§45-8A-22.117. Termination of employment; return of contributions; participation in the plan ceased.

In the event a participant terminates employment with the City of Anniston as a sworn police officer or sworn firefighter for any reason prior to becoming eligible for a benefit from the plan, the participant shall be entitled to receive all his or her participant contributions, without interest, made to the plan pursuant to Section 45-8A-22.109 and shall have no further claim to benefits from the plan, and his or her participation in the plan shall cease as of the date of termination. If the participant subsequently becomes employed by the City of Anniston as a sworn police officer or as a sworn firefighter, he or she shall be treated as a new participant and accrual of benefits shall begin as of the date of his or her reemployment, unless otherwise allowed by applicable law to repay such participant contributions to the plan and continue participation in the plan.

All other contributions made to the plan pursuant to Section 45-8A-22.109, including the City of Anniston contributions, are never returned to a participant who terminates employment or a participant's beneficiary. All such contributions shall remain in the trust, except such contributions that are returned to the City of Anniston to correct certain errors, e.g., inclusion in the plan of an ineligible individual or the overpayment of contributions to the trust, etc.

(Act 2012-484, p. 1349, §18.)