§ 418. Voluntary agreements for coverage of State and local employees

§ 418. Voluntary agreements for coverage of State and local employees

(a) Purpose of agreement

(1) The Commissioner of Social Security shall, at the request of any State, enter into an agreement with such State for the purpose of extending the insurance system established by this subchapter to services performed by individuals as employees of such State or any political subdivision thereof. Each such agreement shall contain such provisions, not inconsistent with the provisions of this section, as the State may request.

(2) Notwithstanding section 410(a) of this title, for the purposes of this subchapter the term “employment” includes any service included under an agreement entered into under this section.

(b) Definitions For the purposes of this section—

(1) The term “State” does not include the District of Columbia, Guam, or American Samoa.

(2) The term “political subdivision” includes an instrumentality of (A) a State, (B) one or more political subdivisions of a State, or (C) a State and one or more of its political subdivisions.

(3) The term “employee” includes an officer of a State or political subdivision.

(4) The term “retirement system” means a pension, annuity, retirement, or similar fund or system established by a State or by a political subdivision thereof.

(5) The term “coverage group” means (A) employees of the State other than those engaged in performing service in connection with a proprietary function; (B) employees of a political subdivision of a State other than those engaged in performing service in connection with a proprietary function; (C) employees of a State engaged in performing service in connection with a single proprietary function; or (D) employees of a political subdivision of a State engaged in performing service in connection with a single proprietary function. If under the preceding sentence an employee would be included in more than one coverage group by reason of the fact that he performs service in connection with two or more proprietary functions or in connection with both a proprietary function and a nonproprietary function, he shall be included in only one such coverage group. The determination of the coverage group in which such employee shall be included shall be made in such manner as may be specified in the agreement. Persons employed under section 709 of title 32, who elected under section 6 of the National Guard Technicians Act of 1968 to remain covered by an employee retirement system of, or plan sponsored by, a State or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, shall, for the purposes of this chapter, be employees of the State or the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and (notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this paragraph), shall be deemed to be a separate coverage group. For purposes of this section, individuals employed pursuant to an agreement, entered into pursuant to section 1624 of title 7 or section 499n of title 7, between a State and the United States Department of Agriculture to perform services as inspectors of agricultural products may be deemed, at the option of the State, to be employees of the State and (notwithstanding the preceding provisions of this paragraph) shall be deemed to be a separate coverage group.

(c) Services covered

(1) An agreement under this section shall be applicable to any one or more coverage groups designated by the State.

(2) In the case of each coverage group to which the agreement applies, the agreement must include all services (other than services excluded by or pursuant to subsection (d) or paragraph (3), (5), or (6) of this subsection) performed by individuals as members of such group.

(3) Such agreement shall, if the State requests it, exclude (in the case of any coverage group) any one or more of the following:

(A) All services in any class or classes of (i) elective positions, (ii) part-time positions, or (iii) positions the compensation for which is on a fee basis;

(B) All services performed by individuals as members of a coverage group in positions covered by a retirement system on the date such agreement is made applicable to such coverage group, but only in the case of individuals who, on such date (or, if later, the date on which they first occupy such positions), are not eligible to become members of such system and whose services in such positions have not already been included under such agreement pursuant to subsection (d)(3).

(4) The Commissioner of Social Security shall, at the request of any State, modify the agreement with such State so as to (A) include any coverage group to which the agreement did not previously apply, or (B) include, in the case of any coverage group to which the agreement applies, services previously excluded from the agreement; but the agreement as so modified may not be inconsistent with the provisions of this section applicable in the case of an original agreement with a State. A modification of an agreement pursuant to clause (B) of the preceding sentence may apply to individuals to whom paragraph (3)(B) of this subsection is applicable (whether or not the previous exclusion of the service of such individuals was pursuant to such paragraph), but only if such individuals are, on the effective date specified in such modification, ineligible to be members of any retirement system or if the modification with respect to such individuals is pursuant to subsection (d)(3).

(5) Such agreement shall, if the State requests it, exclude (in the case of any coverage group) any agricultural labor, or service performed by a student, designated by the State. This paragraph shall apply only with respect to service which is excluded from employment by any provision of section 410(a) of this title other than paragraph (7) of such section and service the remuneration for which is excluded from wages by subparagraph (B) of section 409(a)(7) of this title.

