Source: https://nebraskalegislature.gov/laws/display_html.php?begin_section=23-2301&end_section=23-2334
Timestamp: 2019-01-15 23:07:26
Document Index: 618783858

Matched Legal Cases: ['§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 1', '§ 14', '§ 1', '§ 23', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 32', '§ 1', '§ 3', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 4', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 11', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 3', '§ 3', '§ 1', '§ 4', '§ 4', '§ 5', '§ 2', '§ 1', '§ 3', '§ 2', '§ 3', '§ 3', '§ 2', '§ 6', '§ 1', '§ 3', '§ 1', '§ 3', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 5', '§ 2', '§ 24', '§ 2', '§ 33', '§ 2', '§ 5', '§ 3', '§ 3', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 4', '§ 3', '§ 3', '§ 4', '§ 14', '§ 6', '§ 5', '§ 34', '§ 4', '§ 6', '§ 7', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 4', '§ 4', '§ 1', '§ 31', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 4', '§ 6', '§ 4', '§ 2', '§ 5', '§ 3', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 6', '§ 6', '§ 12', '§ 9', '§ 2', '§ 1', '§ 5', '§ 6', '§ 2', '§ 7', '§ 11', '§ 7', '§ 3', '§ 4', '§ 2', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 4', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 3', '§ 7', '§ 16', '§ 7', '§ 10', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 6', '§ 3', '§ 8', '§ 3', '§ 4', '§ 5', '§ 3', '§ 2', '§ 9', '§ 85', '§ 85', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 2', '§ 3', '§ 5', '§ 3', '§ 2', '§ 4', '§ 5', '§ 1', '§ 3', '§ 4', '§ 5', '§ 10', '§ 4', '§ 4', '§ 2', '§ 3', '§ 5', '§ 8', '§ 8', '§ 12', '§ 7', '§ 4', '§ 9', '§ 26', '§ 3', '§ 3', '§ 13', '§ 2', '§ 5', '§ 1', '§ 23', '§ 14', '§ 6', '§ 15', '§ 2', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 5', '§ 1', '§ 1', '§ 7', '§ 3', '§ 6', '§ 3', '§ 6', '§ 3', '§ 5', '§ 5', '§ 6', '§ 13', '§ 16', '§ 11', '§ 7', '§ 4', '§ 10', '§ 27', '§ 47', '§ 20', '§ 9', '§ 12', '§ 5', '§ 6', '§ 3', '§ 6', '§ 15', '§ 11', '§ 5', '§ 6', '§ 4', '§ 8', '§ 22', '§ 12', '§ 8', '§ 1', '§ 18', '§ 12', '§ 5', '§ 7', '§ 29', '§ 4', '§ 15', '§ 9', '§ 8', '§ 7', '§ 13', '§ 10', '§ 9', '§ 7', '§ 7', '§ 35', '§ 8', '§ 11', '§ 9', '§ 24', '§ 25', '§ 98', '§ 32', '§ 26', '§ 13', '§ 34', '§ 28', '§ 15', '§ 29', '§ 2', '§ 16', '§ 3', '§ 30', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 3', '§ 17', '§ 4', '§ 6', '§ 30', '§ 31', '§ 36', '§ 31', '§ 18', '§ 13', '§ 8', '§ 3', '§ 10', '§ 7', '§ 8', '§ 6', '§ 8', '§ 33', '§ 3', '§ 37', '§ 2', '§ 10', '§ 17', '§ 5', '§ 14', '§ 3', '§ 11', '§ 3', '§ 23', '§ 9', '§ 34', '§ 18', '§ 1', '§ 2', '§ 23', '§ 10', '§ 13', '§ 16']

23-2301. Terms, defined.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 1, p. 402; Laws 1969, c. 172, § 1, p. 750; Laws 1973, LB 216, § 1; Laws 1974, LB 905, § 1; Laws 1975, LB 47, § 1; Laws 1975, LB 45, § 1; Laws 1984, LB 216, § 2; Laws 1985, LB 347, § 1; Laws 1985, LB 432, § 1; Laws 1986, LB 311, § 2; Laws 1991, LB 549, § 1; Laws 1993, LB 417, § 1; Laws 1994, LB 833, § 1; Laws 1995, LB 369, § 2; Laws 1996, LB 847, § 2; Laws 1996, LB 1076, § 1; Laws 1996, LB 1273, § 14; Laws 1997, LB 624, § 1; Laws 1998, LB 1191, § 23; Laws 1999, LB 703, § 1; Laws 2000, LB 1192, § 1; Laws 2001, LB 142, § 32; Laws 2002, LB 407, § 1; Laws 2002, LB 687, § 3; Laws 2003, LB 451, § 2; Laws 2004, LB 1097, § 2; Laws 2006, LB 366, § 2; Laws 2006, LB 1019, § 1; Laws 2011, LB509, § 2; Laws 2012, LB916, § 4; Laws 2013, LB263, § 2; Laws 2015, LB41, § 2; Laws 2017, LB415, § 11.
