An employee has a current connection with the railroad industry if he or she meets one of the following requirements:
The employee has creditable railroad service in at least 12 of the 30 consecutive months immediately preceding the earlier of:
The month his or her annuity begins; or
The month he or she dies.
The employee has creditable railroad service in at least 12 months in a period of 30 consecutive months and does not work in any regular non-railroad employment in the interval between the month the 30-month period ends and the earlier of:
The month his or her annuity begins; or
The month he or she dies.