If your absence is due to illness or injury, or you are on family leave as allowed by law, and your pay ceases, contributions will stop. You may request to pay the contributions missed on your return to work. If your employer agrees to this:
• once the employer and employee contributions missed have been paid, your pensionable service will be reinstated; and
• if contributions are paid at a different level from your normal rate, for example, on half-pay, your benefits will be adjusted accordingly.
Alternatively if the contributions missed are not paid, membership will be suspended for that period.
Where your absence lasts for less than three years the full range of death benefits will be payable.
If your employer approves any other leave of absence you may be able to continue your membership of the Scheme for a period of up to three years. This is subject to the agreement of the Committee.
After three years’ absence you will be treated as a leaver. Your date of leaving the Scheme will be the earlier of the date your pension contributions stopped or the date you had been absent for three years. The only exception to this is where your absence is due to illness or injury, in which case you may remain in the Scheme indefinitely subject to your employer agreeing to make the necessary payments.
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