23-2302. Retirement System for Nebraska Counties; establish; purpose; acceptance of contributions.
(1) A county employees retirement system shall be established for the purpose of providing a retirement annuity or other benefits for employees as provided by the County Employees Retirement Act. It shall be known as the Retirement System for Nebraska Counties, and by such name shall transact all business and hold all cash and other property as provided in the County Employees Retirement Act.
(2) The retirement system shall not accept as contributions any money from members or participating counties except the following:
(a) Mandatory contributions and fees established by sections 23-2307 and 23-2308;
(b) Payments on behalf of transferred employees made pursuant to section 23-2306.02 or 23-2306.03;
(c) Money that is a repayment of refunded contributions made pursuant to section 23-2320;
(d) Contributions for military service credit made pursuant to section 23-2323.01;
(e) Actuarially required contributions pursuant to subdivision (4)(b) of section 23-2317;
(f) Trustee-to-trustee transfers pursuant to section 23-2323.04;
(g) Corrections ordered by the board pursuant to section 23-2305.01; or
(h) Payments made pursuant to subsection (4) of section 23-2306.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 2, p. 403; Laws 1985, LB 347, § 2; Laws 1985, LB 432, § 2; Laws 2003, LB 451, § 3; Laws 2011, LB509, § 3; Laws 2018, LB1005, § 1.
23-2303. Repealed. Laws 1973, LB 216, § 4.
23-2304. Repealed. Laws 1973, LB 216, § 4.
23-2305. Public Employees Retirement Board; duties; rules and regulations.
It shall be the duty of the board to administer the County Employees Retirement Act as provided in section 84-1503. The board may adopt and promulgate rules and regulations to carry out the act.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 5, p. 404; Laws 1969, c. 172, § 2, p. 752; Laws 1979, LB 416, § 1; Laws 1985, LB 347, § 3; Laws 1991, LB 549, § 2; Laws 1995, LB 369, § 3; Laws 1996, LB 847, § 3; Laws 2018, LB1005, § 2.
23-2306. Retirement system; members; employees; elected officials; certain contemplated business transactions regarding retirement system participation; procedures; costs; new employee; participation in another governmental plan; how treated; separate employment; effect.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 6, p. 405; Laws 1975, LB 32, § 1; Laws 1984, LB 216, § 3; Laws 1985, LB 349, § 1; Laws 1991, LB 549, § 3; Laws 1995, LB 501, § 1; Laws 1996, LB 1076, § 2; Laws 1997, LB 250, § 5; Laws 1997, LB 624, § 2; Laws 1998, LB 1191, § 24; Laws 2000, LB 1192, § 2; Laws 2001, LB 142, § 33; Laws 2002, LB 407, § 2; Laws 2002, LB 687, § 5; Laws 2004, LB 1097, § 3; Laws 2006, LB 366, § 3; Laws 2008, LB1147, § 1; Laws 2009, LB188, § 1; Laws 2010, LB950, § 1; Laws 2011, LB509, § 4; Laws 2013, LB263, § 3; Laws 2015, LB261, § 3; Laws 2018, LB1005, § 4.
23-2306.01. Repealed. Laws 2006, LB 366, § 14.
23-2306.02. Retirement system; transferred employee; payment to system.
Under such rules and regulations as the retirement board may adopt and promulgate, a full-time or part-time employee of a city, village, or township who becomes a county employee pursuant to a merger of services may pay to the retirement system an amount equal to the sum of all deductions which were made from the employee's compensation, plus earnings, during such period of employment with the city, village, or township. Payment shall be made within five years after the merger or prior to retirement, whichever comes first, and may be made through direct payment, installment payments, or an irrevocable payroll authorization.
Source:Laws 1997, LB 250, § 6; Laws 2018, LB1005, § 5.
23-2306.03. Retirement system; municipal county employee; participation in another governmental plan; how treated.
Under such rules and regulations as the retirement board may adopt and promulgate, a full-time or part-time employee of a city, village, fire protection district, or township who becomes a municipal county employee shall transfer all of his or her funds in the retirement system of the city, village, fire protection district, or township by paying to the Retirement System for Nebraska Counties from funds held by the retirement system of the city, village, fire protection district, or township an amount equal to one of the following: (1) If the retirement system of the city, village, fire protection district, or township maintains a defined benefit plan, an amount not to exceed the initial benefit transfer value as provided in section 13-2401, leaving no funds attributable to the transferred employee within the retirement system of the city, village, fire protection district, or township; or (2) if the retirement system of the city, village, fire protection district, or township maintains a defined contribution plan, an amount not to exceed the employee and employer accounts of the transferring employee plus earnings during the period of employment with the city, village, fire protection district, or township. The employee shall receive vesting credit for his or her years of service in a governmental plan, as defined in section 414(d) of the Internal Revenue Code, maintained by the city, village, fire protection district, or township. Payment shall be made within five years after employment begins with the receiving entity or prior to retirement, whichever comes first, and may be made through direct payment, installment payments, or an irrevocable payroll deduction authorization.
