Louisiana § RS 11:3040 - Death benefits; surviving spouse

§ RS 11:3040. Death benefits; surviving spouse

A.  Upon death of a member while in active employment of the City, on vacation or sick leave, a death benefit shall be payable which shall consist of:  (1) the accumulated contributions of the member, without interest; and (2) an amount equal to $500.00 for each full year of total service of the member, subject to a maximum payment of $3,000.00. In any case in which total service of the member has been less than one year, the payment under (2) hereof shall be that provided for one year of service.  Part (1) of the death benefit shall be payable to the beneficiary designated by the member, or his estate if no such designation shall have been made.  Part (2) of the death benefit shall be payable only to a beneficiary designated by the member who shall have an insurable interest in the life of the member.

B.  In lieu of the benefits provided by Subsection A hereof, the surviving spouse of any member who dies while in active employment of the City, on vacation or sick leave and who, at the time of death, had the necessary qualifications for retirement but who has not at that time exercised the right to retire, may elect, at his or her option, to relinquish any right to benefits under Subsection A hereof and in such case shall be entitled to receive an amount equal to seventy-five percent of the monthly amount which the deceased would have been entitled to receive had he retired before death. This payment shall continue until the death or remarriage of the surviving spouse.

C.  If the member and surviving spouse, or either or both, prior to the death of the last survivor thereof, shall not have received in the form of service retirement annuity or reversionary annuity payments an amount at least equal to the accumulated contributions of the member, without interest, a refund of the remainder of such accumulated contributions, if any, shall be payable to such person as the member shall have nominated by written direction duly acknowledged and filed with the board. If no such nomination shall have been filed, payment shall he made to the estate of the member. The minimum payment in any such case shall be an amount equal to six months' payments on the service retirement annuity paid to the retired member.

Designated from Acts 1958, No. 72, §1, by Acts 1991, No. 74, §3, eff. June 25, 1991.