N.D. Cent. Code ch. 39-03.1

N.D. Cent. Code ch. 39-03.1
in effect

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-01 Definitions

39-03.1-01. Definitions In this chapter, unless the context or subject matter otherwise requires: 1. "Accumulated deductions" means the total of the amounts deducted from the salary of a contributor and paid into the fund, and standing to the contributor's credit in the fund, and interest credited on those amounts at a rate established by the board. 2. "Board" means the North Dakota public employees retirement board. 3. "Contributor" means any person who is a member of the North Dakota highway patrol, is subject to salary deductions to support the fund, and is employed on or after July 1, 1981. 4. "Fund" means the North Dakota highway patrol troopers' retirement fund. 5. "Patrol" means the North Dakota highway patrol. 6. "Salary" means the actual dollar compensation, excluding any bonus, overtime, or expense allowance, paid to or for a contributor for the contributor's services. 7. "Surviving spouse" means that person lawfully married to the contributor at the time of the contributor's death.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-02 North Dakota highway patrol troopers' retirement system

39-03.1-02. North Dakota highway patrol troopers' retirement system A retirement system is hereby established for the members of the North Dakota highway patrol.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-03 North Dakota highway patrolmen's retirement board

39-03.1-03. North Dakota highway patrolmen's retirement board Repealed by S.L. 1983, ch. 419, § 4.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-04 Administrative expenses

39-03.1-04. Administrative expenses The expense of the administration of this chapter, exclusive of the payment of retirement allowances and other benefits, must be paid by the state of North Dakota, by appropriation out of the highway patrol fund, made on the basis of budgets submitted by the board.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-05 Deposit of contributions - Appropriation

39-03.1-05. Deposit of contributions - Appropriation All moneys of the fund, including employers' contributions, contributors' contributions, grants, donations, legacies, and devises for the benefit of the fund, must be deposited in the public employees retirement fund account with the Bank of North Dakota. All of these moneys, not otherwise appropriated, are appropriated for the purpose of making investments for the fund and to make payments to beneficiaries under the program.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-06 Rules and regulations - Actuarial data

39-03.1-06. Rules and regulations - Actuarial data The board shall, from time to time, establish such rules and regulations for the administration of this chapter as may be deemed necessary. It shall cause to be made periodic actuarial investigations into the mortality and service experience of the contributors to and the beneficiaries of the fund.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-07 Membership

39-03.1-07. Membership Except as otherwise provided, each member of the patrol, including the superintendent and assistant superintendent, shall contribute to the fund, and is eligible to nominate and vote for members of the board. Personnel of the truck regulatory division of the state highway department transferred to the highway patrol after July 1, 1983, are not required to contribute to the fund. They are members of the public employees retirement system and social security system.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-08.1 Purchase of legislative service credit

39-03.1-08.1. Purchase of legislative service credit A contributor may, prior to retirement, purchase service credit for the time during each legislative session spent serving as a member of the legislative assembly while a member of the fund. The contributor shall pay for the service credit an amount equal to the required member contributions and the state contributions for that period of time plus interest as established by the board. Service credit for legislative sessions prior to July 1, 1985, must be purchased before January 1, 1986. Service credit for each later legislative session must be purchased within one year after the adjournment of that legislative session.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-08.2 Purchase of additional service credit

