(1) An employee eligible for optional membership who, pursuant to 19-3-412, MCA, chooses to be a member of PERS will initially be a participant of the PERS DBRP. The DBRP participant will have 12 months from the first day of the month following the month the member is initially reported to MPERA as a PERS member to file a retirement plan choice election form with MPERA pursuant to ARM 2.43.3510. 

(2) An employee who declines optional membership under 19-3-412, MCA, is not a member of PERS and has no retirement plan choice.