Retirement Plans/Issues April 25, 2014
Agenda Which Retirement System Are You? Defined Benefit vs Defined Contribution STRS Contributions Qualifications Election Process Reporting to STRS Compensation Creditable/Non Creditable
Agenda Penalties Service Credit Furlough Implications Retirees PERS Contribution Qualifications Exclusions
Agenda Compensation Special Compensation Non-Reportable Overtime Service Credit Furlough Implications Election Process Retirees OASDI/Medicare Qualification Questions
Agenda Next “Concept” Classes Beginning Fall of 2014 Salary Computation Payroll Deductions/Withholdings Paying Employees Employee Leaves/Benefits Retirement Systems Open Labs after Each Concept Class
Which Retirement System? Based on Position not the Person STRS: Requires Credential, Permit or Certificate Teachers, Administrators, Nurses, Psychologist PERS: Non-Credential, Meets PERS Qualification Bus Drivers, Office Staff, Instructional Aides Director of Human Resources, Chief Financial Officer See Circular in Concepts Docs for Examples
Which Retirement System? Alternate Retirement/Social Security Does Not Meet STRS or PERS Requirements Part Time Employees - Less Than 20 Hours Dual Retirement Member in One System, Non-member in the Other, or Member in both Working in both Classified and Certificate must have 2 Escape retirement tabs Special Requirements
Defined Benefit vs Defined Contribution Defined Benefits Plans: STRS/PERS Promised Benefit Based on the Following Factors: – Age – Years of Service – Highest Final Compensation Pay
Defined Benefit vs Defined Contribution Defined Contribution Plans: 457B/403B – Employee Contributions and Interest – Employer Can Participate
STRS - Contributions California State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) Common name CalSTRS or STRS Employee Contributions Currently 8% Requires Legislation to Change Employer Contribution Currently 8.25% Reduced Workload Currently % for Employer
STRS - Qualifications ( See Retirement Qualification Rules ) Full Time Immediately with Full Time 100% Contract Part-time 50% - 99% Month following or STRS Permissive Election (Form ES 350) from day one - Election can be made at anytime
STRS Retirement Qualification Rules
STRS - Qualifications Substitute - Long Term/Daily/Hourly 100 Days/600 Hours With a Single District 1 st of the Following Month During Same FY Escape Report Retire01
STRS - Qualifications Less Than 50% of Contract/Daily/Hourly After 60 Hours/10 Days 1 st of Following Month, unless the following pay period is in the new FY With a Single District Escape Report Retire02 Funds on Deposit From Previous STRS Employment Compulsory Membership Regardless of the Type of Employment Less Than Half Time
STRS - Election CalSTRS Audits Election Procedures Permissive Election Form ES 350 for Election Form is Irrevocable All Future Certificated Work is STRS No Earlier than 1 st Day of Pay Period in which Form is Signed Forward Form to County Office New – Need Employee 99 (Used to be NOPA)
STRS - Election (See Join CalSTRS? Join CalPERS?) CalSTRS Member in PERS Qualifying Classified Position 60 Days to Elect to Stay in STRS New ES-372 Form for Election CalPERS Member in STRS Qualifying Certificated Position 60 Days to Elect to Stay in PERS New ES-372 Form for Election
STRS - Election Required to Ensure Employees have been Given the Election Form Recommended that Districts Retain Written Acknowledgement (ES-373): Employees Advised Concerning Form Employees Given Form-372 Forward Form-372 to County Office for Review (See Various Certificated Retirement Scenarios)
STRS - Reporting Issues: Assignments Coding – Are They Reporting Correctly » Daily or Hourly Special Compensation – Pension Spiking » Enhancing Member’s Benefits – Watch Contract Language – Requires Backup to County Offices
STRS - Reporting For “New” Members ‾Only Creditable Special Compensation is Longevity (See “T -chart”) ‾Reported with Code “72” SEW Secure Employer Web Site (SEW) To Check Retirement Status: – Registration/Pages/Register.aspx
STRS – Compensation (See CalSTRS Directive ) Creditable: Ed Code , and (PEPRA has been added) Contributions on Service in Excess of One Year: Creditable to the Defined Benefit Supplemental (DBS) Program Not Used in the Calculation for Final Compensation Purposes
CalSTRS Directive p.1 (See Handout)
STRS – Compensation (See Employers’ Creditable Compensation Guide for existing members) STRS Creditable Compensation Guide Lists What Types of Compensation To Creditable Service To Defined Benefit Program (DBS)