(6) Such agreement shall exclude—

(A) service performed by an individual who is employed to relieve him from unemployment,

(B) service performed in a hospital, home, or other institution by a patient or inmate thereof,

(C) covered transportation service (as determined under section 410(k) of this title),

(D) service (other than agricultural labor or service performed by a student) which is excluded from employment by any provision of section 410(a) of this title other than paragraph (7) of such section,

(E) service performed by an individual as an employee serving on a temporary basis in case of fire, storm, snow, earthquake, flood, or other similar emergency, and

(F) service described in section 410(a)(7)(F) of this title which is included as “employment” under section 410(a) of this title.

(7) No agreement may be made applicable (either in the original agreement or by any modification thereof) to service performed by any individual to whom paragraph (3)(B) of this subsection is applicable unless such agreement provides (in the case of each coverage group involved) either that the service of any individual to whom such paragraph is applicable and who is a member of such coverage group shall continue to be covered by such agreement in case he thereafter becomes eligible to be a member of a retirement system, or that such service shall cease to be so covered when he becomes eligible to be a member of such a system (but only if the agreement is not already applicable to such system pursuant to subsection (d)(3)), whichever may be desired by the State.

(8)

(A) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, the agreement with any State entered into under this section may at the option of the State be modified at any time to exclude service performed by election officials or election workers if the remuneration paid in a calendar year for such service is less than $1,000 with respect to service performed during any calendar year commencing on or after January 1, 1995, ending on or before December 31, 1999, and the adjusted amount determined under subparagraph (B) for any calendar year commencing on or after January 1, 2000, with respect to service performed during such calendar year. Any modification of an agreement pursuant to this paragraph shall be effective with respect to services performed in and after the calendar year in which the modification is mailed or delivered by other means to the Commissioner of Social Security.

(B) For each year after 1999, the Commissioner of Social Security shall adjust the amount referred to in subparagraph (A) at the same time and in the same manner as is provided under section 415(a)(1)(B)(ii) of this title with respect to the amounts referred to in section 415(a)(1)(B)(i) of this title, except that—

The Commissioner of Social Security shall determine and publish in the Federal Register each adjusted amount determined under this subparagraph not later than November 1 preceding the year for which the adjustment is made.

(i) for purposes of this subparagraph, 1997 shall be substituted for the calendar year referred to in section 415(a)(1)(B)(ii)(II) of this title, and

(ii) such amount as so adjusted, if not a multiple of $100, shall be rounded to the next higher multiple of $100 where such amount is a multiple of $50 and to the nearest multiple of $100 in any other case.

(d) Positions covered by retirement systems

(1) No agreement with any State may be made applicable (either in the original agreement or by any modification thereof) to any service performed by employees as members of any coverage group in positions covered by a retirement system either (A) on the date such agreement is made applicable to such coverage group, or (B) on September 1, 1954 (except in the case of positions which are, by reason of action by such State or political subdivision thereof, as may be appropriate, taken prior to September 1, 1954, no longer covered by a retirement system on the date referred to in clause (A), and except in the case of positions excluded by paragraph (5)(A) of this subsection). The preceding sentence shall not be applicable to any service performed by an employee as a member of any coverage group in a position (other than a position excluded by paragraph (5)(A) of this subsection) covered by a retirement system on the date an agreement is made applicable to such coverage group if, on such date (or, if later, the date on which such individual first occupies such position), such individual is ineligible to be a member of such system.

(2) It is declared to be the policy of the Congress in enacting the succeeding paragraphs of this subsection that the protection afforded employees in positions covered by a retirement system on the date an agreement under this section is made applicable to service performed in such positions, or receiving periodic benefits under such retirement system at such time, will not be impaired as a result of making the agreement so applicable or as a result of legislative enactment in anticipation thereof.

