(1) Each participant shall contribute monthly to the optional retirement program nine percent (9%) of the participant’s total earned compensation as defined in Section 25-11-103. Participant contributions may be made by a reduction in salary in accordance with the provisions of Section 403(b) of the United States Internal Revenue Code or any amendment thereto, or in accordance with Section 25-11-124, as may be appropriate under the determination made in accordance with Section 25-11-421. The entirety of each participant’s contribution shall be remitted to the appropriate company or companies for application to the participant’s contracts or accounts, or both. Each employer of a participant in the optional retirement program shall contribute on behalf of each participant in the optional retirement program the same amount the employer would be required to contribute to the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi if the participant were a member of the retirement system. The employer’s contribution shall be remitted as follows:(a) An amount equal to fourteen and nine-tenths percent (14.9%), for participants employed before July 1, 2025, or up to nine percent (9%) as determined by the employer, for participants employed on or after July 1, 2025, of the participant’s total earned compensation as defined in Section 25-11-103 shall be remitted to the appropriate company or companies for application to the participant’s contracts or accounts, or both;(b) An amount up to two-tenths percent (0.2%) of the participant’s total earned compensation as defined in Section 25-11-103 shall be remitted to the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi for application to the system’s expense fund to defray the cost of administering the optional retirement program created by this article;(c) The remainder shall be remitted to the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi for application to the accrued liability contribution fund.If the employer’s contribution level is decreased below nine and three-fourths percent (9-3/4%) of the employee’s total earned compensation, the remittance provided by paragraph (c) of this section shall be reduced accordingly. There shall be no reduction in the remittance provided by paragraph (a) of this section until such time, if any, that the employer’s contribution level is less than nine percent (9%) of the participant’s total earned compensation. If the accrued liability contribution is reduced or discontinued under Section 25-11-123, the amount of the reduction, or the entirety of the employer’s contribution, in case of discontinuance, shall be remitted to the appropriate company or companies for application to the participant’s contracts or accounts, or both. Any remittance required to be made by the employer to the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi shall be made at the times the employer remits contributions for members of the retirement system.
(a) An amount equal to fourteen and nine-tenths percent (14.9%), for participants employed before July 1, 2025, or up to nine percent (9%) as determined by the employer, for participants employed on or after July 1, 2025, of the participant’s total earned compensation as defined in Section 25-11-103 shall be remitted to the appropriate company or companies for application to the participant’s contracts or accounts, or both;
(b) An amount up to two-tenths percent (0.2%) of the participant’s total earned compensation as defined in Section 25-11-103 shall be remitted to the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi for application to the system’s expense fund to defray the cost of administering the optional retirement program created by this article;
(c) The remainder shall be remitted to the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi for application to the accrued liability contribution fund.
If the employer’s contribution level is decreased below nine and three-fourths percent (9-3/4%) of the employee’s total earned compensation, the remittance provided by paragraph (c) of this section shall be reduced accordingly. There shall be no reduction in the remittance provided by paragraph (a) of this section until such time, if any, that the employer’s contribution level is less than nine percent (9%) of the participant’s total earned compensation. If the accrued liability contribution is reduced or discontinued under Section 25-11-123, the amount of the reduction, or the entirety of the employer’s contribution, in case of discontinuance, shall be remitted to the appropriate company or companies for application to the participant’s contracts or accounts, or both. Any remittance required to be made by the employer to the Public Employees’ Retirement System of Mississippi shall be made at the times the employer remits contributions for members of the retirement system.
(2) The employer may, in its discretion, make additional contributions to the participant’s contracts or accounts up to the maximum amount allowable under federal law.