Source:Laws 2001, LB 142, § 34; Laws 2006, LB 366, § 4; Laws 2018, LB1005, § 6.
23-2307. Retirement system; members; contribution; amount; county pay.
Each employee who is a member of the retirement system shall pay to the county or have picked up by the county a sum equal to four and one-half percent of his or her compensation for each pay period. The contributions, although designated as employee contributions, shall be paid by the county in lieu of employee contributions. The county shall pick up the employee contributions required by this section for all compensation paid on or after January 1, 1985, and the contributions so picked up shall be treated as employer contributions pursuant to section 414(h)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code in determining federal tax treatment under the code and shall not be included as gross income of the employee until such time as they are distributed or made available. The county shall pay these employee contributions from the same source of funds which is used in paying earnings to the employee. The county shall pick up these contributions by a compensation deduction through a reduction in the cash compensation of the employee. Employee contributions picked up shall be treated for all purposes of the County Employees Retirement Act in the same manner and to the extent as employee contributions made prior to the date picked up.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 7, p. 405; Laws 1981, LB 459, § 1; Laws 1984, LB 218, § 1; Laws 1985, LB 347, § 4; Laws 1991, LB 549, § 4; Laws 1992, LB 1057, § 1; Laws 1995, LB 574, § 31; Laws 2001, LB 186, § 1; Laws 2001, LB 408, § 1; Laws 2013, LB263, § 4.
23-2308.01. Cash balance benefit; election; effect; administrative services agreements; authorized.
(1) It is the intent of the Legislature that, in order to improve the competitiveness of the retirement plan for county employees, a cash balance benefit shall be added to the County Employees Retirement Act on and after January 1, 2003. Each member who is employed and participating in the retirement system prior to January 1, 2003, may either elect to continue participation in the defined contribution benefit as provided in the act prior to January 1, 2003, or elect to participate in the cash balance benefit as set forth in this section. An active member shall make a one-time election beginning September 1, 2012, through October 31, 2012, in order to participate in the cash balance benefit. If no such election is made, the member shall be treated as though he or she elected to continue participating in the defined contribution benefit as provided in the act prior to January 1, 2003. Members who elect to participate in the cash balance benefit beginning September 1, 2012, through October 31, 2012, shall commence participation in the cash balance benefit on January 2, 2013. Any member who made the election prior to April 7, 2012, does not have to make another election of the cash balance benefit beginning September 1, 2012, through October 31, 2012.
(a) Except as provided in subdivision (2)(b) of section 23-2319.01, the employee cash balance account within the County Employees Retirement Fund shall, at any time, be equal to the following:
(i) The initial employee account balance, if any, transferred from the defined contribution plan account described in section 23-2309; plus
(ii) Employee contribution credits deposited in accordance with section 23-2307; plus
(iii) Interest credits credited in accordance with subdivision (20) of section 23-2301; plus
(iv) Dividend amounts credited in accordance with subdivision (4)(c) of section 23-2317; and
(i) The initial employer account balance, if any, transferred from the defined contribution plan account described in section 23-2310; plus
(ii) Employer contribution credits deposited in accordance with section 23-2308; plus
(iv) Dividend amounts credited in accordance with subdivision (4)(c) of section 23-2317.
(3) In order to carry out the provisions of this section, the board may enter into administrative services agreements for accounting or record-keeping services. No agreement shall be entered into unless the board determines that it will result in administrative economy and will be in the best interests of the counties and their participating employees. The board may develop a schedule for the allocation of the administrative services agreements costs for accounting or record-keeping services and may assess the costs so that each member pays a reasonable fee as determined by the board.
Source:Laws 2002, LB 687, § 6; Laws 2003, LB 451, § 4; Laws 2005, LB 364, § 2; Laws 2006, LB 366, § 5; Laws 2006, LB 1019, § 3; Laws 2007, LB328, § 1; Laws 2009, LB188, § 2; Laws 2010, LB950, § 2; Laws 2011, LB509, § 6; Laws 2012, LB916, § 6; Laws 2017, LB415, § 12.
23-2309. Defined contribution benefit; employee account, defined; interest credited to account.
