Employer purchase of service credit or sick leave program

An employer may elect to purchase up to five years of service credit for an employee and purchase an employee's unused sick leave that meets the requirements of section 71-02-03-08. Before offering a purchase program to its employees the employer must create a program and document the program in writing and submit a copy to the public employees retirement system. The governing authority of the employer shall also submit to the executive director of the public employees retirement system a letter indicating: 1. The program meets all the requirements of the North Dakota Century Code. 2. The program meets all applicable federal requirements. 3. The employer agrees to remit to the public employees retirement system a lump sum payment of the cost of the purchase upon being billed. 4. The employer has not given the employee the option of a cash payment in lieu of the employer purchase. 5. The employer shall clearly specify who is eligible for the program and indicate if the program is intended to be permanent or will be for a specific time period only. 6. The employer agrees that all purchases for service credit will be based upon actuarial cost as determined by the public employees retirement system. The employer also agrees that all purchases will be completed no later than the fifteenth day of the month following the month of the employee's termination or sixty days from the date the employer and employee agree to the purchase, whichever comes first. 7. The employer agrees that in offering such a program the employer will direct each employee interested in the program to first apply to the employer's authorized agent who will then certify the eligibility of the member, the amount of service credit to be purchased, and send such certification to the public employees retirement system. The employer also agrees that the employer's authorized agent will coordinate the program, authorize all purchases in writing to the public employees retirement system, and be the focal point for communications between the public employees retirement system, the employer, and the employee. 8. The employer agrees that for each employee certified to be eligible to have service credit purchased, the employer will first obtain from the employee authorization for the public employees retirement system to share confidential information with the employer. 9. The employer certifies that in offering the program, the employer is making it available to all employees or a specified class of employees on a nondiscriminatory basis. 10. The employer agrees to provide information and policies pertaining to the employer purchase program pursuant to North Dakota Century Code section 39-03.1-28. When an employer files the above letter with the public employees retirement system, it may offer the program to its employees. An employer may terminate this program at any time upon the governing authority of the employer sending to the executive director of the public employees retirement system a letter indicating when the program is to be canceled.