SSerervviice Cce Crredediitt If you need help locating the DD Form 214, visit the Department of Defense’s website. All employer and member contributions must be paid for any leaves upon your return to PERF-covered employment. Ultimately, INPRS relies on the assertions and verifications made by your participating employer. Military service credit guidelines are governed by IC 5-10.3-7-5 and 35 IAC 1.2-3-10. 4.5 Leave of Absence You may take certain types of leave from a covered position and still earn or retain service credit. The leave taken may have a different effect on eligibility for pension benefits than it does on the amount of benefits. Various types of leave are discussed below, but you should be certain to speak with your employer and should maintain your own written records of any leave. NOTE: For Leave of Absence (LOA) reviews completed on or after July 1, 2019, the total LOA service credit cannot exceed 1/8th of the total creditable service. Leave of Absence from PERF-Covered Employment You are entitled to creditable leave provided it does not constitute 1/8th of your creditable service total at the time the leave is taken. This leave must be approved by the employer. Creditable service may be granted during a leave of absence only if you return to work for a period of six months or greater. If you receive compensation during your LOA, your employer must make contributions for creditable leave of absence. Typically, paid leaves are considered creditable. During a qualifying paid leave of absence, both you and your employer must pay the mandatory contributions, and creditable service will be granted to the extent permitted by law. You should consult with your employer about any leave and ask your employer to contact INPRS about how a leave will affect your creditable service and eligibility. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) You may also receive credit for up to twelve weeks of leave taken during a twelve month period under nths Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) (29 USC 2601, et seq.). If this leave is in addition to the six mo of unpaid authorized leave in a 4-year period, it is considered service only for vesting and for the purpose of determining eligibility and not for calculating benefits if the FMLA is for some reason other than those listed in this section of this handbook. Paid Leave During a paid leave of absence, you and your employer are required to make contributions. For more information, see section above: the Leave of Absence from PERF-covered Employment. Unpaid Leave You may be entitled creditable leave provided it does not constitute 1/8th of your creditable service total at the time the leave is taken. See IC 5-10.3-7-6. This leave must be approved by your employer and a copy of the grant of leave of absence must be filed with INPRS in a manner prescribed by the Board, within 90 days after the leave commenced. Public Employees’ Retirement Fund Hybrid Plan Page 18 of 48 Member Handbook Effective: 07/01/2024