39-03.1-08.2. Purchase of additional service credit 1. The fund may accept rollovers from other eligible plans under rules adopted by the board for the purchase of additional service credit, but only to the extent the transfer is a rollover contribution that meets the requirement of section 408 of the Internal Revenue Code [26 U.S.C. 408]. 2. The board may accept trustee-to-trustee transfers as permitted by Internal Revenue Code section 403(b)(13) and section 457(e)(17) from an Internal Revenue Code section 403(b) annuity or Internal Revenue Code section 457 deferred compensation plan for the purchase of permissive service credit, as defined in Internal Revenue Code section 415(n)(3)(A), or as repayment of a cashout from a governmental plan under Internal Revenue Code section 415(k)(3). 3. A contributor may elect to purchase credit for years of service and prior service for which the contributor is not presently receiving credit. A contributor is entitled to purchase additional credit under this section for the following service or prior service, except this service is not eligible for credit if the years claimed also qualify for retirement benefits from another retirement system: a. Except as provided in subsection 3 of section 39-03.1-10.1, up to four years of credit for active employment in the armed forces of the United States. b. Employment as a permanent employee by a public employer either within or outside the state. c. Employment as a permanent employee by the federal government. 4. A contributor may elect to purchase credit for the following absences for which the participating contributor is not receiving service credit: a. Employer-approved leave of absence; and b. Months away from work while participating as a seasonal employee. 5. The contributor may purchase credit under this section by paying to the board an amount equal to the actuarial cost to the fund of providing the credit. The board shall adopt rules governing the purchase of additional credit under this section. 6. The board may establish individual retirement accounts and individual retirement annuities as permitted under section 408(q) of the Internal Revenue Code to allow employees to make voluntary employee contributions. The board may adopt appropriate rules as may be necessary to implement and administer the accounts and annuities under this section. 7. In addition to service credit identified in this section, a vested contributor may purchase up to five years of service credit. 8. Pursuant to rules adopted by the board, the board may allow a contributor to purchase service credit with either pretax or aftertax moneys, at the board's discretion. If a contributor elects to purchase service credit using pretax moneys, the requirements and restrictions in subsection 2 of section 39-03.1-09 apply to the purchase arrangement.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-09 Payments by contributors - Employer payment of employee contribution

39-03.1-09. Payments by contributors - Employer payment of employee contribution 1. Every member, except as provided in section 39-03.1-07, shall contribute into the fund ten and thirty-hundredths percent of the member's monthly salary, which sum must be deducted from the member's salary and credited to the member's account in the fund. Member contributions increase by one percent of the member's monthly salary beginning with the monthly reporting period of January 2012; with an additional increase of one percent, beginning with the monthly reporting period of January 2013; with an additional increase of one percent, beginning with the monthly reporting period of January 2014; with an additional increase of one-half of one percent, beginning with the monthly reporting period of January 2022; with an additional increase of one-half of one percent, beginning with the monthly reporting period of January 2023; with an additional increase of one-half of one percent, beginning with the monthly reporting period of January 2024; and with an additional increase of one-half of one percent, beginning with the monthly reporting period of January 2025. 2. The state of North Dakota, at its option, may pay the member contributions required by subsection 1 for all compensation earned after June 30, 1983, and may pay the member contributions required to purchase service credit on a pretax basis pursuant to subsection 8 of section 39-03.1-08.2. The amount paid must be paid by the state in lieu of contributions by the member. A member may not receive the contributed amounts directly once the employer has elected to pay the member contributions. If the state decides not to pay the contributions, the amount that would have been paid will continue to be deducted from compensation. If contributions are paid by the state, they must be treated as employer contributions in determining tax treatment under this code and the federal Internal Revenue Code. If contributions are paid by the state, they must not be included as gross income of the member in determining tax treatment under this code and the Internal Revenue Code until they are distributed or made available. The state shall pay these member contributions from the same source of funds used in paying compensation to the members. The state shall pay these contributions by effecting an equal cash reduction in the gross salary of the employee or by an offset against future salary increases or by a combination of a reduction in gross salary and offset against future salary increases. If member contributions are paid by the state, they must be treated for the purposes of this chapter in the same manner and to the same extent as member contributions made prior to the date the contributions were assumed by the state. The option given employers by this subsection must be exercised in accordance with rules adopted by the board. 3. For compensation earned after August 1, 2009, all employee contributions required under subsection 1, and not otherwise paid under subsection 2, must be paid by the state in lieu of contributions by the member. All contributions paid by the state under this subsection must be treated as employer contributions in determining tax treatment under this code and the federal Internal Revenue Code. Contributions paid by the state under this subsection may not be included as gross income of the member in determining tax treatment under this code and the Internal Revenue Code until the contributions are distributed or made available. Contributions paid by the state in accordance with this subsection must be treated for the purposes of this chapter in the same manner and to the same extent as member contributions made before the date the contributions were assumed by the state. The state shall pay these member contributions from the same source of funds used in paying compensation to the members. The state shall pay these contributions by effecting an equal cash reduction in the gross salary of the employee. The state shall continue making payments under this section unless otherwise specifically provided for under the agency's biennial appropriation or by law.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-10 Contributions by the state

