(1) The department shall pay a death benefit of six hundred dollars to a member's estate or to the persons, trust, or organization the member nominates by written designation duly executed and filed with the department or to the persons as may otherwise qualify as the beneficiary pursuant to RCW 41.32.520 upon receipt of proper proof of death of the member if he or she:

(a) Was employed on a full time basis during the fiscal year in which his or her death occurs;

(b) Was under contract for full time employment in a Washington public school;

(c) Submits an application for a retirement allowance to be approved by the department immediately following termination of his or her full-time Washington public school service and who dies before the first installment of his or her retirement allowance becomes due;

(d) Is receiving or is entitled to receive temporary disability payments; or

(e) Upon becoming eligible for a disability retirement allowance submits an application for an allowance to be approved by the department immediately following the date of his or her eligibility for a disability retirement allowance and dies before the first installment of such allowance becomes due.

(2) In order to receive a death benefit under this section a deceased member:

(a) Must have established at least one year of credit with the retirement system for full time Washington membership service;

(b) Who was not employed full time in Washington public school service during the fiscal year immediately preceding the year of his or her death must have been employed full time in Washington public school service for at least fifty consecutive days during the fiscal year of his or her death.

Intent—1991 c 35: See note following RCW 41.26.005.

Emergency—Severability—1974 ex.s. c 193: See notes following RCW 41.32.310.

Effective date—1969 ex.s. c 150: See note following RCW 41.50.200.

Effective date—Severability—1967 c 50: See notes following RCW 41.32.010.

Savings—Effective date—Severability—1963 ex.s. c 14: See notes following RCW 41.32.010.