reglab/housing_qa huggingface dataset:
V.I. Code tit. 3, § 729a (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 3 - Executive|Chapter 27 - Retirement of Personnel; Federal Benefits|§ 729a. Cost-of-living increase for certain annuitants and pensioners

 Every person who is receiving an annuity computed pursuant to the retirement law in existence prior to July 1, 1970, or who is receiving a special pension (regardless of when granted), is hereby granted a cost-of-living increase of ten percent (10%) in the amount of his annuity or pension; Provided, That no pension increase shall be granted to a person who is also receiving a retirement annuity, but said annuity shall be increased if it qualified for same hereunder.
V.I. Code tit. 3, § 729b (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 3 - Executive|Chapter 27 - Retirement of Personnel; Federal Benefits|§ 729b. Annual bonus payment

 (a) Subject to subsection (c), the System shall make an annual bonus payment from monies paid to the system under 32 VIC § 246(j) to annuitants and pensioners who meet the requirements prescribed in subsection (b). (b) To qualify for the bonus payment established in subsection (a), an annuitant or pensioner must be: (1) At least 60 years of age; (2) On the systems' retiree payroll for at least one year; and (3) Eligible to receive a cost of living increase by July 15 of the year in which the bonus payment is made. (c)  (1) The annual bonus payment may not be counted towards the maximum annual service annuity permitted by law for any service annuity. (2) Subject to subsection (d), annuitants and pensioners shall receive an equal amount based on the total amount received by the system pursuant to 32 V.I.C., § 246(j). (3) The annual bonus payment must be received by eligible annuitants and pensioners by November 30 each year. (d) The annual bonus payment established in subsection (a) is subject to the availability of funds. Whenever the system does not receive sufficient funds from the annual contribution from the Lottery, the system is not obligated to pay the annual bonus payment for the year in which the contribution is deficient.
V.I. Code tit. 3, § 730 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 3 - Executive|Chapter 27 - Retirement of Personnel; Federal Benefits|§ 730. Automatic increase in service or disability retirement annuity

 Any member upon withdrawal from service on or after July 1, 1970, and retiring on a service or disability retirement annuity, shall be entitled to an annual increase in his basic retirement annuity as defined herein while he is in receipt of such annuity. (a) The term “basic annuity” shall mean the service retirement annuity or disability annuity of the amount fixed and payable at date of retirement of the member. (b) The Board may set cost-of-living increases for annuitants and pensioners and determine when the annuity should be paid on the basis of the most recent actuarial valuation, and the Consumer Price Index. (c) The annual increase in the case of a disability annuity shall be 1 percent per year prior to the member's attainment of age 60 and 1 ½ percent per year thereafter. (d) [Deleted.]
V.I. Code tit. 3, § 731 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 3 - Executive|Chapter 27 - Retirement of Personnel; Federal Benefits|§ 731. Accumulated sick leave

 (a) Any member having accumulated and unused sick leave at date of retirement shall be entitled to service credit towards the service retirement annuity to which the member may be entitled. The credit for accumulated and unused sick leave shall be 1 month for any period of 11 to 20 days inclusive of such leave and ½ month for any period of 5 to 10 days inclusive except that the credit for accumulated and unused sick leave shall be one year for any period consisting of 2080 hours. Less than 5 days of such unused sick leave shall not be considered for such credit. (b) If at the date of retirement a member is indebted to the Government for advanced or unearned sick leave, ten (10%) percent of the amount of each basic annuity payment shall be deducted until the member shall have reimbursed the Government in full for the value of such advanced sick leave at the rate of compensation received by the member immediately prior to his date of retirement.
V.I. Code tit. 3, § 734 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 3 - Executive|Chapter 27 - Retirement of Personnel; Federal Benefits|§ 734. Continuing obligation of the Government

 All payments required by this chapter to be made by the employer to the retirement fund are continuing obligations of the Government.
V.I. Code tit. 3, § 735 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 3 - Executive|Chapter 27 - Retirement of Personnel; Federal Benefits|§ 735. Tax exemptions of the System; protection from judicial process

 (a) All property, including funds of the System, shall be exempt from levy and sale by virtue of execution, and no execution or other judicial process shall issue against the same nor shall any judgment against the System be a charge or lien upon its property. However, this subsection shall not apply to or limit the right of bond holders or mortgage holders or other lending institutions to pursue any remedy for the enforcement of any pledge or lien given by the System on its fees, revenues, or other income or any other funds. (b) In that the purpose for which the System is created and exercises its powers for public purposes, the property of the System, its income, and its activities, shall be exempt from all taxes and special assessments of the Government of the Virgin Islands or any political subdivisions thereof.
V.I. Code tit. 3, § 736 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 3 - Executive|Chapter 27 - Retirement of Personnel; Federal Benefits|§ 736. Failure or refusal to pay

