West Virginia Code § 15-2-54

Correction of errors; underpayments; overpayments
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(a) General rule. — Upon learning of any errors, the board shall correct errors in the system
in a timely manner whether the individual, entity, or board was at fault for the error with the
intent of placing the affected individual, entity and retirement board in the position each
would have been in had the error not occurred.
(b) Underpayments to the system. — Any error resulting in an underpayment to the system
may be corrected by the member or retirant remitting the required employee contribution or
underpayment and the employer remitting the required employer contribution or
underpayment. Interest shall accumulate in accordance with theu legislative rule 162 CSR 7
concerning retirement board refund, reinstatement, retroactive service, loan and correction
of error interest factors and any accumulating interest owedt on the employee and employer
contributions or underpayments resulting from an employer error is the responsibility of the
employer. The employer may remit total payment and the employee reimburse the employer
through payroll deduction over a period equivalent to the time period during which the
employer error occurred. If the correction of an error involving an underpayment to the
system will result in the system correcting an serroneous underpayment from the system, the
correction of the underpayment from the system shall be made only after the board receives
full payment of all required employee and employer contributions or underpayments,
including interest. g
(c) Overpayments to the systeme by an employer. — When mistaken or excess employer
contributions, including any overpayments have been made to the system by the employer,
the board shall credit thLe employer with an amount equal to the overpayment, to be offset
against the employer's future liability for employer contributions to the system. If the
employer has no future liability for employer contributions to the retirement system, the
board shall refund the erroneous contributions directly to the employer. Earnings or interest
shall not be returned, offset or credited to the employer under any of the means used by the
board for returning employer overpayments to the retirement system.
(d) Overpayments to the system by an employee. — When mistaken or excess employee
contributions or overpayments have been made to the system, the board shall have sole
authority for determining the means of return, offset or credit to or for the benefit of the
individual making the mistaken or excess employee contribution of the amounts, and may
use any means authorized or permitted under the provisions of section 401(a), et seq. of the
Internal Revenue Code and guidance issued thereunder applicable to governmental plans.
Alternatively, in its full and complete discretion, the board may require the employer
employing the individual to pay the individual the amounts as wages, with the board
crediting the employer with a corresponding amount to offset against its future contributions
to the plan. If the employer has no future liability for employer contributions to the system,
the board shall refund said amount directly to the employer: Provided, That the wages paid
to the individual shall not be considered compensation for any purposes of this article.
Earnings or interest shall not be returned, offset, or credited under any of the means used by
the board for returning employee overpayments.
(e) Overpayments from the system. — If any error results in any member, retirant,
beneficiary, entity or other individual receiving from the system more than he would have
been entitled to receive had the error not occurred the board, upon learning of the error,
shall correct the error in a timely manner. If correction of the error occurs after annuity
payments to a retirant or beneficiary have commenced, the board shall prospectively adjust
the payment of the benefit to the correct amount. In addition, the member, retirant,
beneficiary, entity or other person who received the overpayment from the seystem shall
repay the amount of any overpayment to the system in any manner permitted by the board.
If the member, retirant, beneficiary or other person who received the orverpayment is
deceased and an annuity or lump sum benefit is still payable, the amount of the remaining
overpayment shall be offset against the benefit payment owed in a manner consistent with
the board's error correction policy. Interest shall not accumulate on any corrective payment
made to the system pursuant to this subsection. t
(f) Underpayments from the system. — If any error results in any member, retirant,
beneficiary, entity or other individual receiving from the retirement system less than he
would have been entitled to receive had the error not occurred, the board, upon learning of
the error, shall correct the error in a timely manner. If correction of the error occurs after
annuity payments to a retirant or beneficiary have commenced, the board shall prospectively
adjust the payment of the benefit to the correct amount. In addition, the board shall pay the
amount of such underpayment to the member, retirant, beneficiary or other individual in a
lump sum. Interest shall not be paid on any corrective payment made by the system
pursuant to this subsection. e
(g) Eligibility errors. — LIf the board finds that an individual, employer, or both individual and
employer currently or formerly participating in the retirement system is not eligible to
participate, the boar d shall notify the individual and his or her employer of the
determination and terminate participation in the system. Any erroneous payments to the
system shall be returned to the employer and individual in accordance with the methods
described in subsections (c) and (d) of this section and any erroneous payments from the
system to such individual shall be returned to the system in accordance with the methods
described in subsection (e) of this section. Any erroneous service credited to the individual
shall be removed. If the board determines that an individual or employer, or both, has not
been participating in the system, but was eligible to and required to be participating in the
system, the board shall as soon as practicable notify the individual and his or her employer
of the determination, and the individual and his or her employer shall prospectively
commence participation in the system as soon as practicable. Service credit for service prior
to the date on which the individual prospectively commences participation in the system
shall be granted only if the board receives the required employer and employee
contributions for such service, in accordance with subsection (b) in this section, including
interest.

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