2603.1 Creditable service shall be measured for a participant from the
date of the participant's commencement of service in covered employment until the date of
separation from service or commencement of non-covered employment.
2603.2 Creditable service shall accrue in full year and calendar
months, including any fractional parts thereof. With respect to any fractional parts of a
month, thirty (30) calendar days shall equal one (1) calendar month.
2603.3 Service in any covered employment for less than twelve (12)
months shall be counted as creditable service towards satisfying the one (1) year of
creditable service requirement for participation in the Plan if the employee is placed in
another position of covered employment within three (3) work days of terminating service
in the previous covered position.
2603.4 A participant shall accrue creditable service for all of the
following purposes:
(a) To qualify for Plan participation, in accordance with '' 2602.1 and 2602.2;
(b) To determine when the interest of a participant in his or her
account shall vest in accordance with ' 2602.3
and ' 2603; and
(c) To determine when contributions are to be paid to the Trust on
behalf of a participant, in accordance with '' 2602.1
and 2605.1.
2603.5 Creditable service shall not include any of the following:
(a) The time that a participant is removed or suspended from service
without pay which exceeds thirty (30) work days in a calendar year, except as specified in
' 2602.8.
(b) Any portion of an authorized leave of absence without pay which
exceeds two (2) years, except for military leave or furlough as authorized under
applicable law or regulations;
(c) Any service performed in non-covered employment;
(d) Any prior service of an employee employed less than one (1) year if
the employee is separated from service in excess of three (3) work days;
(e) Any prior service of a participant reemployed by the District after
a separation from service in excess of one (1) year, except as provided for in '' 2602.6 and 2602.8;
(f) Any annual or sick leave accrued by an employee or a participant at
the time of separation from service; or
(g) Any service otherwise excluded from creditable service by the Act,
this chapter, or the Plan Document.
2604 PLAN ADMINISTRATION
2604.1 The Plan Document, as adopted pursuant to authority
delegated by the Mayor, shall contain the official summary description of the Plan and
shall include all of the following terms, conditions, and provisions:
(a) Purpose of the Plan;
(b) Definitions;
(c) Administration of the Plan;
(d) Participation in the Plan;
(e) District's contribution;
(f) Allocation and limitation of contributions;
(g) Benefits;
(h) Miscellaneous provisions;
(i) Amendment or termination of the Plan; and
(j) Applicable law.
2605 DISTRICT CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE TRUST
2605.1 The District shall make contributions not less frequently
than quarterly to the Trust in an amount equal to the sum of the amounts calculated
pursuant to '' 2605.2 and 2605.3, which
shall be allocated to the active account of each participant subject to the limitations on
contributions as established by IRC ' 415.
2605.2 For each participant other than a detention officer, the
District shall contribute an amount equal to the level of contribution designated in the
budget of the District, subject to the limitation on contributions as established by IRC ' 415; however, in no event shall the amount be
less than seven percent (7%) of the base salary of each participant.
2605.3 For each participant who is employed as a detention officer, the
District shall contribute an amount equal to the level of contribution designated in the
budget of the District, subject to the limitation on contributions as established by IRC ' 415; however, in no event shall the amount be
less than seven and one-half percent (72%) of
the base salary of each participant.
2605.4 The District shall only make contributions which are consistent
with the Act, this chapter, and the Plan Document. The District shall not make
contributions for any of the following:
(a) Any employee who has not attained one (1) year of creditable
service;
(b) Any participant during the time that the participant performs
service in non-covered employment;
(c) The period of time during which a participant is in a non-pay
status;
(d) The period of time during which a participant has been removed or
suspended from service without pay, except as provided for in ' 2602.8;
(e) The time period during which any participant is separated from
service in excess of three (3) work days, except as provided in '' 2602.6 and 2602.8; and
(f) Any participant whose participation in the Plan is not in
compliance with the Act, this chapter, or the Plan Document.
2605.5 A participant is neither required nor permitted to make payments
to the Trust.
2605.6 Contributions shall be made in accordance with the Act and shall
not be made in any manner so as to discriminate in favor of any participant or group of
participants.
2605.7 A participant shall have no right to any contributions or income
allocated to his or her active account until the participant becomes vested in accordance
with ' 2602.3.
2605.8 If a participant separates from service prior to attaining five
(5) years of creditable service, no contributions shall be allocated to his or her active
account during the period of separation, and all contributions and income previously
allocated to his or her active account shall be transferred to an inactive account during
the period of separation.