(3) Notwithstanding paragraph (1) of this subsection, an agreement with a State may be made applicable (either in the original agreement or by any modification thereof) to service performed by employees in positions covered by a retirement system (including positions specified in paragraph (4) of this subsection but not including positions excluded by or pursuant to paragraph (5)), if the governor of the State, or an official of the State designated by him for the purpose, certifies to the Commissioner of Social Security that the following conditions have been met:

An employee shall be deemed an “eligible employee” for purposes of any referendum with respect to any retirement system if, at the time such referendum was held, he was in a position covered by such retirement system and was a member of such system, and if he was in such a position at the time notice of such referendum was given as required by clause (C) of the preceding sentence; except that he shall not be deemed an “eligible employee” if, at the time the referendum was held, he was in a position to which the State agreement already applied, or if he was in a position excluded by or pursuant to paragraph (5). No referendum with respect to a retirement system shall be valid for purposes of this paragraph unless held within the two-year period which ends on the date of execution of the agreement or modification which extends the insurance system established by this subchapter to such retirement system, nor shall any referendum with respect to a retirement system be valid for purposes of this paragraph if held less than one year after the last previous referendum held with respect to such retirement system.

(A) A referendum by secret written ballot was held on the question of whether service in positions covered by such retirement system should be excluded from or included under an agreement under this section;

(B) An opportunity to vote in such referendum was given (and was limited) to eligible employees;

(C) Not less than ninety days’ notice of such referendum was given to all such employees;

(D) Such referendum was conducted under the supervision of the governor or an agency or individual designated by him; and

(E) A majority of the eligible employees voted in favor of including service in such positions under an agreement under this section.

(4) For the purposes of subsection (c) of this section, the following employees shall be deemed to be a separate coverage group—

(A) all employees in positions which were covered by the same retirement system on the date the agreement was made applicable to such system (other than employees to whose services the agreement already applied on such date);

(B) all employees in positions which became covered by such system at any time after such date; and

(C) all employees in positions which were covered by such system at any time before such date and to whose services the insurance system established by this subchapter has not been extended before such date because the positions were covered by such retirement system (including employees to whose services the agreement was not applicable on such date because such services were excluded pursuant to subsection (c)(3)(B)).

(5)

(A) Nothing in paragraph (3) of this subsection shall authorize the extension of the insurance system established by this subchapter to service in any policeman’s or fireman’s position.

(B) At the request of the State, any class or classes of positions covered by a retirement system which may be excluded from the agreement pursuant to paragraph (3) or (5) of subsection (c), and to which the agreement does not already apply, may be excluded from the agreement at the time it is made applicable to such retirement system; except that, notwithstanding the provisions of paragraph (3)(B) of such subsection, such exclusion may not include any services to which such paragraph (3)(B) is applicable. In the case of any such exclusion, each such class so excluded shall, for purposes of this subsection, constitute a separate retirement system in case of any modification of the agreement thereafter agreed to.

(6)

(A) If a retirement system covers positions of employees of the State and positions of employees of one or more political subdivisions of the State, or covers positions of employees of two or more political subdivisions of the State, then, for purposes of the preceding paragraphs of this subsection, there shall, if the State so desires, be deemed to be a separate retirement system with respect to any one or more of the political subdivisions concerned and, where the retirement system covers positions of employees of the State, a separate retirement system with respect to the State or with respect to the State and any one or more of the political subdivisions concerned. Where a retirement system covering positions of employees of a State and positions of employees of one or more political subdivisions of the State, or covering positions of employees of two or more political subdivisions of the State, is not divided into separate retirement systems pursuant to the preceding sentence or pursuant to subparagraph (C), then the State may, for purposes of subsection (e) only, deem the system to be a separate retirement system with respect to any one or more of the political subdivisions concerned and, where the retirement system covers positions of employees of the State, a separate retirement system with respect to the State or with respect to the State and any one or more of the political subdivisions concerned.

(B) If a retirement system covers positions of employees of one or more institutions of higher learning, then, for purposes of such preceding paragraphs there shall, if the State so desires, be deemed to be a separate retirement system for the employees of each such institution of higher learning. For the purposes of this subparagraph, the term “institutions of higher learning” includes junior colleges and teachers colleges. If a retirement system covers positions of employees of a hospital which is an integral part of a political subdivision, then, for purposes of the preceding paragraphs there shall, if the State so desires, be deemed to be a separate retirement system for the employees of such hospital.