1. On and after January 1, 2000, as an incident to employment or continued employment, each person who has not previously opted out of the retirement system who is employed as a county employee as defined in section 50.1000 and who is hired and fired by the county and whose work and responsibilities are directed and controlled by the county and who is compensated directly from county funds shall become a member of the system. Such membership shall continue as long as the person continues to be an employee, or receives benefits pursuant to the provisions of sections 50.1000 to 50.1300.

2. A member who is not a member of LAGERS shall be subject to a payroll deduction equal to two percent of the member’s compensation. In addition, in order to meet the deposit required by subsection 6 of section 50.1020, a county may, in its discretion, subject any member, including a member of LAGERS, hired or rehired by that county on or after February 25, 2002, to an additional payroll deduction not to exceed four percent of the member’s compensation. Such additional payroll deduction shall be used exclusively for the deposit in the county employees’ retirement fund pursuant to subsection 6 of section 50.1020. Any payroll deduction pursuant to this subsection shall constitute the member’s required contribution to the plan and shall be designated as an employer “pick-up” contribution, as described in 26 U.S.C. § 414(h)(2). A member may not waive this contribution, or terminate this contribution requirement by opting out of the retirement system.

3. A county employee who is a member on January 1, 2000, and a county employee who is hired after January 1, 2000, shall not be permitted to opt out of the retirement system; except that, before January 1, 2000, a county employee did have the right to opt out of the retirement system. County employees who exercised this opt-out option must wait three years from the date the opt-out decision was made before becoming a member. After this three-year period has elapsed, the employee shall have a three-month period to opt into the system. If the employee opts into the system, such employee shall be subject to a payroll deduction of two percent, or one percent if the employee is also a member of the LAGERS, of the compensation received from the date the county employee opted out of the system, plus interest equal to the current prime rate plus two percent, to purchase all or part of this period of employment as creditable service. The payroll deduction shall be made in equal monthly installments for a time agreed to by the employee and the board, but in no event longer than four years.

4. An employee may opt into the retirement system, after having opted out, without purchasing any portion of his or her earlier service as creditable service. In such event, the deduction described in subsection 3 of this section shall not be imposed, and the employee shall become vested in the system after eight years of subsequent uninterrupted service.

5. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this section to the contrary, an employee who opted out of the retirement system before January 1, 2000, shall not be permitted to opt back into the system after January 1, 2000, unless the employee opts in, in accordance with the procedures of subsection 3 or 4 of this section, immediately following the expiration of the three-year opt-out period that includes January 1, 2000.