2605.9 If a former participant is reemployed with the District in
accordance with ' 2602.6 or 2602.8, all
contributions and income transferred to an inactive account shall be reinstated to the
participant, and transferred back to an active account.
2605.10 If a participant separates from service prior to attaining five
(5) years of creditable service, and is not reemployed with the District in accordance
with ' 2602.6 or 2602.8, then his or her
contributions and income which have been transferred to an inactive account shall be
forfeited.
2605.11 The Trustee shall return to the District contributions which
are made to the Trust, and any income thereon, in the event that any of the following are
true:
(a) The Plan does not qualify under IRC '' 401(a) and 501(a);
(b) The contributions or income have been allocated to any active or
inactive account under a mistake of fact; or
(c) Any funds remain in the Trust after the Plan has terminated and all
liabilities of the Trust have been satisfied.
2605.12 No contributions to the Trust, nor any income earned thereon,
shall be used for or diverted to purposes other than the exclusive benefit of the
participants, former participants, and their beneficiaries, prior to the satisfaction of
all liabilities to the participants, former participants, and beneficiaries.
2606 DISTRIBUTION AND FORFEITURE OF BENEFITS
2606.1 The Administrator shall not direct any distribution of
benefits to be made to, or on behalf of, a participant who has not accrued a minimum of
five (5) years of creditable service, unless the participant becomes disabled or dies
prior to that time.
2606.2 The Administrator shall direct the Trustee to distribute
benefits in lump sum to a vested participant, former participant, or beneficiary, as the
case may be, who separates from service, becomes disabled, or dies, as soon as
administratively feasible, but in no event longer than ninety (90) days after the end of
the quarter in which separation from service, disability, or death occurs, unless a
distribution option is elected pursuant to ' 2606.3;
however, benefits of less than $3,500.00 may only be distributed in lump sum payment.
2606.3 A vested participant, former participant, or beneficiary, as the
case may be, may elect to have benefits distributed in substantially equal amounts on a
monthly or annual basis over a period of either three (3), five (5), or ten (10) years, or
distributed in lump sum at a specified time in the future, as provided in the Plan
Document, and pursuant to the limitations set forth in IRC ' 401(a)(9); however, this election must be made
within sixty (60) days after separation from service, or benefits shall be distributed
only in lump sum.
2606.4 In no event shall the distribution of benefits to a participant,
former participant, or beneficiary, as the case may be, commence later than April 1
of the calendar year following the year in which the participant, former participant, or
beneficiary attains the age of seventy and one-half (70-2),
or by such other age, if any, that the Internal Revenue Service may establish which is
applicable to qualified plans under IRC ' 401(a).
2606.5 Prior to any distribution of benefits from the Plan to a former
participant, the former participant must attest to his or her marital status and, if
married, submit written consent, witnessed by a notary public, from his or her spouse, to
any distribution of benefits, unless it is established to the satisfaction of the
Administrator that this consent cannot be obtained due to incompetence, incapacitation, or
unavailability of the spouse.
2606.6 If a participant, former participant, or beneficiary, as the
case may be, elects to have benefits distributed in accordance with ' 2606.3, his or her active account shall be
transferred to an inactive account during the period for which benefits are to be
distributed.
2606.7 If a participant dies prior to the commencement of a
distribution of benefits, the Administrator shall direct the Trustee to distribute
benefits to the beneficiary in accordance with the Plan Document.
2606.8 If a former participant dies after the commencement of a
distribution of benefits, the Administrator shall direct the Trustee to distribute any
remaining benefits to the beneficiary of the former participant in accordance with the
Plan Document.
2606.9 If a participant becomes disabled prior to a separation from
service, the Administrator shall direct the Trustee to distribute benefits to the
participant in accordance with the Plan Document.
2606.10 If a participant or former participant dies without designating
a beneficiary, the Administrator shall direct the Trustee to distribute any remaining
benefits in accordance with the Plan Document.
2606.11 A married participant or former participant may only designate
a beneficiary other than his or her spouse upon the written attested consent of the
spouse, unless it is established to the satisfaction of the Administrator that this
consent can not be obtained due to incompetence, incapacitation, or unavailability of the
spouse.
2607 MISCELLANEOUS PROVISIONS
2607.1 Any payment of, or right to, benefits shall be
non-assignable and non-alienable, except as provided in the Plan Document.
2607.2 The payment of, or right to, benefits under the Plan may be
assigned to a non-participant pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order as provided
in applicable law and regulation or in the Plan Document.
