2011 Arizona Revised Statutes
Title 38 Public Officers and Employees
38-744 Leave of absence; credit for leave without pay

38-744. Leave of absence; credit for leave without pay

A. If an active member of ASRS or a member who is receiving benefits pursuant to section 38-797.07 is officially granted a leave of absence from employment without pay and returns to employment with the same employer, unless employment could not be resumed because of disability or nonavailability of a position, the member may elect to be credited with service for retirement purposes for not more than one year of the leave, but not more than a total of sixty months under this section, by paying to ASRS the amounts as provided in subsection B of this section, if the member has not withdrawn contributions from ASRS and the member's employer has certified that the leave of absence benefits or is in the best interests of the employer.

B. A member who elects to be credited with a leave period as provided in subsection A of this section shall pay to ASRS an amount equal to the present value of the additional benefit that is derived from the purchased credited service using the actuarial assumptions that are approved by the board.

C. A member who previously was a member of another public employee retirement system and who receives or is eligible to receive a retirement benefit from that system for any period of employment is ineligible to receive retirement benefits from ASRS for the same period.

D. A member shall have at least ten years of credited service in ASRS before electing to receive credit for service pursuant to this section.

E. For the purposes of subsection A of this section, each employer shall adopt rules establishing guidelines for a leave of absence that benefits or is in the best interests of the employer.