(a) An active employee is entitled to credited service for periods of employment with the state after January 1, 1961, regardless of the office, department, division, or agency of the state in which the person was employed. For purposes of AS 39.35.095 - 39.35.680, the University of Alaska is not an office, department, division, or agency of the state. Service credit may not be granted under AS 39.35.095 - 39.35.680 for service that is creditable under the teachers' retirement system, AS 14.25, or for a person's service as a public officer, as defined in AS 39.52.960, a legislator, or a legislative director, if the service occurs on or after the date the person commits a criminal offense from which a pension forfeiture under AS 37.10.310 results.

(b) A permanent part-time employee of the state receives credited service on a pro rata basis to that which would have been earned as a permanent full-time employee.

(c) A noncertificated employee of the Alaska Vocational Technical Center or a state boarding school who first becomes a member of the plan on or after July 1, 1999, may, within 90 days after the employee first joins the plan, make an election under this subsection to have the years of service that the employee earns as a noncertificated employee determined using the table for service on or after July 1, 1969, that is set out in the definition of “year of service” in AS 14.25.220. A noncertificated employee of the Alaska Vocational Technical Center or a state boarding school who is an active member of the plan on July 1, 1999, may, within 180 days after July 1, 1999, make the election. A member of the plan who is an inactive member on July 1, 1999, and who is later employed as a noncertificated employee of the Alaska Vocational Technical Center or a state boarding school may, within 90 days after beginning the subsequent employment, make the election. An election under this subsection is irrevocable except as provided in (d) of this section and shall be made in writing on a form provided by the administrator. The election applies to the employee's service earned for the school year in which the election is accepted by the administrator and applies to all subsequent employment as a noncertificated employee of a state boarding school, a school district or regional educational attendance area, the special education service agency, or the Alaska Vocational Technical Center. An employee who makes an election under this subsection shall pay the contribution surcharge as set out in AS 39.35.160(c).

(d) A noncertificated employee who has made an election under (c) of this section and who thereafter changes employment status from working for less than a full year, whether part-time or full time, to working for a full year, whether part-time or full-time, may, between July 1 and September 30, revoke the election and cease payment of the contribution surcharge. A revocation under this subsection is retroactive to July 1 of the school year, as defined in AS 14.25.220, in which the revocation is made.

(e) A noncertificated employee who has not made an election under (c) of this section who changes employment status from working for a full year, whether part-time or full-time, to working for less than a full year, whether part-time or full-time, may, between July 1 and September 30, make the election and begin paying the contribution surcharge. The election is retroactive to July 1 of the school year, as defined in AS 14.25.220, in which the election is made.