(a) Class T-C membership.--A school employee who is a member of Class T-C on the effective date of this part or who becomes a member of the system subsequent to the effective date of this part shall be classified as a Class T-C member, provided the school employee does not become a member of Class T-D pursuant to subsection (c).

(b) Other class membership.--A school employee who is a member of a class of service other than Class T-C on the effective date of this part may elect to become a member of Class T-C or Class T-D or may retain his membership in such other class until the service is discontinued or he elects to become a full coverage member or elects to purchase credit for previous school or creditable nonschool service. Any service thereafter shall be credited as Class T-C or T-D service as applicable.

(c) Class T-D membership.--

(1) A person who becomes a school employee and an active member, or a person who becomes a multiple service member who is a State employee and a member of the State Employees' Retirement System, on or after the effective date of this subsection and before July 1, 2011, shall be classified as a Class T-D member upon payment of regular member contributions. Any prior school service credited as Class T-C service shall be credited as Class T-D service, subject to the limitations contained in paragraph (4).

(2) A school employee who, on the day before and on the effective date of this subsection, is either an active member or an inactive member shall be classified as a Class T-D member and receive credit for Class T-D service performed on or after the effective date of this subsection upon payment of regular member contributions, provided the school employee elects to become a Class T-D member pursuant to section 8305.1 (relating to election to become a Class T-D member). A school employee who becomes a Class T-D member shall also receive Class T-D service credit for all Class T-C school service performed before the effective date of this subsection, subject to the limitations contained in paragraph (4).

(3) A former school employee who, on the effective date of this subsection, is a multiple service member who is a State employee and a member of the State Employees' Retirement System shall receive Class T-D service credit for all Class T-C school service performed before the effective date of this subsection, subject to the limitations contained in paragraph (4), provided the former school employee elects to become a Class T-D member pursuant to section 8305.1.

(4) (i) School service performed as Class T-C service before the effective date of this subsection shall be credited as Class T-D service only upon completion of all acts necessary for the school service to be credited as Class T-C service had this subsection not been enacted.

(ii) A person who is not a school employee or a State employee on June 30, 2001, and July 1, 2001, and who has previous school service shall not receive Class T-D service credit for school service performed before July 1, 2001, until the person becomes an active member or an active member of the State Employees' Retirement System and a multiple service member and earns three eligibility points by performing credited school service or State service after June 30, 2001. This subparagraph does not apply to a disability annuitant who returns to school service after June 30, 2001, upon termination of the disability annuity.

(d) Class T-E membership.--Notwithstanding any other provision, a person who first becomes a school employee and an active member, or a person who first becomes a multiple service member who is a State employee and a member of the State Employees' Retirement System, on or after the effective date of this subsection and before July 1, 2019, shall be classified as a Class T-E member upon payment of regular member contributions and the shared-risk contributions.

(e) Class T-F membership.--Notwithstanding any other provision, a person who first becomes a school employee and an active member, or a person who first becomes a multiple service member who is a State employee and a member of the State Employees' Retirement System, on or after the effective date of this subsection and who is eligible to become a Class T-E member shall have the right to elect into Class T-F membership, provided the person elects to become a Class T-F member pursuant to section 8305.2 (relating to election to become a Class T-F member), upon written election filed with the board and payment of regular member contributions and the shared-risk contributions.

(f) Class T-G membership.--A person who first becomes a school employee and an active member on or after July 1, 2019, shall be classified as a Class T-G member upon payment of regular member contributions and the shared-risk contributions.

(g) Class T-H membership or Class DC participant.--A person who first becomes a school employee and an active member on or after July 1, 2019, and who is eligible to become a Class T-G member shall have the right to elect to become one of the following:

(1) a Class T-H member, provided the person elects to become a Class T-H member pursuant to section 8305.3 (relating to election to become a Class T-H member), upon written election filed with the board and payment of regular member contributions and the shared-risk contributions; or

(2) a Class DC participant, provided the person elects to become a Class DC participant pursuant to section 8305.4 (relating to election to become a Class DC participant), upon written election filed with the board and payment of mandatory pickup participant contributions.

(May 17, 2001, P.L.26, No.9, eff. July 1, 2001; Nov. 23, 2010, P.L.1269, No.120, eff. July 1, 2011; June 12, 2017, P.L.11, No.5, eff. imd.)

2017 Amendment. Act 5 amended subsecs. (c)(1) and (d) and added subsecs. (f) and (g).

2010 Amendment. Act 120 added subsecs. (d) and (e).

Cross References. Section 8305 is referred to in sections 8304, 8305.5, 8322.1, 8346 of this title.