39-03.1-10. Contributions by the state The state shall contribute to the fund a sum equal to sixteen and seventy-hundredths percent of the monthly salary or wage of a participating member. State contributions increase by one percent of the monthly salary or wage of a participating member beginning with the monthly reporting period of January 2012; with an additional increase of one percent, beginning with the reporting period of January 2013; with an additional increase of one percent, beginning with the monthly reporting period of January 2014; with an additional increase of one-half of one percent, beginning with the monthly reporting period of January 2022; with an additional increase of one-half of one percent, beginning with the monthly reporting period of January 2023; with an additional increase of one-half of one percent, beginning with the monthly reporting period of January 2024; and with an additional increase of one-half of one percent, beginning with the monthly reporting period of January 2025. If the member's contribution is paid by the state under subsection 2 of section 39-03.1-09, the state shall contribute, in addition, an amount equal to the required member's contribution. The state shall pay the associated employer contribution for those members who elect to exercise their rights under section 39-03.1-10.3.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-10.1 Refund and repurchase of contributions

39-03.1-10.1. Refund and repurchase of contributions Except as provided in section 39-03.1-10.3, a contributor whose employment has been terminated for at least thirty days is entitled to a refund of or to repurchase contributions as follows: 1. a. If the contributor has less than ten years of service at termination of employment, the refund is payable either on application of the contributor or is automatically payable if within thirty days after termination the contributor has not provided a written statement to the board waiving the refund and requesting the contributor's account remain in the fund and the contributor has an account balance of less than one thousand dollars. b. If the contributor has at least ten years of service at the date of termination, the contributor may apply for a refund of accumulated deductions instead of retirement benefits. By receiving the refund of accumulated deductions under this subdivision, the contributor forfeits all months of service to the date of refund and cannot use those months for any future benefit calculations. 2. A contributor who was paid a refund under subdivision a of subsection 1 may, upon re-employment, elect to repurchase the forfeited past service for the retirement program and the retiree health benefits program in accordance with the rules adopted by the board.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-10.2 Employer service purchases

39-03.1-10.2. Employer service purchases An employer may purchase additional service credit on behalf of a contributor under the following conditions: 1. The contributor may not be given the option to choose between an employer service purchase and an equivalent amount paid in cash. 2. The contributor must meet one of the following conditions at the time the purchase is made: a. The contributor's age plus service credit must be equal to or greater than seventy; or b. The contributor's age must be at least fifty and the contributor must have at least ten years of service credit. 3. The board must determine the purchase price on an actuarially equivalent basis. 4. The purchase must be completed before the contributor's retirement. 5. The employer may purchase a maximum of five years of service credit on behalf of the contributor. 6. The employer must pay the purchase price for the service credit purchased under this section in a lump sum.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-10.3 Military service under the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act - Member retirement credit

39-03.1-10.3. Military service under the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act - Member retirement credit. A member re-employed under the Uniformed Services Employment and Re-employment Rights Act of 1994, as amended [Pub. L. 103-353; 108 Stat. 3150; 38 U.S.C. 4301-4333], is entitled to receive retirement credit for the period of qualified military service. The required contribution for the credit, including payment for retiree health benefits, must be made in the same manner and by the same party as would have been made had the employee been continuously employed. If the salary the member would have received during the period of service is not reasonably certain, the member's average rate of compensation during the twelve-month period immediately preceding the member's period of service or, if shorter, the period of employment immediately preceding that period, times the number of months of credit being purchased must be used. Employees must be allowed up to three times the period of military service or five years, whichever is less, to make any required payments. This provision applies to all qualifying periods of military service since October 1, 1994. Effective for years after December 31, 2008, compensation for purposes of Internal Revenue Code section 415 [26 U.S.C. 415], as amended, includes military differential wage payments, as defined in Internal Revenue Code section 3401(h) [26 U.S.C. 3401(h)], as amended. Any payments made by the member to receive qualifying credit inconsistent with this provision must be refunded. Employees shall make application to the employer for credit and provide a DD Form 214 to verify service. After December 31, 2006, if a participating member dies while performing qualified military service, as defined in section 414(u)(5) of the Internal Revenue Code [26 U.S.C. 414(u)(5)], as amended, the deceased member's beneficiaries are entitled to any death benefits, other than credit for years of service for purposes of benefits, which would have been provided under the plan if the participating member had resumed employment and then terminated employment on account of death. The period of that member's qualified military service is treated as vesting service under the plan.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-10.4 Reduction in member and employer contributions

