19-20-403. Creditable service for employment while on leave. (1) (a) A member who is eligible under subsection (1)(b) and who contributes to the retirement system as provided in subsection (2) may receive up to 2 years of creditable service for employment while on leave.
     (b) To be eligible to qualify service under this section, a member must have at least 5 years of membership service in the retirement system, must have been a member prior to the leave, and must have completed 1 year of active membership in Montana subsequent to the member's return.
     (2) (a) For each year of service to be credited, a member who became a member before July 1, 1989, shall contribute for each year of service to be qualified an amount equal to the combined employer and employee contributions for the member's first full year's teaching salary earned in Montana after the member's return from leave, plus interest.
     (b) For each year of service to be credited under this section, a member who became a member on or after July 1, 1989, shall contribute the actuarial cost of the service based on the most recent actuarial valuation of the system.
     (3) The interest on contributions required under subsection (2)(a) must be paid at the rate that the contributions would have earned had the contributions been in the member's account from the date the member was eligible to qualify the service.
     (4) The contributions and interest may be made in a lump-sum payment or in installments as agreed between the member and the retirement board.
     (5) The provisions of 19-20-405 apply to creditable service purchased under this section.

     History: En. 75-6213 by Sec. 108, Ch. 5, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 57, L. 1971; amd. Sec. 6, Ch. 507, L. 1973; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 26, L. 1975; amd. Sec. 9, Ch. 127, L. 1977; R.C.M. 1947, 75-6213(2); amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 113, L. 1989; amd. Secs. 2, 5, Ch. 357, L. 1989; Sec. , MCA 1991; redes. by Code Commissioner, 1993; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 136, L. 1995.