1.    Any eligible employee may be enrolled in the uniform group insurance program created by this chapter by requesting enrollment with the employing department. If an eligible employee does not enroll in the uniform group insurance program at the time of beginning employment, in order to enroll at a later time the eligible employee must meet minimum requirements established by the board. An employing department may not require an active eligible employee to request coverage under the uniform group insurance program as a prerequisite to receive the minimum employer-paid life insurance benefits coverage or employee assistance program benefits coverage.

2.    A retiree who has accepted a periodic distribution from the defined contribution retirement plan pursuant to section 54-52.6-13 who the board determines is eligible for participation in the uniform group insurance program or has accepted a retirement allowance from the public employees retirement system, the highway patrol troopers’ retirement system, the teachers’ insurance and annuity association of America –    college retirement equities fund for service credit earned while employed by North Dakota institutions of higher education, the retirement system established by job service North Dakota under section 52-11-01, the judges’ retirement system established under chapter 27-17, or the teachers’ fund for retirement may elect to participate in the uniform group under this chapter without meeting minimum requirements at age sixty-five, when the member’s spouse reaches age sixty-five, upon the receipt of a benefit, or when the spouse terminates employment. If a retiree or surviving spouse does not elect to participate at the times specified in this subsection, the retiree or surviving spouse must meet the minimum requirements established by the board. Subject to sections 54-52.1-03.2 and 54-52.1-03.3, each retiree or surviving spouse shall pay directly to the board the premiums in effect for the coverage then being provided. A retiree or surviving spouse who has met the initial eligibility requirements of this subsection to begin participation in the uniform group insurance program remains eligible as long as the retiree maintains the retiree’s participation in the program by paying the required premium pursuant to rules adopted by the board.

3.    Upon the termination of employment when the employee is not eligible to participate under subsection 2 or 4 or applicable federal law, that employee cannot continue as a member of the uniform group.

4.    A member or former member of the legislative assembly or that individual‘s surviving spouse may elect to continue membership in the uniform group within the applicable time limitations after either termination of eligible employment as a member of the legislative assembly or termination of other eligible employment or, for a surviving spouse, upon the death of the member or former member of the legislative assembly. The member or former member of the legislative assembly or that individual’s surviving spouse shall pay the premiums in effect for the coverage provided directly to the board.

5.    Each eligible employee requesting enrollment shall furnish the appropriate individual in the employing department, board, or agency with such information and in such form as prescribed by the board to enable the enrollment of the employee, or employee and dependents, in the uniform group insurance program created by this chapter.

6.    If the participating employee is a faculty member in a state charitable, penal, or educational institution who receives a salary or wages on less than a twelve-month basis and has signed a contract to teach for the next ensuing school year, the agency shall make arrangements to include that employee in the insurance program on a twelve-month basis and make the contribution authorized by this section for each month of the twelve-month period.