39-03.1-10.4. Reduction in member and employer contributions The required increase in the amount of member and employer contributions under sections 39-03.1-09 and 39-03.1-10 must be reduced to the rate in effect on July 1, 2013, effective on the July first that follows the first valuation of the highway patrol troopers' retirement plan showing a ratio of the actuarial value of assets to the actuarial accrued liability of the highway patrol troopers' retirement plan that is equal to or greater than one hundred percent.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-11 Retirement benefit

39-03.1-11. Retirement benefit Each contributor whose employment with the highway patrol has been terminated may apply to the board for retirement benefits according to this section and rules adopted by the board consistent with this chapter. The following procedures apply: 1. A contributor is entitled to credit for permanent employment or its equivalent from the date eligibility is attained until normal or postponed retirement date, as described in subsection 3. 2. Retirement benefits are based on the contributor's final average salary. Final average salary is the average of the highest salary received by the contributor for any thirty-six months employed during the last one hundred twenty months of employment. For contributors who terminate employment on or after August 1, 2010, final average salary is the average of the highest salary received by the contributor for any thirty-six months employed during the last one hundred eighty months of employment. For contributors who terminate employment between July 31, 2005, and August 1, 2010, final average salary is the average of the highest salary received by the member for any thirty-six months employed during the period for which the board has appropriate and accurate salary records on its electronic database, but that period may not be more than the last one hundred eighty months of employment. For members who terminate employment after December 31, 2019, final average salary is the higher of the final average salary calculated on December 31, 2019, or the average salary earned in the three highest periods of twelve consecutive months employed during the last one hundred eighty months of employment. Months without earnings are excluded for the purpose of computing an average. If the contributor has worked for less than thirty-six months at the postponed retirement date, the final average salary is the average salary for all months of employment. 3. Retirement dates are as follows: a. Early retirement date is the first day of the month next following the month in which the contributor attains the age of fifty years and has completed at least ten years of eligible employment. b. Normal retirement date is: (1) The first day of the month next following the month in which the contributor attains the age of fifty-five years and has completed at least ten years of eligible employment; or (2) When the contributor has a combined total of years of service credit and years of age equal to eighty and has not received a retirement benefit under this chapter. c. Postponed retirement date is the first day of the month next following the month in which the contributor attains the age of sixty years. d. Disability retirement date is the first day of the month after a contributor becomes permanently and totally disabled, according to medical evidence called for under the rules of the board, and has completed at least one hundred eighty days of employment. 4. The board shall calculate retirement benefits as follows: a. Normal retirement benefits for all contributors reaching the normal retirement date are payable monthly, and are: (1) The first twenty-five years of credited service multiplied by three and sixty hundredths percent of final average salary. (2) All years in excess of twenty-five years of credited service multiplied by one and three-fourths percent of final average salary. (3) All contributors who retired before August 1, 2001, or their beneficiaries, are entitled to receive benefits equal to three and sixty hundredths percent of final average salary multiplied by the first twenty-five years of credited service, plus one and three-fourths percent of final average salary multiplied by credited service in excess of twenty-five years, with the increased benefits payable beginning August 1, 2001. b. Early retirement benefits are normal retirement benefits accrued to the date of termination of employment, but actuarially reduced to account for benefit payments beginning before the normal retirement date. c. Postponed retirement benefits, for all contributors reaching the postponed retirement date, are calculated in the same manner as normal retirement benefits. d. Disability retirement benefits are payable monthly and are: (1) Seventy percent of the contributor's final average salary, reduced by any workforce safety and insurance benefits paid. The minimum monthly disability retirement benefit under this subsection is one hundred dollars. (2) An individual or that person's beneficiary who, on July 31, 2001, is receiving a disability retirement benefit is entitled to receive an increase in benefits equal to six percent of the individual's present benefits, with the increase payable beginning August 1, 2001. 