 (a) Neither the government nor any agency, department, or instrumentality may fail or refuse to pay the employer's contribution required by this chapter within the applicable time limitation. (b) Whenever any agency, department[,] instrumentality, or employer fails to make timely contributions, interest shall accrue on the amount of the contributions not paid based on the system's domestic fixed income investment rate of return not to exceed the rate of 9%.
V.I. Code tit. 3, § 737 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 3 - Executive|Chapter 27 - Retirement of Personnel; Federal Benefits|§ 737. Unclaimed benefits; redeposit of proceeds; reversion; return to credit of claimant; lump sum benefits

 (a) Whenever a person entitled to a payment of a member's accumulated contributions or any other benefit fails to claim the payment or cannot be located or a Miscellaneous Disbursement Voucher is cancelled, the payment due to the member shall be disbursed in accordance with the provisions of this section. (b) Whenever the amount of a benefit payable by this system cannot be determined because the recipient cannot be identified, or information necessary to determination of the benefit to be paid cannot be ascertained, the accumulated contributions of the member, on whose account the benefit is payable, shall be disbursed in accordance with the provisions of this section. (c) The amounts described in subsections (a) and (b) must be held, or if a Miscellaneous Disbursement Voucher has been drawn, the voucher must be deposited in the retirement fund and held for the claimant without further accumulation of interest. The redeposit does not operate to reinstate the membership of the person with respect to whose membership the refund or benefit was payable in this system. If the proceeds are not claimed within four years after the date of redeposit, they shall revert to, and become part of, the reserve established pursuant to section 719(3). Transfer to this reserve shall be made September 30 following the expiration of the four year period. The Board may at any time, after transfer of the proceeds to the described reserve upon receipt of proper information satisfactory to it, return the proceeds so held in reserve to the credit of the claimant, to be administered in the manner provided for under this system. (d) For lump-sum death benefits administered in accordance with subsection (c), where the system has caused notice of the benefits to be published in a newspaper of general circulation for at least three times a week for four consecutive weeks, and that person has not claimed the benefits, payment may be made to the next entitled beneficiary or beneficiaries, upon receipt of valid claims, if two years have passed since the date of death. Payment made by this system in good faith and in reliance on those claims, notwithstanding that it may fail to discover a person otherwise entitled to share in the benefits, shall constitute a complete discharge and release of this system from further liability for the benefits.
V.I. Code tit. 3, § 738 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 3 - Executive|Chapter 27 - Retirement of Personnel; Federal Benefits|§ 738. Claims; time period; identification and location of beneficiaries

 The Board may fix the time as it considers reasonable during which claims for benefits under section 737 may be made. Anyone who is provided a claim form must be given the same amount of time in which to file it as any other claimant. The Board's duty to identify or locate any member of any class of beneficiaries must be at a minimum consistent with section 737(d).
V.I. Code tit. 3, § 739 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 3 - Executive|Chapter 27 - Retirement of Personnel; Federal Benefits|§ 739. Order of payment; absence of beneficiary designation

 (a) If a person had no beneficiary designation in effect on the date of death, any benefit payable shall be paid to the survivors in the following order: (1) The decedent's spouse. (2) The decedent's natural or adopted children, including a natural child adopted by another who meets the following criteria: (A) The natural parent and adopted child lived together at any time as parent and child or the natural parent was married to or was cohabiting with the other natural parent at the time the child was conceived and died before the birth of the child; and (B) The child was adopted by the spouse of either of the natural parents or after the death of either of the natural parents or the child is a natural adopted by another as that phrase is defined or construed in title 15 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 3, relating to Descent and Distribution of Decedent's Estate. (3) The decedent's parents. (4) The decedent's brothers and sisters. (b) If a deceased person had no effective beneficiary designation and there are no survivors in the groups specified in subsection (a) who are entitled to the benefit under this section, the benefit shall be paid to the estate of the decedent, if the estate is either probated or subject to probate. Any benefit payable by the system may be paid either to the estate or to the duly authorized representative or representatives of the estate upon receipt by this system of a court order appointing an executor, administrator, or personal representative.
V.I. Code tit. 3, § 740 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 3 - Executive|Chapter 27 - Retirement of Personnel; Federal Benefits|§ 740. Statute of limitations

 Notwithstanding title 5 Virgin Islands Code, chapter 3, any payment due the retirement system for services, repayment of loans or mortgages, or for the repayment of any amounts due to error or overpayment are not extinguished by the statu[t]e of limitations and shall accrue a maximum interest of thirty-three and one third percent per annum.
V.I. Code tit. 3, § 741 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 3 - Executive|Chapter 27 - Retirement of Personnel; Federal Benefits|§ 741. Contribution upon appointment for Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority employees and hazardous duty employees