2607.3 The liability of the Plan to any participant, former
participant, or beneficiary with respect to the distribution of benefits shall be limited
to his or her active or inactive account balance, as the case may be, as recorded on the
books of the Administrator on the date of separation from service, disability, or death,
and shall include any income earned thereafter.
2607.4 The District may amend or terminate this Plan, provided that any
amendment or termination shall not impair the rights of a vested participant or former
participant, or his or her beneficiary, to receive any contributions, and income earned
thereon, allocated to his or her active or inactive account, as the case may be, prior to
the date of the termination or amendment of the Plan.
2607.5 Prior to any material amendment to the Plan, the Administrator
shall notify all participants, former participants, and beneficiaries in writing setting
forth the nature of the amendment, the purpose of the amendment, and its likely impact on
participants, former participants, and beneficiaries.
2607.6 No vested benefits of participants, former participants, or
beneficiaries shall be forfeited upon the termination of the Plan.
2699 DEFINITIONS
2699.1 As used in '' 2601
through 2607 of this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings ascribed:
Active account - the bookkeeping account maintained for
each participant to record his or her allocable share of contributions, related income
earned thereon, and administrative expenses, unless the account is otherwise designated as
an inactive account.
Act - the District of Columbia Government Comprehensive
Merit Personnel Act of 1978 Employee Benefits Amendment Act of 1987 (D.C. Law 7-27, D.C.
Code ' 1-627.2 et seq. (1988
Supplement)).
Administrative expenses - the costs of administering the
Plan, including but not limited to any Trust expenses.
Administrator - one (1) or more persons or independent
contractors selected by the Director of Personnel to administer the Plan.
Base salary - the base rate of pay paid to a participant,
as established by a District of Columbia salary schedule, excluding overtime, holiday,
Sunday, environmental, or night-shift differential pay, upon which contributions to the
Plan shall be determined.
Beneficiary - the person(s) or legal entity designated by
the participant or former participant to receive any undistributed benefits which become
payable in the event of the death of the participant or former participant.
Benefits - the amount in the active or inactive account of
a vested participant or former participant, or his or her beneficiary, which is available
for distribution upon separation from service, disability, or death.
Contribution - the amount which the District deposits into
the Trust in accordance with '' 2605.1,
2605.2, and 2605.3
Covered employment - service by any employee in any
position, not specifically excluded as "non-covered employment," pursuant to ' 2602.9, that:
(a) Is under the personnel authority of the Mayor;
(b) Includes the District of Columbia Courts, but only if the courts
duly accept the Plan with the approval of the Mayor; or
(c) Is an independent agency as defined in D.C. Code ' 1-603.1, but only if the agency duly accepts
the Plan with the approval of the Mayor.
Creditable service - shall have the meaning ascribed in
D.C. Code ' 1-627.4(1) (1988 Supplement)
and ' 2603 of this chapter.
D.C. Code - the District of Columbia Code (1981 edition),
as amended from time to time, unless otherwise designated.
Detention officer - shall have the meaning ascribed in D.C.
Code ' 1-627.4(2) (1988 Supplement).
Disabled - a condition which results in a participant being
entitled to disability benefits within the meaning of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. '' 416(i) and 423(d)).
District - the District of Columbia, including (a) the
District of Columbia Courts and (b) any independent agency, if the courts or any agency
duly accept the Plan, with the approval of the Mayor.
Employee - a natural person, whether elected, appointed, or
salaried, who begins original service with the District after September 30, 1987, and who
receives compensation for personal services performed for the District, or would have
received the compensation but for an unpaid, authorized leave of absence.
Former participant - a participant who has separated from
service with the District, but who has vested benefits in the Plan that have not been paid
in full.
Inactive account - the bookkeeping account maintained for
each former participant for whom contributions are no longer being made pursuant to ' 2605.8, and for each former participant or
beneficiary who receives benefits under a distribution option pursuant to ' 2606.6, to record his or her allocable share of
income and administrative expenses.
Income - the net increase or decrease of the Trust, as of
each valuation date, resulting from realized and unrealized gains or losses, interest,
dividends, and other investment earnings.
Internal Revenue Code or "IRC" - the Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended from time to time.
One (1) year of creditable service - shall have the meaning
specified in ' 2603.1 et seq.
Participant - shall have the meaning given in '' 2602.1 and 2602.2.
Separation from service - severance of an employee's
employment with the District which is deemed to occur when the employment relationship is
considered to have actually terminated in accordance with the established practices of the
District.
Trust - a trust which qualifies under IRC '' 401(a) and 501(a), into which the District's
contributions are deposited.