STRS – Compensation Non Creditable: Position is Not Eligible for State Apportionment Position Does Not Require Credential, Certificate or Permit Position Does Not Meet Community College Standards Walk On Coaches are an example Walk On vs Contract (does not have a STRS position with the Disrtict)
STRS – Compensation Compensation Cap for CalSTRS 2% at 62- Employee Portion Only Cap on Compensation is Equal to 120% of the 2013 Social Security Wage Base Will be Adjusted Annually Based on Changes to the Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers Beginning July 1, 2013, the Compensation Cap for CalSTRS 2% at 62 is $136,440
STRS – Service Credit STRS Service Credit Calculation: Pay CodeService Credit Formula 0Earnings divided by Pay Rate 1Earnings divided by Pay Rate divided by 12 2Earnings divided by Pay Rate divided by 11 3Earnings divided by Pay Rate divided by 10 Examples: Pay RateCdEarningsService Credit 32, *2, , *1,093.75/2, =.5 then divided by 10 =.0500
STRS – Service Credit Certificated Mandatory Furlough Preserve Pay Rate Reduces Service Credit Preserve Service Credit Change Calendars Change Salary Schedules Do Not Choose as Final Compensation Year For K-12, Reduction Cannot Result in Less than: 175 Days for Teachers 190 Days for Program Managers, Principals, Administrators
STRS – Retirees CalSTRS Retirees can Work: Earnings Limitations FY13/14 = $39,903 FY14/15 = $40,173 After January 1, 2013, must wait 180 days before returning to work with a CalSTRS employer Will reduce their retirement benefit dollar for dollar by an amount equal to their earnings Can Work as Classified Instructional Aide Only (Ed Code 45134) Watch Payroll Reporting
STRS – Retirees Unused and Excess Sick Leave At Retirement Basic Sick Leave One Day’s Paid Leave of Absence per Pay Period Excess Sick Leave Number of Days in Excess of Basic Sick Leave Employer Pays Present Value for Excess Sick Leave Service Credit: (Basic Days + Excess Days) /Contract Base Days Employers Required to Report Basic & Excess Separately at Retirement (See Express Benefit Form SR0554E)
PERS - Contributions California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS) Classic Member Currently 7% New Members Currently 6% Employers Contribution Currently % Changes every fiscal year base on Actuary Assessment PERS rate is an employer pool rate
PERS – Qualifications Membership Qualifications: Permanent Full-Time (40 hours per week) Part-Time Averaging at Least 20Hrs/Wk for at least one year Full-Time Temp Assignment in Excess of 6 Months Currently a Member
PERS – Qualifications Member Reciprocal Self-Certification Form (PERS-CASD-801) Form is for employers to identify if new employees are classic members due to reciprocity Employers need to properly identify status of members at the time of hire (See Circular Letter in Concepts Docs)
PERS - Qualifications Temporary, Seasonal, On Call, Emergency, Substitute or Irregular Basis: Qualifies When Worked 1000 Hrs or 125 Days in Fiscal Year OT Hrs. ARE Included for Qualifying Purposes Escape Report Retire09
PERS - Exclusions Membership Exclusions: (Notice of Exclusion - AESD-139) Independent Contractors Elected or Appointed Officers (effect July 1, 1994) Students employed by a school district they attend in a position established for students only
PERS Retirement Verification
PERS–Enrollment/Change Form New Procedure Log into PERS Verify the employees PERS status Verify employees enrollment level Classic or New Print a snap shot of PERS record in PERS Log into Escape Employee Management Go to Retirement tab (based on PERS info) Setup employee’s retirement status Setup employee’s retirement level
PERS–Enrollment/Change Form New Procedure Forward to Maria in Business Services Required Prior to First Payroll PERS snap shot of employees PERS status/level Form example in Concepts – Retirement documentation Member Self - Certification Form Form example in Concepts - Retirement documentation PERS Enrollment/Change Form Form example in Concepts - Retirement documentation
PERS - Compensation Compensation: Pay Rate – Member’s Normal Rate of Pay or Base Pay Report as Earned According to Job Classification Must be Reflected in Pay Schedule or Bargaining Unit Agreement PERS Members Can Be Paid on Monthly Basis, Hourly Basis or Daily Basis
PERS - Compensation CalPERS Compensation Cap for New Members (Employee Portion Only) Members Participating in Social Security Compensation Capped at the Social Security Wage Base For 2014 the Compensation Cap is $260,000 Members Not Participating in Social Security Compensation Capped at 120% of the Social Security Wage Base For 2014 the Compensation Cap is $138,077
