§1007. Employment of retired bus operators

            A.(1)(a) Subject to the provisions of Subsection F of this Section, any retiree of this system who was retired from service as a bus operator on or before June 30, 2024, and who returns to active service in a full-time or part-time position as a bus operator covered by the provisions of this Chapter within the six-month period immediately following the effective date of his retirement shall have his retirement benefit suspended for the duration of such active service or the lapse of six months after the effective date of his retirement, whichever occurs first, even if such service is based on employment by contract or corporate contract. After the period of suspension of benefits as provided in this Subparagraph, the retirement benefit of such retiree shall no longer be suspended.

            (b) Subject to the provisions of Subsection F of this Section, any retiree of this system who retired from service as a bus operator on or after July 1, 2024, and who returns to active service in a full-time or part-time position as a bus operator covered by the provisions of this Chapter within the twelve-month period immediately following the effective date of his retirement shall have his retirement benefit suspended for the duration of such active service or the lapse of twelve months after the effective date of his retirement, whichever occurs first, even if such service is based on employment by contract or corporate contract. After the period of suspension of benefits as provided in this Subparagraph, the retirement benefit of such retiree shall no longer be suspended.

            (2) No member of this system who retires based on a disability shall return to service pursuant to the provisions of this Section. Disability retirees shall be governed by the provisions of this Chapter applicable to disability retirees.

            B. During the period of his return to active service, the reemployed bus operator and his employer shall make contributions to the retirement system as provided by this Chapter. However, the bus operator shall receive no additional service credit and shall not accrue any additional benefits in the retirement system. After termination of active service and upon application therefor, the retiree shall be refunded the employee contributions paid during reemployment. The refund shall be without interest. The retirement system shall retain all interest and employer contributions.

            C.(1) When any retired bus operator returns to active service pursuant to this Section with an employer covered by the provisions of this Chapter, the employing agency shall notify the board of trustees in writing within ten days of such employment and the date on which employment began. Upon termination, the employing agency shall also provide the board with information and notice thereof in writing. In addition to the notice required by this Subsection, the employing agency shall also report to the retirement system within forty-five days after June thirtieth of each year the names of all retired persons being paid by the employing agency, their social security numbers, and the amounts of their earnings during the previous fiscal year ending June thirtieth of the reporting year.

            (2) Any employer who elects to reemploy a retired bus operator pursuant to this Section shall submit to the system before September first of each school year of reemployment a declaration stating the employer's intent to reemploy such bus operator pursuant to this Section. Such declaration shall be signed by the employer's authorized representative and the employee. If such declaration is not received by the system by such date, the reemployed bus operator shall be considered reemployed pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 11:1006.

NOTE: Paragraph (C)(3) as amended by Acts 2024, No. 594.

            (3) The superintendent of any employer who elects to reemploy a retired bus operator pursuant to this Section shall certify to the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education that a shortage of qualified bus operators exists in the school district of such employer. The legislative auditor may audit or investigate as to whether there is a shortage of bus operators in such district.

NOTE: Paragraph (C)(3) as repealed by Acts 2024, No. 594.

            (3) Repealed by Acts 2024, No. 594, §2.

            D. The status of any retired bus operator who is reemployed pursuant to the provisions of this Section shall be the same as that of a full-time active employee and shall be governed by the rules, procedures, policies, and statutes that apply to all such active employees.

            E. The provisions of R.S. 11:1006 shall not be applicable to any retiree to whom this Section applies.

            F. Any employer who participates in the reemployment of any retired bus operator pursuant to this Section shall pay the actuarial cost in aggregate attributable to the reemployment of such bus operator in excess of the cost that would have been incurred if the employer had reemployed the operator or operators pursuant to R.S.11:1006 as determined by the system's actuary. The actuarial cost to the system, if any, shall be included in the annual actuarial report to the board of trustees of the system and shall be submitted to the Public Retirement Systems' Actuarial Committee. Upon approval of the system's actuarial report by the Public Retirement Systems' Actuarial Committee, the participating employers shall be notified of any cost, which shall be paid to the system not later than June thirtieth following such committee's approval of the system's actuarial report.

            G. Repealed by Acts 2008, No. 832, §2, eff. July 1, 2008.

            Acts 2007, No. 213, §1, eff. July 1, 2007; Acts 2008, No. 832, §§1, 2, eff. July 1, 2008; Acts 2009, No. 516, §1, eff. July 1, 2009; Acts 2024, No. 594, §§1, 2.