For a member employed and participating in the retirement system prior to January 1, 2003, who has elected not to participate in the cash balance benefit, a member's share of the fund arising from the compensation deductions made in accordance with section 23-2307 shall be known as his or her employee account. Each year, commencing January 1, 1975, and ending December 31, 1985, regular interest shall be credited to the employee account. As of January 1 of each such year, a member's employee account shall be equal to one hundred percent of his or her employee account as of the next preceding January 1, increased by any regular interest earned and any amounts deducted from the member's compensation since the next preceding January 1 in accordance with section 23-2307.
On and after January 1, 1986, the employee account shall be equal to the sum of the employee's stable return account, equities account, and any assets of additional accounts created pursuant to section 23-2309.01.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 9, p. 405; Laws 1974, LB 905, § 2; Laws 1983, LB 313, § 1; Laws 1985, LB 347, § 5; Laws 1991, LB 549, § 6; Laws 1994, LB 833, § 2; Laws 2002, LB 687, § 7.
(2) Members of the retirement system may allocate their contributions to the investment options in percentage increments as set by the board in any proportion, including full allocation to any one option. A member under subdivision (1)(a) of section 23-2321 or his or her beneficiary may transfer any portion of his or her funds among the options, except for restrictions on transfers to or from the stable return account pursuant to rule or regulation. The board may adopt and promulgate rules and regulations for changes of a member's allocation of contributions to his or her accounts after his or her most recent allocation and for transfers from one investment account to another.
Source:Laws 1985, LB 347, § 11; Laws 1991, LB 549, § 7; Laws 1994, LB 833, § 3; Laws 1996, LB 847, § 4; Laws 1999, LB 703, § 2; Laws 2000, LB 1200, § 1; Laws 2001, LB 408, § 2; Laws 2002, LB 407, § 4; Laws 2002, LB 687, § 8; Laws 2005, LB 503, § 1; Laws 2008, LB1147, § 2; Laws 2010, LB950, § 3; Laws 2012, LB916, § 7; Laws 2014, LB759, § 16; Laws 2018, LB1005, § 7.
23-2310. Defined contribution benefit; employer account, defined; state investment officer; duties.
(1) For a member employed and participating in the retirement system prior to January 1, 2003, who has elected not to participate in the cash balance benefit, a member's share of the fund arising from the county contributions shall be known as his or her employer account. Prior to January 1, 1981, as of any January 1 a member's employer account shall be equal to his or her account as of the next preceding January 1, increased by one hundred percent of any amounts deducted from the member's compensation since the next preceding January 1 in accordance with section 23-2307. As of January 1, 1982, a member's employer account shall be equal to the account as of January 1, 1981, increased by one hundred percent of the amounts deducted from the member's compensation for the first nine months of the year and one hundred fifty percent for the final three months of the year in accordance with section 23-2307. As of January 1, 1983, and each year thereafter, the member's employer account shall be equal to the account as of the next preceding January 1 increased by one hundred fifty percent of the amounts deducted from the member's compensation since the next preceding January 1 in accordance with section 23-2307. The member's employer account shall be increased by any interest allocated under the provisions of the guaranteed investment contract and any gains on investments and reduced by any losses on investments, any expense charges under the guaranteed investment contract or other investments, and any expense charges incurred in connection with administering the retirement system in excess of those provided for in section 23-2319.01, except that a member who ceased being an employee since the next preceding January 1 may have his or her employer account reduced in accordance with such section. On and after July 1, 1999, the employer account shall be equal to the sum of the assets of the accounts created by the board pursuant to section 23-2310.05.
(2) On and after January 1, 1997, and until July 1, 1999, the state investment officer shall invest the employer account, and, after July 1, 1999, upon maturity, the state investment officer shall invest the employer account funds which have been invested in guaranteed investment contracts prior to January 1, 1997. On and after July 1, 1999, the employer account shall be invested pursuant to section 23-2310.05. The state investment officer shall invest or reinvest the funds in securities and investments the nature of which individuals of prudence, discretion, and intelligence acquire or retain in dealing with the property of another, and if the state investment officer has special skills or is appointed on the basis of representations of special skills or expertise, he or she is under a duty to use such skills.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 10, p. 406; Laws 1981, LB 462, § 1; Laws 1983, LB 313, § 2; Laws 1985, LB 347, § 6; Laws 1986, LB 311, § 3; Laws 1991, LB 549, § 8; Laws 1992, LB 1057, § 3; Laws 1994, LB 833, § 4; Laws 1996, LB 847, § 5; Laws 1997, LB 624, § 3; Laws 1999, LB 687, § 2; Laws 2002, LB 687, § 9.
At no time did the Legislature intend that a county make contributions of 250 percent of the amounts deducted from the compensation paid to the members of its retirement system. Hoiengs v. County of Adams, 254 Neb. 64, 574 N.W.2d 498 (1998).
