Section 26400 Of Chapter 5. Eligibility From California Education Code >> Division 1. >> Title 1. >> Part 14. >> Chapter 5.
26400
. (a) (1) A person employed on a part-time basis by an
employer, excluding community college districts, to perform
creditable service for less than 50 percent of each full-time
position shall become a participant on the later of the first day
that creditable service is performed for an employer that provides
the Cash Balance Benefit Program or the effective date of the
employer's governing board's action to provide the Cash Balance
Benefit Program, provided that creditable service is not performed
for the same employer with whom the person is subject to mandatory
membership in the Defined Benefit Program, and that the person has
not made an election pursuant to subdivision (d).
(2) If the participant's basis of employment with an employer,
excluding community college districts, that provides the Cash Balance
Benefit Program changes to employment to perform creditable service
for 50 percent or more of the full-time position during one school
year with the same employer, creditable service performed for that
employer shall no longer be covered under the Cash Balance Benefit
Program as of the last day of the pay period in which the change in
the participant's basis of employment occurred. Creditable service
performed for that employer shall be subject to coverage by the
Defined Benefit Program as of the first day of the pay period
following the change in the participant's basis of employment.
(b) (1) A person employed on a temporary basis pursuant to Section
87474, 87478, 87480, 87481, 87482, or 87482.5 by a community college
district, who is not subject to mandatory membership in the Defined
Benefit Program pursuant to Section 22501, 22502, 22503, or 22504 for
each position with the same employer, shall become a participant on
the later of the first day that creditable service is performed for
an employer that provides the Cash Balance Benefit Program or the
effective date of the employer's governing board's action to provide
the Cash Balance Benefit Program, provided that the person has not
made an election pursuant to subdivision (d).
(2) If the participant's basis of employment with a community
college district changes to employment that is subject to mandatory
membership in the Defined Benefit Program pursuant to Section 22501,
22502, 22503, or 22504 during one school year with the same employer,
creditable service performed for that employer shall no longer be
covered under the Cash Balance Benefit Program as of the last day of
the pay period in which the change in the participant's basis of
employment occurred. Creditable service performed for that employer
shall be subject to coverage by the Defined Benefit Program as of the
first day of the pay period following the change in the participant'
s basis of employment.
(c) (1) Any person employed to perform creditable service as a
substitute employee for an employer shall become a participant on the
later of the first day that creditable service is performed for an
employer that provides the Cash Balance Benefit Program or the
effective date of the employer's governing board's action to provide
the Cash Balance Benefit Program, provided that creditable service is
not performed for the same employer with whom the person is subject
to mandatory membership in the Defined Benefit Program, and that the
person has not made an election pursuant to subdivision (d).
(2) If the participant's basis of employment as a substitute
employee for an employer changes to employment that is subject to
mandatory membership in the Defined Benefit Program pursuant to
Section 22501, 22502, 22503, or 22504 during one school year with the
same employer, creditable service performed for that employer shall
no longer be covered under the Cash Balance Benefit Program as of the
last day of the pay period in which the change in the participant's
basis of employment occurred. Creditable service performed for that
employer shall be subject to coverage under the Defined Benefit
Program as of the first day of the pay period following the change in
the participant's basis of employment.
(d) If the employer's governing board's action to provide the Cash
Balance Benefit Program gives employees the right to elect coverage
under the federal Social Security Act or an alternative retirement
plan offered by the employer in addition to the Cash Balance Benefit
Program, the employee may elect within 60 calendar days of the latest
of the first day that creditable service is performed, the date of
the employer's governing board's action to provide the Cash Balance
Benefit Program, or the effective date of the employer's governing
board's action to provide the Cash Balance Benefit Program to be
covered by the federal Social Security Act or to participate in the
alternative retirement plan in lieu of participating in the Cash
Balance Benefit Program. An election shall not preclude an employee
from participating in the Cash Balance Benefit Program at a later
date so long as the Cash Balance Benefit Program is provided by the
employer and the employee is eligible to participate in the Cash
Balance Benefit Program.
(e) If subdivision (d) is applicable, the employer shall inform
employees pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 26300 of their right
to make an election and the election shall be made on a properly
executed form provided by the system and filed with the employer. The
employer shall retain a copy of the employee's signed election form
and mail the original election form to the system's headquarters
office. The election shall become effective on the later of the first
day that creditable service is performed or the effective date of
the employer's governing board's action to provide the Cash Balance
Benefit Program.
(f) If the governing board of an employer subsequently provides,
in addition to the Cash Balance Benefit Program, federal Social
Security Act coverage, a participant covered by the Cash Balance
Benefit Program who is performing creditable service for that
employer may elect to be covered by the federal Social Security Act
in lieu of the Cash Balance Benefit Program. That participant's
election shall be made within 60 calendar days of the date the
governing board acted to provide coverage under the federal Social
Security Act or the effective date of the governing board's action to
provide federal Social Security Act coverage, whichever is later. An
election under this subdivision may not preclude an employee from
participating in the Cash Balance Benefit Program at a later date if
the employee is eligible to participate in the Cash Balance Benefit
Program and the employer provides the Cash Balance Benefit Program.
(g) If the governing board of an employer provided federal Social
Security Act coverage with an effective date prior to January 1,
2007, and the employer offered the Cash Balance Benefit Program as of
the effective date of the governing board's action to provide
federal Social Security Act coverage, a participant who was
performing creditable service for that employer may elect to be
covered by the federal Social Security Act in lieu of the Cash
Balance Benefit Program. The participant's election shall be made on
or after March 1, 2008, and on or before May 1, 2008. The election to
participate in the federal Social Security Act shall be effective on
July 1, 2008. An election under this subdivision may not preclude an
employee from participating in the Cash Balance Benefit Program at a
later date if the employee is eligible to participate in the Cash
Balance Benefit Program and the employer provides the Cash Balance
Benefit Program.
(h) An election by an employee to terminate his or her
participation in the Cash Balance Benefit Program as described in
subdivision (f) or (g) shall be made on a properly executed form
provided by the system and filed with the employer. The employer
shall retain a copy of the employee's signed election form and mail
the original election form to the system's headquarters office.