 Notwithstanding any law, rule or regulation to the contrary, any eligible Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority employee, as defined in title 3 Virgin Islands Code, section 702(x), any eligible employee as defined in title 3 Virgin Islands Code, section 702(y) or any hazardous duty employee of the Government of the Virgin Islands, its agencies or instrumentalities, as defined elsewhere in this Code, shall, upon appointment to his position, immediately remit his required contribution for membership in the Government Employees Retirement System.
V.I. Code tit. 3, § 750 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 3 - Executive|Chapter 28A - Tier Ii Retirement Benefits Program|§ 750. Establishment

 (a) A second tier retirement benefits program is established for officials and employees of the Government of the Virgin Islands and for their dependents and beneficiaries, for the payment of retirement annuities, disability annuities, and other benefits as provided herein to the officials and employees, and to their dependents and beneficiaries. (b) The second tier program is established to establish retirement benefits for the same purpose as stated in section 701(b) for employees who become members of the System on or after October 1, 2005. (c) The second tier program established under this chapter shall be subject to the control of the GERS Board of Trustees, and shall be known and designated as the Tier II Retirement Benefits Program. (d) The Tier II Retirement Benefits Program is effective thirty days after the enactment of this chapter at which time employees and employers contributions shall begin. The date shall be known as the “date of establishment”. Retirement, disability, death benefit, and all other payments by the system shall begin to accrue from the date of establishment. (e) All provisions of chapter 27 are applicable to this chapter, except to the extent provided otherwise in this chapter.
V.I. Code tit. 3, § 751 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 3 - Executive|Chapter 28A - Tier Ii Retirement Benefits Program|§ 751. Definitions

 (a) In this chapter: (1) “Tier II Retirement Benefits Program” mean the second tier system, as established in section 750 of this chapter, to be administered by the Employees Retirement System of the Government of the Virgin Islands. (2) “Member” means any employee included in the membership of the System and participating in the Tier II program. (3) “Prior Service” means service as an employee of the employer after the date of enactment of this program until the last day of service prior to the member's date of retirement. (4) “Regular Interest” means interest accrued on a member's contributions, after the date of enactment of this program, compounded annually, at the rate as shall be determined by the Board, from the experience of the system. (5) “Average Compensation” means the career average of a member’s compensation over the entire course of service provided to the employer, subject to the maximum salary limitations in effect during the service. (6) “Police officer” means employees who perform traditional police duties or direct others in the performance of these duties, and excludes all other employees the as [sic] cadets, clerical, and housekeeping employees. (7) “Prison Guard” or “Corrections Officer” means an employee in the Bureau of Corrections and the Department of Human Services who performs traditional correctional officer and supervisory correctional officer duties. This definition does not include any others in the Bureau or Department, such as clerical, housekeeping and food service employees or other supervisory or managerial personnel. (8) “Firefighter” means an employee who performs traditional firefighting or fire prevention duties or direct others in the performance of these duties and excludes all other employees the as [sic] such as cadets, clerical, and housekeeping employees. (9) “Salary Right” means compensation earned to include benefits or dues as a result of contract negotiations for the time of employment prior to separation from service, and shall also mean an increase or raise in compensation granted to any exempt employee or employee working in the unclassified service that has not yet been paid to the employee. (10) “Compensation” means amounts received as pay, salary or remuneration for services rendered, provided that the maximum amount of compensation to be used for contribution by members or in the computation of any annuity or benefit hereunder shall be $65,000. Overtime pay or compensation for special services may not be included as compensation. (b) Deleted.
V.I. Code tit. 3, § 752 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 3 - Executive|Chapter 28A - Tier Ii Retirement Benefits Program|§ 752. Membership

 The following persons shall be included as members: (a) Any person who enters the service of the Government of the Virgin Islands on and after October 1, 2005. (b) Any person who becomes an employee on or after the date of establishment shall become a member as a condition of employment on the date of appointment. Contributions by the person shall begin immediately, provided that the employee shall be eligible for duty disability and death benefits from the first day of service subject to the qualifying conditions prescribed for the payment of the benefits. (c) Any person, who: (1) was a member of the First Tier before October 1, 2005; but (2) was not employed with the Government of the Virgin Islands on October 1, 2005; and (3) reenters the service of the Government more than five years after the date of separation from government service. (d) Any person whose position and salary are specifically fixed in the annual appropriation acts. (e) Any person employed by the employer who is not elsewhere excluded by the Virgin Islands Code from membership and whose term of employment is for at least one (1) year, provided that an initial appointment to a position for the remainder of the then current fiscal year be considered as meeting this requirement. (f) Any employee whose services are compensated on a contractual, fee or per diem basis and who works exclusively for the Government at least 40 hours per week may be included as a member and receive service credit for such periods by paying contributions pursuant to section 704(f) of this title. (g) Notwithstanding subsection (b), any person who reenters Government service may elect not to be a member of the System if the person is 60 years of age or older and is not receiving a retirement annuity from the System. (h) The following persons are excluded from membership in the System: (1) Any casual employee; (2) Any part-time employee who does not regularly work at least 50% of the normal work period; and (3) Any provisional employee. (i) The following persons are excluded from membership in the System: (1) Any casual employee; (2) Any part-time employee who does not regularly work at least 50% of the normal work period; and (3) Any provisional employee.
V.I. Code tit. 3, § 754 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 3 - Executive|Chapter 28A - Tier Ii Retirement Benefits Program|§ 754. Conditions for service retirement