23-2310.01. Repealed. Laws 1998, LB 1191, § 85.
23-2310.02. Repealed. Laws 1998, LB 1191, § 85.
23-2310.03. State Treasurer; duties.
The State Treasurer shall be the custodian of the funds and securities of the retirement system and may deposit the funds and securities in any financial institution approved by the Nebraska Investment Council. All disbursements therefrom shall be paid by him or her only upon vouchers signed by a person authorized by the retirement board. The State Treasurer shall transmit monthly to the board a detailed statement showing all credits to and disbursements from the funds in his or her custody belonging to the retirement system.
Source:Laws 1997, LB 623, § 1.
23-2310.04. County Employees Defined Contribution Retirement Expense Fund; County Employees Cash Balance Retirement Expense Fund; created; use; investment; forfeiture funds; use.
Source:Laws 1997, LB 623, § 2; Laws 2000, LB 1200, § 2; Laws 2001, LB 408, § 3; Laws 2003, LB 451, § 5; Laws 2005, LB 364, § 3; Laws 2007, LB328, § 2; Laws 2010, LB950, § 4; Laws 2013, LB263, § 5.
23-2310.05. Defined contribution benefit; employer account; investment options; procedures; administration.
Source:Laws 1999, LB 687, § 1; Laws 2000, LB 1200, § 3; Laws 2001, LB 408, § 4; Laws 2002, LB 407, § 5; Laws 2002, LB 687, § 10; Laws 2004, LB 1097, § 4; Laws 2005, LB 364, § 4; Laws 2005, LB 503, § 2; Laws 2008, LB1147, § 3; Laws 2010, LB950, § 5; Laws 2012, LB916, § 8; Laws 2018, LB1005, § 8.
23-2311. Transferred to section 23-2333.
23-2312. Retirement system; records; contents; employer education program.
(1) The director of the Nebraska Public Employees Retirement Systems shall keep a complete record of all members with respect to names, current addresses, ages, contributions, and any other facts as may be necessary in the administration of the County Employees Retirement Act. The information in the records shall be provided by the employer in an accurate and verifiable form, as specified by the director. The director shall, from time to time, carry out testing procedures pursuant to section 84-1512 to verify the accuracy of such information. For the purpose of obtaining such facts and information, the director shall have access to the records of the various counties and state departments and agencies and the holder of the records shall comply with a request by the director for access by providing such facts and information to the director in a timely manner. A certified copy of a birth certificate or delayed birth certificate shall be prima facie evidence of the age of the person named in the certificate.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 12, p. 406; Laws 1985, LB 347, § 7; Laws 1986, LB 311, § 4; Laws 1991, LB 549, § 9; Laws 1998, LB 1191, § 26; Laws 2000, LB 1192, § 3; Laws 2005, LB 503, § 3.
23-2313. Retirement system; Auditor of Public Accounts; audit; report.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 13, p. 407; Laws 1973, LB 214, § 2; Laws 1979, LB 322, § 5; Laws 1988, LB 1169, § 1; Laws 2012, LB782, § 23.
23-2314. Retirement system; powers.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 14, p. 407; Laws 1996, LB 847, § 6.
23-2315. Retirement system; retirement; when; conditions; application for benefits; deferment of payment; board; duties; certain required minimum distributions; election authorized.
(1) Upon filing an application for benefits with the board, an employee may elect to retire at any time after attaining the age of fifty-five or an employee may retire as a result of disability at any age.
(2) The member shall specify in the application for benefits the manner in which he or she wishes to receive the retirement benefit under the options provided by the County Employees Retirement Act. Payment under the application for benefits shall be made (a) for annuities, no sooner than the annuity start date, and (b) for other distributions, no sooner than the date of final account value.
(3) Payment of any benefit provided under the retirement system may not be deferred later than April 1 of the year following the year in which the employee has both attained at least age seventy and one-half years and terminated his or her employment with the county.
(4) The board shall make reasonable efforts to locate the member or the member's beneficiary and distribute benefits by the required beginning date as specified by section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code and the regulations issued thereunder. If the board is unable to make such a distribution, the benefit shall be distributed pursuant to the Uniform Disposition of Unclaimed Property Act and no amounts may be applied to increase the benefits any member would otherwise receive under the County Employees Retirement Act.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 15, p. 407; Laws 1975, LB 47, § 2; Laws 1979, LB 391, § 1; Laws 1982, LB 287, § 1; Laws 1986, LB 311, § 5; Laws 1987, LB 60, § 1; Laws 1987, LB 296, § 1; Laws 1994, LB 833, § 7; Laws 1996, LB 1076, § 3; Laws 2003, LB 451, § 6; Laws 2009, LB188, § 3; Laws 2013, LB263, § 6.
