C7.—(1) This regulation applies to a person who—
(a)has been absent from duty, otherwise than on leave of absence, for a period of one or more days during and in consequence of a trade dispute, and
(b)was a member immediately before—
(i)that period, or
(ii)where two or more periods of absence occurred in consequence of a single trade dispute, the first of those periods;
and in this regulation a period for which a person to whom this regulation applies was so absent is referred to as a “relevant absence”.
(2) Subject to paragraph (4) and regulation C27, if a person to whom this regulation applies gives notice in writing that he wishes this paragraph to apply (or, in case within paragraph (7), his personal representatives do so) an amount equal to 16 per cent. of the difference between—
(a)the person’s remuneration (if any) for the relevant contribution period, and
(b)the remuneration he would have received for that period if it had not included any relevant absence or part of a relevant absence,
is payable in respect of the relevant contribution period to the authority to whom notice was given; and in this regulation “relevant contribution period” means a period which—
(i)is coextensive with one of the intervals at which a person to whom this regulation applies was required under regulation C4 to make standard contributions, and
(ii)includes all or part of a relevant absence.
(3) An authority shall pay to the appropriate pension fund any sum they receive by way of full or part payment of the amount mentioned in paragraph (2).
(4) Notice under paragraph (2) shall be given in writing to the authority who are or, as the case may be, were last the employing authority in relation to the person to whom the notice relates, before the expiry—
(a)of the period of three months beginning with the day after the last day of the relevant contribution period,
(b)where all or part of more than one relevant contribution period is included in a relevant absence which occurred in consequence of a single trade dispute, of the period of three months beginning with the last day of the last of the relevant contribution periods, in respect of which the notice is given, or
(c)in the case of a notice within paragraph (7), of the period of twelve months beginning with the date of the deceased employee’s death, or
(d)within such longer period as the authority may allow;
and, in any case where the notice relates to more than one relevant contribution period included in a relevant absence which occurred in consequence of a single trade dispute, the notice is of no effect unless it is given in respect of all the relevant contribution periods.
(5) A period of absence from duty without remuneration (otherwise than on leave of absence) does not count as a period of membership unless—
(a)it was a relevant absence, and
(b)the amount specified in paragraph (2) has been paid in respect of every relevant contribution period all or part of which was included in that relevant absence.
(6) Where the amount specified in paragraph (2) has been paid in respect of a relevant contribution period, so much of any relevant absence as was included in that period may count as a period of membership, whether or not a contract of employment continued to subsist during the relevant absence or any part of it.
(7) Where a person to whom this regulation applies dies before the end of the period of three months specified in paragraph (4)(a) without giving notice under paragraph (2), his personal representatives may give that notice.
(8) For the purposes of paragraph (1)—
(a)where—
(i)a person’s contract of employment is terminated in consequence of a trade dispute, and
(ii)not later than the day after the end of the trade dispute, he again becomes an employee of the same LGPS employer and a member,
notwithstanding the termination, he is to be treated as having been absent from duty;
(b)it is immaterial whether or not—
(i)the person was participating in or financing or otherwise directly interested in the trade dispute, or
(ii)the employing authority were a party to the trade dispute.
(9) In this regulation “trade dispute” has the meaning given by section 218 of the Trade Union and Labour Relations (Consolidation) Act 1992(1).