§ 154-378. Previous service with other employers.

Any participant in the pension fund established by this division who was employed by the State of Georgia or was a member of the General Assembly of Georgia or was employed by a municipality located, in whole or in part, in Fulton County, or who was employed by the Fulton County Board of Education or the Atlanta-Fulton County Recreation Authority, or who was an active member of the United States armed forces may claim credit for such service rendered prior to his employment with Fulton County, a year of such service counting for purposes of this division the year of service in Fulton County upon the following terms and conditions:

(1)

No credit shall be given for part-time or temporary service.

(2)

When such participant has served five years with Fulton County, he shall be eligible to receive credit for any periods of prior service and not to exceed ten years when combined with any other prior service, other than military, claimed hereunder.

(3)

Application must be made for prior service credit within six months after first becoming eligible for claiming such service, or six months after the effective date of this section, whichever date shall be later. Any participant who does not claim prior service under this section within said period of six months shall pay into the pension fund interest computed under subsection (7) of this section on the total amount due the fund from six months following the date such person first became eligible to claim such service.

(4)

To obtain prior service credit, such participant shall pay into the pension fund, in addition to all other sums required by this article, a sum representing 12 percent of his total salary during such period of time, plus six percent of such total amounts.

(5)

No years of credit allowed under this section shall be used to obtain pension benefits in any other pension system supported, in whole or in part, with public funds.

(6)

It shall be the responsibility of the officer or employee taking application for such credit to furnish to the board of trustees proof for the years of service and the monthly rate of compensation in such manner as the board may by rule prescribe.

(7)

Interest to be charged under the provisions of subsection (3) of this section shall be at the rate of earnings of the pension fund from six months following the time such employee first became eligible to claim such service until the actual date of election.

(8)

Sums due hereunder may be payable in such number of monthly installments (not exceeding 60) as may be determined by the pension board. However, such installments shall bear interest at a rate equal to the rate of return of the pension fund for the year preceding the date of such election to pay in installments and, further, payment of all sums due hereunder shall be made in full prior to the receipt of pension payments.

(Code 1983, § 24-3-78)