Section 54-52.6-09 - [Effective Until the date which must be before 1/1/2025, identified in a certification by the retirement board, only if the board certifies to the legislative council that the public employees retirement system is prepared to close the main system defined benefit retirement plan on the day before the date identified by the board, and to open the new defined contribution retirement plan on the date identified by the board] Contributions - Penalty1. Each participating member shall contribute monthly four percent of the monthly salary or wage paid to the participant, and this assessment must be deducted from the participant's salary in equal monthly installments commencing with the first month of participation in the defined contribution retirement plan established under this chapter. Participating member contributions increase by one percent of the monthly salary or wage paid to the participant beginning with the monthly reporting period of January 2012; with an additional increase of one percent, beginning with the reporting period of January 2013; and with an additional increase of one percent, beginning with the monthly reporting period of January 2014.2. The employer shall contribute an amount equal to four and twelve-hundredths percent of the monthly salary or wage of a participating member. Employer contributions increase by one percent of the monthly salary or wage of a participating member beginning with the monthly reporting period of January 2012; with an additional increase of one percent, beginning with the monthly reporting period of January 2013; and with an additional increase of one percent, beginning with the monthly reporting period of January 2014. For members first enrolled after December 31, 2019, the employer contribution includes an additional increase of one and fourteen-hundredths percent. If the employee's contribution is paid by the employer under subsection 3, the employer shall contribute, in addition, an amount equal to the required employee's contribution. Monthly, the employer shall pay such contribution into the participating member's account from the employer's funds appropriated for payroll and salary or any other funds available for such purposes. If the employer fails to pay the contributions monthly, or fails to otherwise comply with the board's established wage reporting or payroll reporting process requirements, the employer is subject to a civil penalty of fifty dollars and, as interest, one percent of the amount due for each month of delay or fraction of a month after the payment became due. In lieu of assessing a civil penalty or one percent per month, or both, interest at the actuarial rate of return may be assessed for each month the contributions are delinquent. If contributions are paid within ninety days of the date the contributions became due, penalty and interest to be paid on delinquent contributions may be waived.3. Each employer, at its option, may pay the employee contributions required by this section for all compensation earned after December 31, 1999. The amount paid must be paid by the employer in lieu of contributions by the employee. If the employer decides not to pay the contributions, the amount that would have been paid will continue to be deducted from the employee's compensation. If contributions are paid by the employer, they must be treated as employer contributions in determining tax treatment under this code and the federal Internal Revenue Code. Contributions paid by the employer may not be included as gross income of the employee in determining tax treatment under this code and the federal Internal Revenue Code until they are distributed or made available. The employer shall pay these employee contributions from the same source of funds used in paying compensation to the employee. The employer shall pay these contributions by effecting an equal cash reduction in the gross salary of the employee or by an offset against future salary increases or by a combination of a reduction in gross salary and offset against future salary increases. Employee contributions paid by the employer must be treated for the purposes of this chapter in the same manner and to the same extent as employee contributions made before the date on which employee contributions were assumed by the employer. An employer shall exercise its option under this subsection by reporting its choice to the board in writing.Amended by S.L. 2023SP1, ch. 644 (HB 1548),§ 20, eff. on the date which must be before 1/1/2025, identified in a certification by the retirement board, only if the board certifies to the legislative council that the public employees retirement system is prepared to close the main system defined benefit retirement plan on the day before the date identified by the board, and to open the new defined contribution retirement plan on the date identified by the board.Amended by S.L. 2021 , ch. 438( HB 1041 ), § 3, eff. 8/1/2021.Amended by S.L. 2019 , ch. 459( SB 2046 ), § 5, eff. 7/1/2019.Amended by S.L. 2017 , ch. 372( SB 2053 ), § 10, eff. 8/1/2017.Amended by S.L. 2013 , ch. 431( HB 1452 ), § 15, eff. 7/1/2013.Amended by S.L. 2011 , ch. 432( SB 2108 ), § 10, eff. 8/1/2011.Amended by S.L. 2011 , ch. 431( SB 2109 ), § 11, eff. 8/1/2011.This section is set out more than once due to postponed, multiple, or conflicting amendments.