Sec.10-183l-21. Leaves of absence

(a) Creditable leaves. An absence from active teaching service in the public schools of this state shall be creditable toward retirement provided such absence is a formal leave of absence granted by a teacher's employer, or is an absence due to illness. A member establishes that a formal leave of absence has been granted by his or her employer through records of the employer created at the time the leave of absence was granted. A member establishes that an absence was due to illness either by means of employer records which indicate a formal leave of absence was granted by the employer or through medical or other evidence satisfactory to the Board. A member who is performing active service in a teaching position at less than full time is not considered to be absent from active teaching service.

(b) Purchase of retirement credit. The purchase of retirement credit for a leave of absence as defined in subsection (a) of this section is accomplished by:

(1) the payment of mandatory contributions to the Board during each month of the leave at the rate mandated in section 10-183n of the Connecticut General Statutes times the annual salary rate that would have been earned by the member for full-time service during that period, or

(2) the payment of mandatory contributions to the Board at the time of retirement as provided in section 10-183e (c) of the General Statutes.

(c) Maximum retirement credit. The total number of years of absence from public school teaching in this state which may be purchased by a member for retirement credit shall be one year of such credit for each five years of full time active teaching service in the public schools of this state. The member may purchase up to ten school months of such leave through payment of mandatory contributions during the leave, as provided in subsection (b) of this section. All additional years of formal leave of absence, or if the member has made no mandatory contributions during a leave of absence then all such years of formal leave of absence, shall be purchased at the time of retirement. If any absence from active teaching service in the public schools of this state is greater than thirty consecutive school months the member may purchase no more than thirty months of retirement credit for that absence. No retirement credit may be purchased for a leave of absence granted by an employer which is not a Connecticut public school employer.

(d) Purchase of credit by a survivor. A survivor of a member who dies while on an authorized leave of absence may pay to the teachers' retirement board the required contributions which would have been paid to the board by the member under the provisions of subparagraph (1) of subsection (b) of this section had the member so elected in order to establish eligibility for benefits under section 10-183h of the General Statutes.

(e) Purchased credit in the computation of benefits. Additional credit purchased in accordance with this regulation shall be treated in the computation of any benefit as if it were service in the public schools of Connecticut, except that any salary related to the period of the leave of absence, whether or not used in determining the cost of the purchase of additional credit, shall not be considered in determining the member's final average salary.

(Effective November 25, 1992)