5. On termination of employment after completing ten years of eligible employment but before the normal retirement date, a contributor who does not elect to receive early retirement benefits is eligible to receive deferred vested retirement benefits. The deferred benefits are payable beginning on the contributor's normal retirement date in one of the forms provided in this section. Contributors who have delayed or inadvertently failed to apply for retirement benefits to commence on their normal retirement date may choose to receive either a lump sum payment equal to the amount of missed payments, or an actuarial increase to the form of benefit the member has selected, which increase must reflect the missed payments. The final average salary used for calculating deferred vested retirement benefits must be increased annually, from the later of the date of termination of employment or July 1, 1991, until the date the contributor begins to receive retirement benefits from the fund, at a rate as determined by the board not to exceed a rate that would be approximately equal to annual salary increases provided state employees pursuant to action by the legislative assembly. 6. If before retiring a contributor dies after completing ten years of eligible employment, the board shall pay the contributor's accumulated deductions to the contributor's designated beneficiary as provided in this subsection. If the contributor has designated an alternate beneficiary with the surviving spouse's written consent, the board shall pay the contributor's account balance to the named beneficiary. If the contributor has named more than one primary beneficiary, the board shall pay the contributor's account balance to the named primary beneficiaries in the percentages designated by the contributor or, if the contributor has not designated a percentage for the beneficiaries, in equal percentages. If one or more of the primary beneficiaries has predeceased the contributor, the board shall pay the predeceased beneficiary's share to the remaining primary beneficiaries. If there are no remaining primary beneficiaries, the board shall pay the contributor's account balance to the contingent beneficiaries in the same manner. If there are no remaining designated beneficiaries, the board shall pay the contributor's account balance to the contributor's estate. If the contributor has not designated an alternate beneficiary under this section or the surviving spouse is the beneficiary, the surviving spouse of the contributor may select one of the following optional forms of payment: a. A lump sum payment of the contributor's accumulated deductions as of the date of death. b. Payment of a monthly retirement benefit equal to fifty percent of the deceased contributor's accrued normal retirement benefits until the spouse dies. 7. If a contributor not eligible for the benefits of subsection 6 terminates employment for any reason before retirement, the contributor or the contributor's designated beneficiary is entitled to the contributor's accumulated deductions at termination. 8. The surviving spouse of a member receiving retirement benefits must be the member's primary beneficiary unless there is no surviving spouse or the surviving spouse designates an alternate beneficiary in writing. If a contributor receiving retirement benefits, or a contributor's surviving spouse receiving retirement benefits, dies before the total amount of benefits paid to them equals the amount of the contributor's accumulated deductions at retirement, the difference must be paid to the named beneficiary of the recipient or, if there is no named beneficiary, to the recipient's estate. 9. The board shall adopt rules providing for the receipt of retirement benefits in the following optional forms: a. An actuarially equivalent joint and survivor one hundred percent option. b. An actuarially equivalent life with ten-year or twenty-year certain options. c. An actuarially equivalent partial lump sum distribution option with a twelve-month maximum lump sum distribution. d. An actuarially equivalent graduated benefit option with either a one percent or two percent increase to be applied the first day of January of each year. Unless a contributor requests that the contributor receive benefits according to one of these options at the time of applying for retirement, all retirement benefits must be in the form of a lifetime monthly pension, with a fifty percent option to the surviving spouse.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-11.2 Internal Revenue Code compliance

