Subdivision 1. Service pension levels; lump-sum retirement division. Except as provided in subdivision 1a, the lump-sum retirement division of the retirement plan provides the following levels of service pension amounts per full year of good time service credit to be selected at the election of coverage:

(1) a minimum service pension level of $500 per year;

(2) a maximum service pension level equal to the largest amount permitted under section 424A.02, subdivision 3, paragraph (d), as a maximum lump-sum service pension amount payable for each year of service; and

(3) service pension levels between the minimum level and the maximum level in $100 increments.

Subd. 1a. Continuation of prior lump-sum service pension levels. (a) If a municipality or independent nonprofit firefighting corporation elected to be covered by the lump-sum retirement division of the retirement plan before January 1, 2010, and selected the $750 per year of good time service credit service pension amount effective for January 1, 2010, that level continues for the volunteer firefighters of that municipality or independent nonprofit firefighting corporation until a different service pension amount is selected under subdivision 2 after January 1, 2010.

(b) If a municipality or independent nonprofit firefighting corporation elected to be covered by the retirement plan before January 1, 2015, and selected a service pension level under subdivision 1, other than a good time service credit service pension amount under subdivision 1, that level continues for the volunteer firefighters of the municipality or independent nonprofit firefighting corporation until a different service pension amount is selected under subdivision 2 after January 1, 2014.

Subd. 2. Lump-sum retirement division level selection. After the transfer of retirement coverage to the lump-sum retirement division of the retirement plan, the governing body or bodies of the entity or entities operating the fire department whose firefighters are covered by the retirement plan may request a cost estimate from the executive director of an increase in the service pension level applicable to the active firefighters of the fire department. Within 120 days of the receipt of the cost estimate prepared by the executive director using a procedure certified as accurate by the approved actuary retained by the Public Employees Retirement Association, the governing body or bodies may approve the service pension level change, effective for January 1 of the following calendar year unless the governing body or bodies specify in the approved document an effective date as the January 1 of the second year following the level increase approval. If the approval occurs after April 30, the required municipal contribution for the following calendar year must be recalculated and the results reported to the municipality or municipalities. If not approved in a timely fashion, the service pension level change is considered to have been disapproved.

Subd. 3. Supplemental benefit. The lump-sum retirement account of the retirement plan also shall pay a supplemental benefit as provided for in section 424A.10.

Subd. 4. Ancillary benefits. Except as provided under section 353G.115 or 353G.12, no disability, death, funeral, or other ancillary benefit beyond a service pension or a survivor benefit is payable from the lump-sum retirement account of the retirement plan.

History: 2009 c 169 art 9 s 20; 2010 c 359 art 6 s 6,7; 2015 c 68 art 7 s 2-5; art 8 s 20; 2018 c 211 art 16 s 9