206

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 24

(4) IF ANY MEMBER TERMINATES HIS EMPLOYMENT HE SHALL
CEASE TO BE A MEMBER. MEMBERSHIP SHALL BE CONTINUED DURING
A PERIOD WHILE ON LEAVE OF ABSENCE APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF
TRUSTEES OR WHILE IN THE MILITARY SERVICE WITHIN THE PERIODS
SPECIFIED IN ARTICLE 65, § 88 OF THE CODE. IF A TEACHER'S
MEMBERSHIP IN THIS SYSTEM TERMINATES AND HE AGAIN BECOMES A
TEACHER, HE SHALL BE CONSIDERED A NEW TEACHER FOR PURPOSES
OF THIS PENSION SYSTEM.

143. ELIGIBILITY SERVICE.

(1)   EXCEPT AS HEREINAFTER PROVIDED, ALL SERVICE WITH
A PUBLIC SCHOOL RENDERED BY A TEACHER ON OR AFTER JANUARY 1,
1980, AND BEFORE HIS RETIREMENT SHALL BE ELIGIBILITY SERVICE
FOR THE PURPOSES OF THIS PENSION SYSTEM. WITH RESPECT TO
ANY CALENDAR YEAR IN WHICH A TEACHER COMPLETES AT LEAST 700
HOURS OF SERVICE, THERE SHALL BE INCLUDED IN HIS ELIGIBILITY
SERVICE A FULL YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY SERVICE. ELIGIBILITY
SERVICE MAY NOT BE RECOGNIZED FOR ANY FISCAL YEAR IN WHICH
THE TEACHER COMPLETES LESS THAN 700 HOURS OF SERVICE. ANY
CALENDAR YEAR AFTER THE YEAR IN WHICH A TEACHER FIRST
BECOMES EMPLOYED DURING WHICH HE DOES NOT COMPLETE MORE THAN
350 HOURS OF SERVICE SHALL BE CONSIDERED A BREAK IN SERVICE.
ANY SERVICE RENDERED BEFORE A BREAK IN SERVICE THAT OCCURS
BEFORE THE YEAR IN WHICH A TEACHER RETIRES, DIES, OR
OTHERWISE TERMINATES HIS EMPLOYMENT OR BECOMES 62 YEARS OLD
MAY NOT BE RECOGNIZED AS ELIGIBILITY SERVICE, UNTIL THE
TEACHER COMPLETES 1 YEAR OF ELIGIBILITY SERVICE FOLLOWING
THE BREAK IN SERVICE. HOWEVER, IF A TEACHER WHO HAS NOT
COMPLETED THE ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS FOR A VESTED
RETIREMENT ALLOWANCE INCURS A BREAK IN SERVICE IN WHICH THE
NUMBER OF CONSECUTIVE 1-YEAR BREAKS IN SERVICE EQUALS OR
EXCEEDS THE AGGREGATE NUMBER OF YEARS OF ELIGIBILITY SERVICE
RENDERED BEFORE THE BREAK IN SERVICE, EXCEPT FOR ANY YEARS
OF ELIGIBILITY SERVICE DISREGARDED BECAUSE OF ANY PRIOR
BREAK IN SERVICE, THE SERVICE RENDERED BEFORE THE BREAK IN
SERVICE MAY NOT BE INCLUDED IN HIS ELIGIBILITY SERVICE. IF
A TEACHER TERMINATES HIS EMPLOYMENT AND IS REEMPLOYED AFTER
INCURRING A BREAK IN SERVICE, HIS SERVICE BEFORE THE BREAK
IN SERVICE MAY NOT BE INCLUDED IN HIS ELIGIBILITY SERVICE,
EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION.

(2)   WITH RESPECT TO ANY PERSON WHO WAS EMPLOYED BY A
PUBLIC SCHOOL ON DECEMBER 31, 1979, ELIGIBILITY SERVICE FOR
SERVICE RENDERED BEFORE THAT DATE SHALL BE EQUAL TO THE
CREDITABLE SERVICE RECOGNIZED THROUGH DECEMBER 31, 1979
UNDER THE RETIREMENT SYSTEM IN EFFECT ON THAT DATE.

(3)   SERVICE FOR PURPOSES OF THIS SECTION SHALL MEAN
SERVICE AS A TEACHER, WHETHER OR NOT AS A TEACHER AS HEREIN
DEFINED.

(4)   ELIGIBILITY SERVICE SHALL INCLUDE PERIODS WHILE
IN THE MILITARY SERVICE AS SPECIFIED IN ARTICLE 65, § 88 OF
THE CODE.