Okla. Stat. tit. 74, § 74-917

(1) Upon termination of employment with a participating

employer, not followed by employment with such participating

employer, or another participating employer, within four (4)

calendar months, the member shall be paid an amount equal to the

amount of money he or she has paid into the System upon the filing

of the proper application with the System. Payment of these

accumulated contributions may be made in less than four (4) calendar

months only in the event that a member is not eligible to elect a

vested benefit pursuant to this section and the member is terminally

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 74. State Government Page 692

ill, as evidenced by a physician’s certification that the member is

not expected to live beyond four (4) months.

(2) If such member has completed eight (8) years of credited

service at date of termination or if the member is a legislative

session employee of the Legislature or if the employee is a session

employee employed by the Legislative Service Bureau, four (4) years

of credited service at date of termination, he or she may elect a

vested benefit in lieu of receiving his or her accumulated

contributions. The amount of the vested benefit shall commence at

the normal retirement date and shall be paid monthly during the

lifetime of the retirant with the last payment made on the last day

of the month in which death occurs.

(3) Upon death before the normal or early retirement date of a

member who has elected a vested benefit, his or her accumulated

contributions shall be paid to his or her beneficiary unless the

spouse of the deceased member elects monthly benefits as provided

for in Section 918 of this title.

(4) Upon death after the normal or early retirement date of a

retirant who elected a vested benefit without an option, the excess,

if any, of his or her accumulated contributions over the sum of all

payments of the vested benefit made to date of death shall be paid

to his or her beneficiary.

(5) If a former employee, who meets the eligibility

requirements for membership, returns to employment after the

expiration of four (4) calendar months following the termination of

his or her employment and the employee has withdrawn his or her

accumulated contributions, he or she may pay to the System the sum

of the accumulated contributions he or she has withdrawn plus

interest of not to exceed ten percent (10%), as determined by the

Board, and shall receive the same benefits as if he or she had never

withdrawn his or her contributions. No member shall be permitted to

take advantage of the payback for restoration of creditable service

more than one time. If a member, who has elected a vested benefit,

or a reemployed member, who has not withdrawn the member’s

contributions, again becomes an employee of a participating

employer, the period of absence shall not be counted as a break in

service; however, the period of absence shall not be credited.

(6) Prior to January 1, 1991, members, who at the time of

employment were ineligible for membership into the System due to

their age, shall receive benefits for the period of ineligibility if

the employer and employee contributions are paid to the System for

that ineligible period. No interest shall be paid on a payback of

this type. However, effective January 1, 1991, to receive benefits,

the member shall pay the amount determined by the Board pursuant to

Section 913.5 of this title.
ship into the System due to

their age, shall receive benefits for the period of ineligibility if

the employer and employee contributions are paid to the System for

that ineligible period. No interest shall be paid on a payback of

this type. However, effective January 1, 1991, to receive benefits,

the member shall pay the amount determined by the Board pursuant to

Section 913.5 of this title.

(7) When any error in calculation or participation coverage to

a prior or current employee exists, it shall be the responsibility

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 74. State Government Page 693

of the participating employer which made the error to pay the amount

determined by the Board pursuant to Section 913.5 of this title.

This obligation of the participating employer to pay the amount due

pursuant to this section shall be considered a current obligation of

the employer until the amount is paid in full, regardless of the

dates of the periods of service. Payment made pursuant to this

paragraph shall not reinstate the membership of a former member of

the system who withdrew his or her employee contributions pursuant

to paragraph (1) of this section.

(8) Upon application to the Board and payment as determined by

the Board, a member of the System may receive service credit for

those years of service that the member was eligible to receive

service credit from the Teachers’ Retirement System of Oklahoma. To

receive the service credit, the member shall pay the amount

determined by the Board pursuant to Section 913.5 of this title.

(9) Upon the death of a retired member, the benefit payment for

the month in which the retired member died, if not previously paid,

shall be made to the beneficiary of the member or to the member’s

estate if there is no beneficiary. Such benefit payment shall be

made in an amount equal to a full monthly benefit payment regardless

of the day of the month in which the retired member died.

(10) Subject to the provisions of Sections 918 and 918.1 of

this title, if there are two or more beneficiaries designated by the

member, upon the member’s death, the System shall pay any applicable

benefits to any of the beneficiaries that have completed all

required paperwork regardless of whether or not all beneficiaries

have completed such paperwork.