39-03.1-11.2. Internal Revenue Code compliance The board shall administer the plan in compliance with the following sections of the Internal Revenue Code, as amended, as it applies for governmental plans. 1. Section 415, including the defined benefit dollar limitation under section 415(b)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code. a. The defined benefit dollar limitation under section 415(b)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code, as approved by the legislative assembly, must be adjusted under section 415(d) of the Internal Revenue Code, effective January first of each year following a regular legislative session. The adjustment of the defined benefit dollar limitation under section 415(d) applies to participating members who have had a separation from employment, but that member's benefit payments may not reflect the adjusted limit prior to January first of the calendar year in which the adjustment applies. b. If a participating member's benefit is increased by plan amendment after the commencement of benefit payments, the member's annual benefit may not exceed the defined benefit dollar limitation under section 415(b)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code, as adjusted under section 415(d) for the calendar year in which the increased benefit is payable. c. If a participating member is, or ever has been, a participant in another defined benefit plan maintained by the employer, the sum of the participant's annual benefits from all the plans may not exceed the defined benefit dollar limitation under section 415(b)(1)(A) of the Internal Revenue Code. If the participating member's employer-provided benefits under all such defined benefit plans would exceed the defined benefit dollar limitation, the benefit must be reduced to comply with section 415 of the Internal Revenue Code. This reduction must be made pro rata between the plans, in proportion to the participating member's service in each plan. 2. The minimum distribution rules under section 401(a)(9) of the Internal Revenue Code, including the incidental death benefit requirements under section 401(a)(9)(G), and the regulations issued under that provision to the extent applicable to governmental plans. Accordingly, benefits must be distributed or begin to be distributed no later than a member's required beginning date, and the required minimum distribution rules override any inconsistent provision of this chapter. For a member who attains age seventy and one-half before January 1, 2020, the member's required beginning date is April first of the calendar year following the later of the calendar year in which the member attains age seventy and one-half or terminates employment. For a member who attains age seventy and one-half after December 31, 2019, the member's required beginning date is April first of the calendar year following the later of the calendar year in which the member attains age seventy-two or terminates employment. 3. The annual compensation limitation under section 401(a)(17) of the Internal Revenue Code, as adjusted for cost-of-living increases under section 401(a)(17)(B). 4. The rollover rules under section 401(a)(31) of the Internal Revenue Code. Accordingly, a distributee may elect to have an eligible rollover distribution, as defined in section 402(c)(4) of the Internal Revenue Code, paid in a direct rollover to an eligible retirement plan, as defined in section 402(c)(8)(B) of the Internal Revenue Code, specified by the distributee. For purposes of this section, "distributee" includes a beneficiary, other than a spouse, of a deceased member, provided however, in the case of a beneficiary other than a spouse, the direct rollover may be made only to an individual retirement account or individual retirement annuity described in section 408 or 408A of the Internal Revenue Code which is established on behalf of the beneficiary and will be treated as an inherited individual retirement account or individual retirement annuity under section 402(c)(11) of the Internal Revenue Code. 5. If the plan of retirement benefits set forth in this chapter is terminated or discontinued, the rights of all affected participating members to accrued retirement benefits under this chapter as of the date of termination or discontinuance is nonforfeitable, to the extent then funded.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-11.3 Supplemental retiree benefit payment

39-03.1-11.3. Supplemental retiree benefit payment If the board determines that the fund has obtained a total return on investments of nine and six hundredths percent or higher for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2007, or June 30, 2008, the board shall authorize an additional payment equal to seventy-five percent of the January retirement allowance following the fiscal yearend to each eligible retiree in pay status as of that January, including joint and survivor and term certain beneficiaries, under this chapter. The board may only make one payment under this section.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-14.1 Multiple plan membership - Eligibility for benefits - Amount of benefits

