GA Code § 47-2-54 (2021)
2021 Georgia Code|Title 47 - Retirement and Pensions|Chapter 2 - Employees' Retirement System of Georgia|Article 3 - Employee and Employer Contributions and Creation of Funds for Contributions, Benefits, and Administrative Expenses|§ 47-2-54. Payment of State Employee Contributions on Behalf of Employees; Inclusion of Contributions in Compensation for Determining Benefits; Adjustment in Compensation of State Employees; "Pick-Up" Contributions

  As used in this Code section, the term "member" shall not include a member who, prior to July 1, 1980, elected to cease making contributions to the retirement system.   On and after July 1, 1980, each employer shall pay to the retirement system, on behalf and to the credit of each member during each and every payroll period (1) the employee membership contributions specified in Code Section 47-2-51 for membership service acquired after June 30, 1980, and (2) the group term life insurance contributions required under Code Section 47-2-128 for group term life insurance coverage, except that each employer shall continue to cause to be deducted from the earnable compensation of each member for each and every payroll period one-half of 1 percent of his earnable compensation.   Of the one-half of 1 percent deducted from the earnable compensation of members, one-quarter of 1 percent shall be credited to each member's account in the annuity savings fund, and the remaining one-quarter of 1 percent shall be credited to the group term life insurance fund, as provided in Code Section 47-19-10, in lieu of the deduction required under Code Section 47-2-128. If a member is not covered by group term life insurance, the entire one-half of 1 percent deducted from his earnable compensation shall be credited to his individual account in the annuity savings fund.   The monthly employee contributions made by the employer on behalf of any member under this Code section shall be used in the computation of the member's earnable compensation for the purpose of computing retirement benefits and group term life insurance payments, if applicable.   All members shall retain, have, and be subject to all other rights, privileges, obligations, and duties specified by other provisions of this chapter; and all such other provisions shall remain of full force and effect with respect to any matter not specifically provided for in this Code section.   With respect to members covered by Code Section 47-2-244, the employers shall pay employee contributions on the same basis as under subsection (b) of this Code section. Such members shall continue to have deducted from their earnable compensation the additional amount of employee contributions required by Code Section 47-2-244.   With respect to any persons who have retired or who will retire under Code Section 47-2-244, the contributions paid under subsection (e) of this Code section shall be included in current salary and used for the purpose of computing the monthly retirement benefits under Code Section 47-2-244 and for the purpose of computing group term life insurance payments, if applicable. The monthly retirement benefit of each person who retired before July 1, 1980, shall be increased accordingly, effective July 1, 1980.   This Code section shall not apply to city or county officials or employees who are members of the retirement system but who are considered state employees only for the purpose of membership in the retirement system, provided that this Code section shall apply to officials and employees of county boards of health who are members of the retirement system.   It is determined by the General Assembly of Georgia that an adjustment in the compensation of state employees is necessary to assure the future actuarial soundness of the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia and to preserve and protect the fiscal integrity of the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia so as to ensure the future payment of retirement benefits and allowances to those entitled to same. Therefore, in addition to the employee membership contributions required by subsections (b) and (c) of this Code section, from and after July 1, 1982, as an adjustment in compensation, each employer shall cause to be deducted from the earnable compensation of each member for each and every payroll period an additional 1 percent of such earnable compensation. This additional 1 percent deducted from the earnable compensation of members shall be paid monthly to the board of trustees and shall be credited to the individual accounts of the members in the annuity savings fund. This subsection shall not be construed and is not intended so as to have any effect whatsoever on any amounts of contributions paid to any retirement system other than the Employees' Retirement System of Georgia.   The employee contributions described in this Code section that are credited to the member's annuity savings account, although designated as employee contributions, are being paid by the employer as "pick-up" contributions in accordance with Section 414(h) of the federal Internal Revenue Code. As such, these contributions are mandatory and no member is entitled under any circumstances to receive such contributions in cash in lieu of having them contributed to the retirement system. Such contributions shall be 100 percent vested for all purposes under the retirement system.    (Ga. L. 1980, p. 925, § 3; Ga. L. 1982, p. 3, § 47; Ga. L. 1982, p. 1163, §§ 1, 3; Ga. L. 1985, p. 209, § 1; Ga. L. 2007, p. 176, § 1/HB 448; Ga. L. 2009, p. 947, § 14/HB 202.)    The 2009 amendment,  effective May 11, 2002, added subsection (j).   OPINIONS OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL   Purpose of 1980 amendment.   - The 1980 amendment to this and related sections was enacted, in part, to provide state employees with increases in disposable income through the employer's payment of most of the employee contributions to the Employees' Retirement System. Rather than making this contribution personally, a state employee will, subsequent to July 1, 1980, take home most of the amount of the employee's previous employee contributions. 1980 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 80-91.   Eligible members discontinuing contributions entitled to salary increase.   - Members of the Employees' Retirement System who attain 34 years of creditable service and elect to discontinue employee contributions during the 1981 fiscal year are entitled to an 8 percent salary increase at the time of such discontinuance, payable from funds appropriated for such purpose by the 1981 Appropriations Act (Ga. L. 1980, p. 1799). 1980 Op. Att'y Gen. No. 80-91.