 (a) An application for an annuity shall be in writing, addressed to the Administrator. The annuity when granted shall begin as of the first day of the month next following the date of withdrawal from service. In no case shall an annuity become effective prior to the aforesaid date nor more than 60 days prior to the receipt of the application from the member. (b) Any member retiring pursuant to the provisions of this chapter shall notify, in writing, his Department Head and the Administrator, of his intent to retire at least three months prior to the date of his retirement, but in no event shall a member give less than sixty days notice of his intent to retire. (c) A police officer, eligible employee with the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority, eligible employee working with chlorine, sewage or carcinogens, firefighter, including a firefighter and police officer employed by the Virgin Islands Port Authority, Virgin islands marshal and probation officer of the Superior Court, or corrections officer, are eligible to receive a retirement annuity at age 60 and upon completion of 10 years of service, or age 58 with 25 years of service. (d) Any member who is age sixty years with at least ten but less than thirty years of credited service may retire on a service annuity which shall be reduced by .325 of 1% for each month, or fraction thereof, that the member's age is less than sixty-five years. (e) Deleted. (f) Any member whose withdrawal from service occurs: (1) prior to age sixty-five years but after at least ten years of credited service; or (2) in the case of a police officer, eligible employee with the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority, eligible employee working with chlorine, sewage or carcinogens, firefighter, including a firefighter or police officer employed by the Virgin Islands Port Authority, Virgin Islands marshal and probation officer of the Superior Court, or corrections officers, prior to age fifty-five years and after at least ten years of credited service, and who has not received a refund of accumulated contributions, is entitled to receive a deferred service annuity payable upon attainment of age sixty-five or fifty-eight years, as the case may be.
V.I. Code tit. 3, § 755a (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 3 - Executive|Chapter 28A - Tier Ii Retirement Benefits Program|§ 755a. Limitation on compensation of retired contractual employees

 No retiree of the federal government, the Government of the Virgin Islands, or of the private sector shall be employed by the Government of the Virgin Islands on a contractual basis the compensation of which exceeds the highest rate of salary received by that employee before retirement, and in any case such rate of compensation shall not exceed $55,000 per year.
V.I. Code tit. 3, § 758 (2019)
2019 US Virgin Islands Code|Title 3 - Executive|Chapter 28A - Tier Ii Retirement Benefits Program|§ 758. Duty-connected death annuity

 (a) When the proximate cause of death of a member is as a result of bodily injuries sustained or a hazard undergone while in the performance and within the scope of his duties, if the injuries or hazard were not the consequence of the willful misconduct of the member, the surviving widow of the member shall be entitled to an annuity equal to 28% of the annual compensation of the member at the date of death of the member, the payment shall continue until the spouse dies or remarries. This annuity must be increased by 7% of the member's compensation on account of each unmarried minor child under age eighteen, subject to a maximum payment to a widow and children of 42% of compensation. (1) If there is no widow or if the widow dies or remarries before any child of the deceased member attains the age of eighteen years or twenty-three years, if a full time college student, then each child under the age shall receive an annuity of 7% of the member's compensation, to continue until each child attains age eighteen, or twenty-three years, if a full-time college student, subject to a limitation of 35% of compensation to all minor children. (2) If there is no widow or children under the age of eighteen, then payment of annuity must be made to the dependent father and dependent mother of the member, at the rate of 17.50% of compensation to each, for life, except, that if none of the aforementioned beneficiaries is living at the death of the member, no duty-connected death annuity shall be paid under the provisions hereof. (b) Adopted children under the age of eighteen or twenty-three, if a full-time college student, are eligible for benefits hereunder if the proceeding for adoptions shall have been initiated at least one year prior to the date of death of the member. (c) Where any payment under any section of this chapter is due a minor, or a person mentally incompetent or under other legal disability, the payment may be made to the person who is constituted guardian or other fiduciary by the law of the Virgin Islands, or the place of residence of the claimant, or is otherwise legally vested with the care of the claimant or his estate. (d) If benefits are paid to a surviving spouse or the deceased member’s child under this section, no other payments may be made pursuant to this section.