Lifecycle of Service and Salaries

Division of Retirement and Benefits

Lifecycle of Service and SalariesLifecycle of Service and Salaries

•Division of Retirement and BenefitsTasks and Goals

Lifecycle of Service and SalariesLifecycle of Service and Salaries

•Division of Retirement and Benefits• Employer

Tasks and Goals

Lifecycle of Service and SalariesLifecycle of Service and Salaries

•Division of Retirement and Benefits• Employer• Employee

Tasks and Goals

PERS Defined Benefit Plan

PERS Defined Benefit Plan PERS Defined Benefit Plan

• Hired, then terminated 30 years later• One employer• Consistent salary trend• No breaks in service

• Verification needed:• Termination date• Final salary

The Simplest Scenario

It’s Not Always That Simple

PERS Defined Benefit Plan PERS Defined Benefit Plan

PERS Defined Benefit Plan PERS Defined Benefit Plan

What if the employee has leave without pay (LWOP)?

It’s Not Always That Simple

PERS Defined Benefit Plan PERS Defined Benefit Plan

What if the employee has leave without pay (LWOP)?•Large blocks of LWOP should be reported through payroll.•Scattered hours of LWOP are usually not reported. These are determined by service verification.

It’s Not Always That Simple

PERS Defined Benefit Plan PERS Defined Benefit Plan

What if there are fluctuations in reported salaries?•Fluctuations in salaries are indicative of breaks in service. DRB reviews salaries when a member has applied for retirement. Fluctuations will result in a request for verification.

Add Some Complexity

PERS Defined Benefit Plan PERS Defined Benefit Plan

An employee is vested in PERS, and claims service.•In many cases, DRB will ask for verification of the vesting year’s salary so the cost of the claimed service can be calculated.

Claiming Service

PERS Defined Benefit Plan PERS Defined Benefit Plan

In certain situations, verification of types of service is required (temporary service claims, workers’ compensation LWOP) to determine service credit.

Claiming Service

PERS Defined Benefit Plan PERS Defined Benefit Plan

• If a PERS retiree returns to PERS employment, the benefit ceases until termination.• Reemployment dates must be promptly

reported to avoid overpayments.

Reemployed Retirees

PERS DB Summary

TRS Defined Benefit Plan

TRS Defined Benefit PlanTRS Defined Benefit Plan

• Hired, then terminated 25 years later• One employer• Consistent salary trend• No breaks in service

• Verification needed:• Termination date• Final contract salary

The Simplest Scenario

TRS Defined Benefit PlanTRS Defined Benefit Plan

• If salary fluctuations are observed;• if there is a late hire date;• if service ends before the normal end of the

school year;• if there is a combination of part-time and

full-time teaching service; or• if there is a question of vesting or

service-based retirement eligibility.

When is Service Verified?

TRS Defined Benefit PlanTRS Defined Benefit Plan

In many cases, DRB will ask for verification of the base entry contract salary so the cost of the claimed service can be calculated.

Claiming Service

TRS Defined Benefit PlanTRS Defined Benefit Plan

Leave of Absence Without Pay (LWOP)• Contributions based on the salary that would

have been earned had the employee continued to work. The cost to the employee is the employee and employer contributions.

Claiming Service

TRS Defined Benefit PlanTRS Defined Benefit Plan

• If a TRS retiree returns to TRS employment, the benefit ceases until termination.• Reemployment dates must be promptly

reported to avoid overpayments.

Reemployed Retirees

TRS DB Summary

PERS/TRS Defined Contribution Plan

PERS/TRS Defined Contribution PERS/TRS Defined Contribution PlanPlan

• Hired, then terminated 30 years later at age 65• One employer• Consistent salary trend• No breaks in service

• Verification needed:• Termination date

The Simplest Scenario

PERS/TRS Defined Contribution PERS/TRS Defined Contribution PlanPlan

• Consistent reporting of earnings and employee and employer contributions• Consistent employer payments of

contributions to the Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA)• Consistent reporting of LWOP events

The Key Is Consistency

PERS/TRS Defined Contribution PERS/TRS Defined Contribution PlanPlan

• Employers contribute 3% of the annual average employee compensation of all PERS and TRS participants to the HRA account.• HRA contributions remain in the plan in the

employee’s name, even if they terminate employment prior to HRA eligibility.

HRA Contributions

PERS/TRS Defined Contribution PERS/TRS Defined Contribution PlanPlan

If an employee terminates and is not fully vested in the employer’s contributions, the non-vested contributions will be returned to the employer.

Returning Employer Contributions

PERS/TRS Defined Contribution PERS/TRS Defined Contribution PlanPlan

Service is important to the DCR:• Determines vesting for employer contributions• Determines service-based retirement eligibility• Determines HRA eligibility• Determines medical plan eligibility• Determines medical premium subsidy

percentage

Service Verifications

PER/TRS DCR Summary

DivorceDivorceIf a member divorces, a specific verification may be needed.•PERS – verification of salary from and to a certain date.•TRS – verification of salary and days served from and to a certain date.

Active Duty Military ServiceActive Duty Military ServiceIf a member is called to active military duty, it is very important for the employer to correctly place the employee in LWOP.When the employee returns to employment, the period of active duty military service must be claimed (employee submits a written request to DRB).No contributions are required.

Service CorrectionsService CorrectionsAfter verification, a service correction may be needed. In this situation, the employer must pay any deficient employer contributions due.A deficient contributions indebtedness will be established for the employee’s portion.

Contribution ReportingContribution Reporting• Ongoing• Corrections•Make-whole agreements• DCR Disability• DCR Death

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