2023 Colorado Revised Statutes › Title 24 - GOVERNMENT - STATE (§§ 24-1-101 — 24-116-102) › PUBLIC EMPLOYEES RETIREMENT SYSTEMS (§§ 24-51-101 — 24-54.8-204) › Article 51 - Public Employees' Retirement Association (§§ 24-51-101 — 24-51-1748) › Part 15 - DEFINED CONTRIBUTION RETIREMENT PLANS (§§ 24-51-1500.2 — 24-51-1511) › Section 24-51-1503 - Defined contribution plan option

(1)
An eligible employee shall be covered by the association's defined benefit plan with contributions and benefits as specified in parts 4 to 12 of this article, unless the member elects to participate in the association's defined contribution plan in accordance with this part 15 in lieu of the defined benefit plan within sixty days of commencing employment.
(2)
An employee hired by an employer who has been a member of the association's defined benefit plan or the association's defined contribution plan during the twelve months prior to the date that the employee commences employment shall automatically continue to be a member of such plan upon commencing employment. If automatically continuing in the defined contribution plan, the employee's individual participation account shall receive the same employer contribution pursuant to section
24-51-1505 (1)
, as previously entitled. The employee shall be considered an eligible employee for purposes of section
24-51-1506
.
(3)
An employee of an employer who is hired on or after July 1, 2009, and who has been an active participant of the state defined contribution plan established pursuant to part 2 of article
52
of this title, as said part existed prior to its repeal in 2009, during the twelve months prior to the date that the employee commences employment, shall be a member of the association's defined contribution plan upon commencing employment, and the employee shall not be considered an eligible employee for purposes of section
24-51-1506 (1) and (2)
.
(4)
(a)
An eligible employee who is a member, inactive member, or retiree of the association's defined benefit plan on December 31, 2006, and elects to participate in or is automatically enrolled in the association's defined benefit plan, or who makes an election pursuant to section
24-51-1506 (1)
to become a member of the association's defined benefit plan, shall be subject to the benefit provisions in effect for the existing member contribution account.
(b)
An eligible employee who elects to participate in the association's defined contribution plan and is not a member, inactive member, or retiree of the association's defined benefit plan on December 31, 2005, and subsequently becomes a member of the association's defined benefit plan shall be subject to the benefit provisions in effect at the time the employee becomes a member of the defined benefit plan. Any service credit purchased for the period of employment covered by the defined contribution plan shall be subject to the benefit provisions in effect for such member at the time of the commencement of the purchase.
(5)
Notwithstanding any other provision of this part 15, participation in the association's defined contribution plan by a district attorney, an assistant district attorney, a chief deputy district attorney, a deputy district attorney, or other employee of a district attorney shall be governed by the provisions of sections
24-51-305
and
24-51-305.5
.
Amended by 2018 Ch. 370, § 24, eff. 6/4/2018.
L. 2004: Entire part added, p. 1948, § 23, effective 1/1/2006. L. 2005: (2) amended, p. 210, § 2, effective April 7. L. 2006: (3) added, p. 1189, § 25, effective May 25. L. 2007: (2) amended, p. 2012, § 4, effective 1/1/2008. L. 2009: Entire section amended, (SB 09 -066), ch. 73, p. 250, § 8, effective March 31. L. 2018: (2) amended, (SB 18-200), ch. 370, p. 2258, § 24, effective June 4.
For the legislative declaration in SB 18-200, see section 1 of chapter 370, Session Laws of Colorado 2018.