PERS - Compensation CalPERS Compensation Cap for Classic Members (Employee Portion Only) For 2014 the Compensation Cap is $126,000 CalPERS Circular Letter Copy provided in Concepts – Retirement Documentation
PERS - Reporting Special Comp/Additional Pay Limited to Labor Policy Reported in Addition to and Separately from Pay Rate
PERS - Reporting Special Compensation Commonly used Special Comp Pay Educational Pay Includes educational incentive pay Incentive Pay Includes bonus pay and longevity Premium/Temporary Upgrade Pay Includes working out of class Holiday Pay When employees are required to work during scheduled holidays and paid over and above normal salary Additional Examples Available in Concepts Docs
PERS - Reporting Special Compensation Uniform Allowances (Classic Members Only) Compensation paid or reimbursed for monetary value of purchasing, renting and maintaining required clothing Clothing must be a substitute for personal attire clothing Excludes items considered safety equipment: Protective vests, pistols, bullets and steel-toed boots
PERS - Non-Reportable Compensation Non-Reportable Compensation: Automobile/Mileage Allowance OT Over 40hrs in a Week Cafeteria Plans Cash in Lieu of Health Benefits Health Benefits/Fringe Benefits API Awards Lump Sum Vacation to Clear Books Severance Pay
PERS – Reporting Overtime Circular Letter # Proper Reporting of OT Pay Rates Employees paid “overtime” rates for hours between “regular work week” and 40 hours/week – Report “straight-time” rate – Report “straight-time” earnings » May require two different addons
PERS – Service Credit Service Credit: Member in full-time employment will be credited one year service credit 10 months of work 215 days of work 1,720 hrs. of work in a fiscal year
PERS - Service Credit How Service Credit is Earned: Fiscal Year Basis: July 1 – June 30 Earned by tenths: 10 Months = 1 Year Pro-rated for part-time employees based on 1,720hrs = 1 Year Service Credit = earnings divided by full time pay rate for each service period
PERS - Service Credit PERS SERVICE CREDIT Earnings Divided by Pay Rate Equals Service Credit: Example: 1. Member Earnings = $2,400 = month of Monthly Pay Rate $2,400 service credit 2. Member Earnings = $1,200 =.500 month of Monthly Pay Rate $2,400 = service credit 3. Member Earnings = $1,200 = 80 hours of Hourly Pay Rate $15.00 service credit 4. Member Earnings = $1,200 = 20 days of Daily Pay Rate $60.00 service credit
PERS - Furlough Days Furlough Days: Salary Roll Back or Docking Days Should never change Pay Rate Impact to Retirement
PERS - Election Qualifying Elections: Cal-PERS member hired for qualifying certificated STRS position 60 days to elect to stay in Cal-PERS Must meet other requirements Use Form ES-372 Not required to return form unless electing into Should retain written acknowledgement of form (ES-373) Forward Form to County Office for Review
PERS-Retiree Cal-PERS Retiree (Circular Letter # ) Make sure the retiring employee is aware of rules before they retire After January 1, 2013, Retiree Must Wait 6 Months (180 days) before They Can Return to Work with a CalPERS Employer Can Be Hired for Temp Assign during Emergency or Has Special Skills – Critically needed position No Exception if a Golden Handshake/employer incentive has been given
PERS-Retiree Cal-PERS Retiree There Cannot be an Agreement to Return to Work between the Member and the CalPERS Employer Prior to Retirement Can Work Up to 960 Hours in a Fiscal Year. Compensation must be comparable to other employees doing similar duties Must be enrolled as retired annuitant Pay rate with hours worked reported
PERS-Retiree/Unemployment Retiree/Unemployment: Cannot Hire Retired Annuitant that Received Unemployment Insurance Payments within the Previous 12 Months as Retired Annuitant Annuitant Must Sign Affidavit as Such
PERS-Retiree/Disability Disability Retiree: Temporary Position 960 hours No approval required Permanent Position: Employment must be in a different position CalPERS approval required before accepting employment Earnings limitation applies
Retiree OASDI/Medicare Retiree OASDI/Medicare Issues: STRS Retiree-rehired in a PERS position Yes Medicare and Yes OASDI PERS Retiree-rehired in a PERS position Yes Medicare and No OASDI PERS Retiree-rehired in a STRS position Yes Medicare and Yes OASDI
Next Payroll Concept Class Next “Concept” Classes Beginning Fall of 2014 Salary Computation Payroll Deductions/Withholdings Paying Employees Employee Leaves/Benefits Retirement Systems Open Labs After Each Concepts Class