by the participating employer.

(4)

(a) All member contributions are credited by the office to the account of the individual member.

(b) This amount, together with refund interest, is held in trust for the payment of benefits to the member or the member's beneficiaries.

(c) All member contributions are vested and nonforfeitable.

(5)

(a) Each member is considered to consent to payroll deductions of member contributions.

(b) The payment of compensation less these payroll deductions is considered full payment for services rendered by the member.

Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 250, 2002 General Session