4. a. Any workers compensation judge who has reached the age of 70 years shall be retired forthwith on the first day of the next calendar month. Any other eligible workers compensation judge may be retired on the first day of the next calendar month subsequent to the filing of a written and duly executed application with the retirement system. Such application shall be accompanied by a copy of the member's resignation which has been filed in the office of the Director of the Division of Workers' Compensation.
b. Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection a. of this section or any other law to the contrary, a workers compensation judge who is 60 years of age or older on the effective date of P.L.1999, c.380 shall be permitted to continue service as a judge until attaining 10 years of service credit under the Workers Compensation Judges Part of the retirement system.