39-03.1-14.1. Multiple plan membership - Eligibility for benefits - Amount of benefits 1. For the purpose of determining eligibility for benefits under this chapter, a member's years of service is the total of the years of service earned under this chapter and the years of service employment or years of service credit earned in any number of the following, the total of which may not exceed twelve months of credit per year: a. The public employees retirement system. b. The teachers' fund for retirement. c. The teachers' insurance and annuity association of America - college retirement equities fund (TIAA-CREF), for service credit earned while employed by North Dakota institutions of higher education. 2. If a member terminates eligible employment under this chapter, if that member has not received a refund of the member's accumulated deductions, and if that member begins eligible employment in a plan described in subdivision a or b of subsection 1, that member may elect to remain an inactive member of the system without refund of the member's accumulated deductions. The election must be made within ninety days after beginning the eligible employment. The board shall terminate the inactive status of a member under this subsection if the member gains eligible employment under this chapter or if the member terminates eligible employment under a plan described in subdivision a or b of subsection 1. 3. Pursuant to rules adopted by the board, a member who has service credit in the system and in any of the alternate plans described in subdivision a or b of subsection 1 is entitled to benefits under this chapter. The employee may elect to have benefits calculated using the benefit formula in section 39-03.1-11 under either of the following calculation methods: a. By using the final average salary as calculated in section 39-03.1-11. If the participating member has worked for less than thirty-six months at retirement, the final average salary is the average salary for the total months of employment. b. Using the final average salary as calculated in section 39-03.1-11, with service credit not to exceed one month in any month when combined with the service credit earned in the alternate retirement system. The board shall calculate benefits for an employee under this subsection by using only those years of service employment earned under this chapter.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-14.2 Benefit payments to alternate payee under qualified domestic relations order

39-03.1-14.2. Benefit payments to alternate payee under qualified domestic relations order. 1. The board shall pay retirement benefits in accordance with the applicable requirements of any qualified domestic relations order. The board shall review a domestic relations order submitted to it to determine if the domestic relations order is qualified under this section and under rules established by the board for determining the qualified status of domestic relations orders and administering distributions under the qualified orders. Upon determination that a domestic relations order is qualified, the board shall notify the contributor and the named alternate payee of its receipt of the qualified domestic relations order. 2. A "qualified domestic relations order" for purposes of this section means any judgment, decree, or order, including approval of a property settlement agreement, which relates to the provision of child support, spousal support, or marital property rights to a spouse, former spouse, child, or other dependent of a contributor, is made pursuant to a North Dakota domestic relations law, and which creates or recognizes the existence of an alternate payee's right to, or assigns to an alternate payee the right to, receive all or a part of the benefits payable to the contributor. A qualified domestic relations order may not require the board to provide any type or form of benefit, or any option, not otherwise provided under the retirement system, or to provide increased benefits as determined on the basis of actuarial value. However, a qualified domestic relations order may require the payment of benefits at the early retirement date notwithstanding that the contributor has not terminated eligible employment. A qualified domestic relations order must specify: a. The name and the last-known mailing address of the contributor and the name and mailing address of each alternate payee covered by the order; b. The amount or percentage of the contributor's benefits to be paid by the plan to each alternate payee; c. The number of payments or period to which the order applies; and d. Each retirement plan to which the order applies.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-18 Compulsory termination of employment

39-03.1-18. Compulsory termination of employment A contributor who is at least the age of sixty years may not continue employment with the patrol. The superintendent shall terminate the employment of such a member. The termination is effective no later than the member's sixtieth birthday.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-19 Refunds in case of resignation or discharge

39-03.1-19. Refunds in case of resignation or discharge Repealed by S.L. 1965, ch. 269, § 9.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-22 Payments of allowances

39-03.1-22. Payments of allowances The allowances granted under the provisions of this chapter may not be increased, decreased, revoked, or repealed except as provided by law.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-23 Exemptions from taxes and executions

39-03.1-23. Exemptions from taxes and executions Repealed by S.L. 1987, ch. 386, § 2.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-24 Service in the armed forces of the United States

39-03.1-24. Service in the armed forces of the United States Repealed by S.L. 1993, ch. 377, § 2.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-25 Fraud - Correction of errors

39-03.1-25. Fraud - Correction of errors No person may knowingly make any false statement, or may falsify or permit to be falsified any record or records of the retirement system herein established in any attempt to defraud such system. Should any such change in records fraudulently made or any mistake in records inadvertently made result in any contributor or other beneficiary receiving more or less than the person would have been entitled to had the records been correct, then, on the discovery of such error, the board shall correct such error and shall adjust the payments which shall be made to the contributor in such manner that the benefit to which the contributor was correctly entitled shall be paid.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-26 Payments under other laws