23-2315.01. Retirement for disability; application; when; medical examination; waiver.
(2) The retirement board may require any disability beneficiary who has not attained the age of fifty-five years to undergo a medical examination at the expense of the board once each year. Should any disability beneficiary refuse to undergo such an examination, his or her disability retirement benefit may be discontinued by the board.
Source:Laws 1975, LB 47, § 3; Laws 1997, LB 623, § 5; Laws 2001, LB 408, § 5; Laws 2010, LB950, § 6; Laws 2017, LB415, § 13.
23-2316. Retirement system; retirement value for employee.
The retirement value for any employee who retires under the provisions of section 23-2315 shall be (1) for participants in the defined contribution benefit, the sum of the employee's employee account and employer account as of the date of final account value and (2) for participants in the cash balance benefit, the benefit provided in section 23-2308.01 as of the date of final account value.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 16, p. 407; Laws 2002, LB 687, § 11; Laws 2003, LB 451, § 7.
23-2317.01. County Equal Retirement Benefit Fund; created; use.
There is hereby created the County Equal Retirement Benefit Fund to be administered by the board. Each county participating in the retirement system on January 1, 1984, pursuant to the County Employees Retirement Act shall make a contribution at least once a year to the fund, in addition to any other retirement contributions. Such contribution shall be in an amount determined by the board to provide all similarly situated male and female members of the retirement system with equal benefits pursuant to subsection (2) of section 23-2317 and to provide for direct expenses incurred in administering the fund. The board shall keep a record of the contributions made by each county.
Source:Laws 1983, LB 210, § 4; Laws 1991, LB 549, § 10; Laws 1998, LB 1191, § 27.
23-2318. Transferred to section 23-2334.
23-2319.02. Repealed. Laws 2012, LB 916, § 47.
23-2320. Employee; reemployment; status; how treated; reinstatement; repay amount received.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 20, p. 409; Laws 1985, LB 347, § 9; Laws 1991, LB 549, § 12; Laws 1993, LB 417, § 5; Laws 1997, LB 624, § 6; Laws 1999, LB 703, § 3; Laws 2002, LB 407, § 6; Laws 2002, LB 687, § 15; Laws 2003, LB 451, § 11; Laws 2004, LB 1097, § 5; Laws 2007, LB328, § 6; Laws 2008, LB1147, § 4; Laws 2011, LB509, § 8.
23-2322. Retirement system; retirement benefits; exemption from legal process; exception.
Annuities or benefits which any person shall be entitled to receive under the County Employees Retirement Act shall not be subject to garnishment, attachment, levy, the operation of bankruptcy or insolvency laws, or any other process of law whatsoever and shall not be assignable except to the extent that such annuities or benefits are subject to a qualified domestic relations order under the Spousal Pension Rights Act.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 22, p. 409; Laws 1985, LB 347, § 12; Laws 1986, LB 311, § 8; Laws 1989, LB 506, § 1; Laws 1996, LB 1273, § 18; Laws 2012, LB916, § 12; Laws 2015, LB40, § 5.
23-2323. Transferred to section 23-2335.
23-2323.01. Reemployment; military service; contributions; effect.
(1)(a) For military service beginning on or after December 12, 1994, but before January 1, 2018, any employee who, while an employee, entered into and served in the armed forces of the United States and who within ninety days after honorable discharge or honorable separation from active duty again became an employee shall be credited, for the purposes of section 23-2315, with all the time actually served in the armed forces as if such person had been an employee throughout such service in the armed forces pursuant to the terms and conditions of subdivision (b) of this subsection.
(b) Under such rules and regulations as the retirement board may adopt and promulgate, an employee who is reemployed on or after December 12, 1994, pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 4301 et seq., may pay to the retirement system an amount equal to the sum of all deductions which would have been made from the employee's compensation during such period of military service. Payment shall be made within the period required by law, not to exceed five years. To the extent that payment is made, (i) the employee shall be treated as not having incurred a break in service by reason of the employee's period of military service, (ii) the period of military service shall be credited for the purposes of determining the nonforfeitability of the employee's accrued benefits and the accrual of benefits under the plan, and (iii) the employer shall allocate the amount of employer contributions to the employee's employer account in the same manner and to the same extent the allocation occurs for other employees during the period of service. For purposes of employee and employer contributions under this section, the employee's compensation during the period of military service shall be the rate the employee would have received but for the military service or, if not reasonably determinable, the average rate the employee received during the twelve-month period immediately preceding military service.
(c) The employer shall pick up the employee contributions made through irrevocable payroll deduction authorizations pursuant to this subsection, and the contributions so picked up shall be treated as employer contributions in the same manner as contributions picked up under section 23-2307.
