The bill amends Oklahoma's laws regarding leave benefits for state employees, focusing on the accrual and transfer of unused leave. It mandates the Office of Management and Enterprise Services to create a system for transferring unused sick and annual leave for vested employees retiring from state service, allowing them to use this leave for their benefit allowance upon retirement. The bill also updates statutory references and specifies that employees can accumulate more than the maximum annual leave limits if utilized within a designated timeframe. Additionally, it outlines accrual rates and limits for annual and sick leave based on years of service, with special provisions for public safety employees, temporary employees, and policies to prevent workplace violence. The effective date for these changes is set for July 1, 2023.

Moreover, the bill introduces amendments to the Oklahoma Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) and the Teachers Retirement System of Oklahoma (TRS), allowing involuntary furloughs to be credited as service time and granting service credit for active military service, capped at five years post-November 1, 2023. It clarifies that periods of total disability and certain employment transitions do not count as breaks in continuous employment and outlines conditions for converting unused sick leave to retirement benefits. The bill facilitates the transfer of service credit between TRS and OPERS, detailing the responsibilities of both systems in processing member contributions and ensuring that members retain their accumulated benefits. It also allows certain members employed by the Governor, Senate, or House of Representatives to make an irrevocable election to continue participating in the retirement system when transitioning to a participating employer of TRS. The act is set to take effect on November 1, 2025.

Statutes affected:
Introduced: 74-913