39-03.1-26. Payments under other laws All payments provided for in this chapter are in addition to any other benefits now or hereafter provided for under the workforce safety and insurance laws of this state.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-27 Legislative intent

39-03.1-27. Legislative intent The legislative assembly in recognition of the value of good employer-employee relationships and the need to recruit and retain qualified highway patrol troopers in this state, hereby declares its intent that the state should provide the comparable contribution for retirement of highway patrol troopers' retirement system members as it provides for other state employees. It is the further intent of the legislative assembly that because of the increase in state contributions to the North Dakota highway patrol troopers' retirement system, the members of such system shall not obligate the state to additional payments for federal social security benefits for such members.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-28 Confidentiality of records

39-03.1-28. Confidentiality of records All records relating to the retirement benefits of a member or a beneficiary under this chapter are confidential and are not public records. The information and records may be disclosed, under rules adopted by the board only to: 1. A person to whom the member has given written consent to have the information disclosed. 2. A person legally representing the member, upon proper proof of representation, and unless the member specifically withholds consent. 3. A person authorized by a court order. 4. A member's participating employer, limited to information concerning the member's years of service credit and years of age. The board may share other types of information as needed by the employer to validate the employer's compliance with existing state or federal laws. Any information provided to the member's participating employer under this subsection must remain confidential except as provided under subsection 6. 5. The administrative staff of the retirement and investment office for purposes relating to membership and benefits determination. 6. State or federal agencies for purposes of reporting on a service provider's provision of services or when the employer must supply information to an agency to validate the employer's compliance with existing state or federal laws. 7. Member interest groups approved by the board on a third-party blind list basis, limited to information concerning the member's participation, name, and address. 8. The member's spouse or former spouse, that individual's legal representative, and the judge presiding over the member's dissolution proceeding for purposes of aiding the parties in drafting a qualified domestic relations order under section 39-03.1-14.2. The information disclosed under this subsection must be limited to information necessary for drafting the order. 9. Beneficiaries designated by a participating member or a former participating member to receive benefits after the member's death, but only after the member's death. Information relating to beneficiaries may be disclosed to other beneficiaries of the same member. 10. Any person if the board determines disclosure is necessary for treatment, operational, or payment purposes, including the completion of necessary documents. 11. The general public, but only after the board has been unable to locate the member for a period in excess of two years, and limited to the member's name and the fact that the board has been unable to locate the member. 12. A government child support enforcement agency for purposes of establishing paternity or establishing, modifying, or enforcing a child support obligation of the member. 13. A person if the information relates to an employer service purchase under section 39-03.1-10.2, but the information must be limited to the member's name and employer, the retirement program in which the member participates, the amount of service credit purchased by the employer, and the total amount expended by the employer for that service credit purchase, and that information may only be obtained from the member's employer.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-29 Savings clause - Plan modifications

39-03.1-29. Savings clause - Plan modifications If the board determines that any section of this chapter does not comply with applicable federal statutes or rules, the board shall adopt appropriate terminology with respect to that section as will comply with those federal statutes or rules, subject to the approval of the employee benefits programs committee. Any plan modifications made by the board pursuant to this section are effective until the effective date of any measure enacted by the legislative assembly providing the necessary amendments to this chapter to ensure compliance with the federal statutes or rules.

N.D. Cent. Code § 39-03.1-30 Conversion of sick leave

39-03.1-30. Conversion of sick leave A member is entitled to credit in the retirement system for each month of unused sick leave, as certified by the employer, if the member or the member's employer pays an amount equal to the member's final average salary, times the number of months of sick leave converted, times the employer and employee contribution, plus the required contribution for the retiree health benefits program. Hours of sick leave equal to a fraction of a month are deemed to be a full month for purposes of conversion to service credit. A member may convert all of the member's certified sick leave or a part of that person's certified sick leave.
Source: Open US Law by Vaquill AI (CC BY 4.0)URL: https://ndlegis.gov/cencode/t39c03-1.pdfFetched: 10/16/2026

Starting a business in North Dakota? North Dakota LLC guide: costs and requirements