(b) The county employing the employee shall be liable for funding any obligation of the plan to provide benefits based upon such period of military service. To satisfy the liability, the county employing the employee shall pay to the retirement system an amount equal to:
(c) The amount required pursuant to subdivision (b) of this subsection shall be paid to the retirement system as soon as reasonably practicable following the date of reemployment but must be paid within eighteen months of the date the board notifies the employer of the amount due. If the employer fails to pay the required amount within such eighteen-month period, then the employer is also responsible for any actuarial costs and interest on actuarial costs that accrue from eighteen months after the date the employer is notified by the board until the date the amount is paid.
(v) The documentation required to substantiate that the employee was reemployed pursuant to 38 U.S.C. 4301 et seq.
Source:Laws 1996, LB 847, § 7; Laws 1998, LB 1191, § 29; Laws 1999, LB 703, § 4; Laws 2017, LB415, § 15; Laws 2018, LB1005, § 9.
23-2323.02. Direct rollover; terms, defined; distributee; powers; board; powers.
Source:Laws 1996, LB 847, § 8; Laws 2002, LB 407, § 7; Laws 2012, LB916, § 13; Laws 2018, LB1005, § 10.
23-2323.03. Retirement system; accept payments and rollovers; limitations; board; powers.
Source:Laws 1996, LB 847, § 9; Laws 1997, LB 250, § 7; Laws 1997, LB 624, § 7; Laws 2001, LB 142, § 35; Laws 2002, LB 407, § 8; Laws 2018, LB1005, § 11.
23-2323.04. Retirement system; accept transfers; limitations; how treated.
The retirement system may accept as payment for withdrawn amounts made pursuant to the County Employees Retirement Act a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer from (1) an eligible tax-sheltered annuity plan as described in section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code or (2) an eligible deferred compensation plan as described in section 457(b) of the code on behalf of a member who is making payments for such amounts. The amount transferred shall not exceed the amount withdrawn and such transferred amount shall qualify as a purchase of permissive service credit by the member as defined in section 415 of the code.
Source:Laws 2002, LB 407, § 9.
23-2324. Retirement system; membership status; not lost while employment continues.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 24, p. 409.
23-2325. Retirement system; false or fraudulent actions; prohibited acts; penalty; denial of benefits.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 25, p. 410; Laws 1977, LB 40, § 98; Laws 1998, LB 1191, § 32.
23-2326. Retirement benefits; declared additional to benefits under federal Social Security Act.
The retirement allowances and benefits provided for by the County Employees Retirement Act shall be in addition to benefits and allowances payable under the provisions of the federal Social Security Act.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 26, p. 410; Laws 1985, LB 347, § 13.
23-2327. Repealed. Laws 2002, LB 687, § 34.
23-2328. Retirement system; elected officials and employees having regular term; when act operative.
The provisions of the County Employees Retirement Act pertaining to elected officials or other employees having a regular term of office shall be so interpreted as to effectuate its general purpose and to take effect as soon as the same may become operative under the Constitution of the State of Nebraska.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 28, p. 410; Laws 1985, LB 347, § 15.
23-2329. Retirement system; when effective.
The County Employees Retirement Act shall become effective for each county upon its adoption by the county board or on January 1, 1987, whichever is earlier.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 29, p. 410; Laws 1975, LB 45, § 2; Laws 1985, LB 347, § 16; Laws 1985, LB 432, § 3.
County with one hundred fifty thousand inhabitants or more, provisions applicable if retirement system not adopted, see section 23-1118.
23-2330. Retirement system; adoption; certification; list of eligible employees to retirement board.
Upon the adoption of the retirement system by the county board, the county clerk shall certify such action to the retirement board. Upon the adoption of the retirement system by the county board or by January 1, 1987, whichever is earlier, the county clerk shall submit to the board a list of all employees then eligible for participation in the plan, which list shall state the name and address of the employee and his or her gross monthly wage.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 30, p. 410; Laws 1967, c. 133, § 1, p. 418; Laws 1973, LB 216, § 2; Laws 1975, LB 45, § 3; Laws 1985, LB 347, § 17; Laws 1985, LB 432, § 4.
23-2330.01. Limitation of actions.
Every claim and demand under the County Employees Retirement Act and against the retirement system or the retirement board shall be forever barred unless the action is brought within two years of the time at which the claim accrued.
Source:Laws 1996, LB 1076, § 6.
23-2330.02. Retirement system contributions, property, and rights; how treated.
All contributions to the retirement system, all property and rights purchased with the contributions, and all investment income attributable to the contributions, property, or rights shall be held in trust by the State of Nebraska for the exclusive benefit of members and their beneficiaries and shall only be used to pay benefits to such persons and to pay administrative expenses according to the provisions of the County Employees Retirement Act.
