53 Pa. Stat. § 30593
The city employes and contributing members to the fund shall after the passage of this act pay unto the board of pensions monthly an amount equal to three per centum of their monthly salaries or wages, in no event, however, paying at a rate greater than the amount per month authorized by ordinance of the second class A city, which shall be applied to the purpose of this act. Payment of the monthly amount or contribution herein mentioned shall cease and be discontinued at the time the beneficiary receives the pension herein provided, except for contributions required to be made to complete a twenty-year period of contribution, as provided in subsections (a) and (b) of section 2 of this act. If for any cause an employe contributing to the pension fund shall cease to be an employe of any such city of the second class A before said employe becomes entitled to the pensions conferred by this act, the total amount of the contributions paid into the pension fund by such employe shall be refunded to him or her in full, without interest; provided, however, if any such employe shall have returned to him or her the amount contributed as aforesaid and shall afterward re-enter the employ of such city, said employe shall not be entitled to the pension designated until twenty years after said re-employment unless he or she shall return to the pension fund the amount withdrawn, plus interest, in which event the period of twenty years shall be computed from the time said employe first entered the service of said city. In the event of the death of any such employe before the said employe becomes entitled to the pension aforesaid, the said total amount of contributions aforesaid shall be paid over to the estate of the said deceased employe or his or her designated beneficiary. In the event of the death of any employe collecting the pension aforesaid, the total amount of contributions over and above that paid to the deceased employe shall be paid over to the estate of the said deceased employe, or his or her designated beneficiary.
53 P.S. § 30593