SENATE, No. 1498

SECTION 1. Chapter 32 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2004 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after subparagraph (s) the following new subparagraph: (t) Any member in service of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority employees’ retirement system who, was compensated for service to the commonwealth as a contract employee or as an employee of an personnel provider for any department, agency, board or commission of the commonwealth may establish as creditable service up to 4 years of that service if the member has 10 years of creditable service with Massachusetts Water Resources Authority employees’ retirement system, and if the job description of the member in the position which the member holds upon entry into service, re-entry into or following active service is substantially similar to the job description of the position for which the member was compensated as a contract employee.  No credit shall be allowed until the member has paid into the Annuity Savings Fund of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority employees’ retirement system before any retirement allowance becomes effective for the member, in a lump sum or in installments, upon the terms and conditions that the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Retirement Board prescribes, makeup payments of an amount equal to that which would have been withheld as regular deductions for the service as a contract employee if the service had been rendered as a state employee, plus buyback interest on that amount.  Eligible members who worked part-time as contract employees shall be eligible for creditable service proportionately equal to their part-time service.

Upon completion of the payments, the member shall receive the same credit for the period of previous service as a contract employee as would have been allowed if the service had been rendered by the member as a state employee.  Members in service of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority retirement system who make application for this creditable service shall, subject to the rules and regulations of the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Retirement Board, be notified by the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Retirement Board of their eligibility for creditable service and, if they are eligible, shall also be notified by the state board of retirement or Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Retirement Board that they have the following options: (1) to purchase the service in a lump sum within 180 days after the date of the notice; or (2) to enter into an installment agreement within 180 days after the date of the notice to pay for the service.  No creditable service shall be allowed under this section unless the member provides documentation of the member’s service as a contract employee satisfying the state board of retirement’s or Massachusetts Water Resources Authority Retirement Board requirements.