79-997.

Employee of educational service unit; contribution; limitation; effect.

On or before May 27, 1988, any person who was an employee of an educational service unit in the State of Nebraska prior to April 7, 1988, has joined or rejoined the retirement system, and has not previously paid into the retirement system a total of ten years of service in another school district or educational service unit may elect to pay the retirement system any unpaid portion of such service up to a total of ten years. Such electing employee shall furnish satisfactory proof that he or she has been employed for such period of time by an educational service unit and shall pay to the retirement system the total amount which he or she would have contributed to the retirement system had he or she been a member of the retirement system plus the regular interest which would have accrued on such amount during such period under the retirement system. Such contribution shall be based on the most recent years' salary the employee earned in the educational service unit if the salary is verified by the educational service unit or, if not, on his or her annual salary at the time he or she became a member and shall be payable in total for the period of time, not exceeding ten years, for which such member requests such prior service credit. Any person who pays such amount shall be given credit for any number of years of service for which he or she has elected to pay, not to exceed ten years of service rendered as an employee in another school district or educational service unit, and shall be given the same status as though he or she had been a member of the retirement system for such number of years except as otherwise specifically provided in the Class V School Employees Retirement Act. This section shall not apply to employees retiring prior to April 7, 1988.