Source:Laws 1998, LB 1191, § 30.
23-2330.03. Termination of system or contributions; effect.
Source:Laws 1998, LB 1191, § 31.
23-2330.04. Municipal county; duties.
The municipal county shall be responsible for making contributions and performing other duties and shall exercise the powers of a county under the County Employees Retirement Act with respect to the employees of the municipal county.
Source:Laws 2001, LB 142, § 36.
23-2331. Act, how cited.
Sections 23-2301 to 23-2332.01 shall be known and may be cited as the County Employees Retirement Act.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 31, p. 411; Laws 1985, LB 347, § 18; Laws 1991, LB 549, § 13; Laws 1994, LB 833, § 8; Laws 1995, LB 501, § 3; Laws 1996, LB 847, § 10; Laws 1996, LB 1076, § 7; Laws 1997, LB 250, § 8; Laws 1997, LB 623, § 6; Laws 1997, LB 624, § 8; Laws 1998, LB 1191, § 33; Laws 1999, LB 687, § 3; Laws 2001, LB 142, § 37; Laws 2001, LB 186, § 2; Laws 2002, LB 407, § 10; Laws 2002, LB 687, § 17.
23-2332. County in excess of 85,000; commissioned law enforcement personnel; supplemental retirement plan.
Any county with a population in excess of eighty-five thousand inhabitants which participates in the Retirement System for Nebraska Counties established by the County Employees Retirement Act shall establish and fund a supplemental retirement plan for the benefit of all present and future commissioned law enforcement personnel employed by such county. The auxiliary benefit plan shall be funded by additional contributions to the county employees retirement plan in excess of the amounts established by sections 23-2307 and 23-2308. The additional contributions made by employees shall be credited to the employee account, and contributions paid by the county shall be credited to the employer account, with each amount to be established at a rate of two percent of compensation. All contributions made pursuant to this section shall be invested and administered according to the County Employees Retirement Act.
Source:Laws 1985, LB 432, § 5; Laws 1991, LB 549, § 14.
23-2332.01. County of 85,000 or less; commissioned law enforcement personnel; supplemental retirement plan.
Any county with a population of eighty-five thousand inhabitants or less which participates in the Retirement System for Nebraska Counties established by the County Employees Retirement Act shall establish and fund a supplemental retirement plan for the benefit of all present and future commissioned law enforcement personnel employed by such county who possess a valid law enforcement officer certificate or diploma, as established by the Nebraska Police Standards Advisory Council. The auxiliary benefit plan shall be funded by additional contributions to the county employees retirement plan in excess of the amounts established by sections 23-2307 and 23-2308. The additional contributions made by employees shall be credited to the employee account, and contributions paid by the county shall be credited to the employer account, with each amount to be established at a rate of one percent of compensation. All contributions made pursuant to this section shall be invested and administered according to the County Employees Retirement Act.
Source:Laws 2001, LB 186, § 3.
23-2333. Retirement; prior service annuity; how computed.
For purposes of sections 23-2333 and 23-2334, the definitions found in section 23-2301 shall apply.
As of the date of adoption of the retirement system, a prior service annuity shall be computed for all employees who have been employees continuously for one year prior to the date of the adoption of the retirement system and who are at least twenty-five years of age. Such prior service annuity shall be equal to the number of years of creditable prior service multiplied by the prior service annuity factor.
The number of years of creditable prior service shall be the number of completed years of prior service less all years during which the employee was participating in or for which he or she received a benefit from a public retirement plan, but not more than twenty-five.
The prior service annuity factor shall be the smaller of (1) one dollar or (2) the employee's compensation for the last completed twelve months of prior service divided by two thousand four hundred.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 11, p. 406; Laws 1969, c. 172, § 3, p. 753; R.S.1943, (1991), § 23-2311; Laws 1994, LB 833, § 9; Laws 1998, LB 1191, § 34.
23-2334. Retirement; prior service retirement benefit; how determined.
The prior service retirement benefit shall be a straight life annuity, payable monthly, quarterly, semiannually, or annually with the first payment made as of the annuity start date, in an amount determined in accordance with section 23-2333. No prior service retirement benefit shall be paid to any person who terminates his or her employment unless such person has been continuously employed by the county for ten or more years immediately prior to termination. An employee meeting such requirement and who terminates his or her employment shall not receive a prior service benefit determined in accordance with section 23-2333 prior to attaining age sixty-five.
Prior service retirement benefits shall be paid directly by the county to the retired employee.
Source:Laws 1965, c. 94, § 18, p. 408; Laws 1973, LB 352, § 1; Laws 1975, LB 32, § 2; R.S.1943, (1991), § 23-2318; Laws 1994, LB 833, § 10; Laws 2003, LB 451, § 13; Laws 2017, LB415, § 16.