23.1     For employees hired prior to July 10, 2011:

The County implemented the 3% @ 50 retirement benefit consistent with Government Code section 31664.1 effective January 1, 2005 for employees in Plans 1, 2 or 4.

The enhancement applies to all future safety service and all safety service back to the date of employment pursuant to the Board of Supervisors’ authority under to Government Code section 31678.2 (a). Government Code section 31678.2(b) authorizes the collection, from employees, of all or part of the contributions by a member or employer or both, that would have been required if section 31664.1 had been in effect during the time period specified in the resolution adopting section 31664.1, and that the time period specified in the resolution will be all future and past safety service back to the date of employment. Employees will share in the cost of the enhanced retirement benefits as follows: a contribution of an additional 5% total compensation earnable as defined in SamCERA regulation.

•     This additional contribution will not be reduced by any employer pick-up.

•     These cost sharing contributions will not be reduced for employees with 30-years of service.

23.2     For employees hired on or after July 10, 2011 and before January 1, 2013:
All new employees hired or rehired on or after July 10, 2011 and before January 1, 2013, the retirement benefit options shall be:

Plan 5: 3% @ 55 (Plan 5) safety retirement benefit consistent with Government Code section 31664.2. Those new employees electing Plan 5 shall contribute an additional 4% of compensation earnable as set forth in paragraph (3) below.

Plan 6: 2% @ 50 safety retirement benefit consistent with Government Code section 31664. Those safety employees electing Plan 6 will not pay the contributions set forth in paragraph (c) below.

  1. Any new employee failing to make an election within 60 days from date of hire shall be deemed to have elected Plan 6 with the 2% @ 50 safety retirement benefit consistent with Government Code section 31664.
  2. All elections are permanent decisions and shall be irrevocable after 60 days from the date of hire. Any employee who has elected, or is deemed to have elected, a benefit plan and who terminates their employment and is later reemployed shall not be entitled to change their election upon that reemployment.
  3. For all safety members in Plan 5 with benefits under Government Code section 31664.2 which are applicable to all safety service back to the date of employment pursuant to the Board of Supervisors’ authority under Government Code section 31678.2(a), section 31678.2(b) authorizes the collection, from employees, of all or part of the contributions by a member or employer or both, that would have been required if section 31664.2 had been in effect during the time period specified in the resolution adopting 31664.2, and that the time period specified in the resolution will be all future and past safety service back to the date of employment. These employees will share in the cost of such retirement benefits by contributing an additional 4% total of compensation earnable as defined in SamCERA regulations.

•           This additional contribution will not be reduced by any employer pick-up.

•           These cost sharing contributions will not be reduced for employees with 30-years of service.

23.3     For employees hired on or after January 1, 2013:

Employees hired on or after January 1, 2013 who are placed in Plan 7 (2.7% @ 57) by SamCERA are not subject to the provisions in section 20.2.

Employees hired on or after January 1, 2013 who are placed in Plan 5 or Plan 6 by SamCERA will be subject to the applicable provisions of section 20.2.

23.4     All employees subject to this MOU hired on or after July 10, 2011 will pay up to fifty percent (50%) of the Retirement COLA cost as determined by SamCERA.

Effective July 3, 2016, all employees, regardless of plan or hire date, will pay a COLA cost share equal to fifty percent (50%) of the retirement COLA costs as determined by SamCERA. Plan 7 members do not pay the COLA cost share as the Plan 7 COLA costs are part of the Plan 7 contributions.

23.5     Deferred Compensation Plan- Automatic Enrollment for New Employees:

Subject to applicable federal regulations, the County agrees to provide a deferred compensation plan that allows employees to defer compensation on a pre-tax basis through payroll deduction.   Each new employee will be automatically enrolled in the County’s Deferred Compensation program, at the rate of one percent (1%) of their pre-tax wages, unless the employee chooses to opt out or voluntarily change deferrals to greater than or less than the default one percent (>1%) as allowed in the plan or as allowed by law.  The pre-tax deduction will be invested in the target fund associated with the employees’ date of birth. All deferrals are fully vested at the time of deferrals; there will be no waiting periods for vesting rights. Escalation for new employees will be the same as existing employees, as described below.

Effective the pay period in which the Board of Supervisors’ approves a successor MOU in 2022, all employees will be enrolled in the deferred compensation program at the rate of one percent (1%) of their pre-tax wages, unless they choose to opt out or to voluntarily change deferrals to greater than or less than the default one percent (>1%) as allowed in the plan or as allowed by law.  The pre-tax deduction will be invested in the target fund associated with the employees’ date of birth. All deferrals are fully vested at the time of deferrals; there will be no waiting periods for vesting rights. 

Concurrent with Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) the deferrals will be increased in one percent (1%) increments to a maximum of five percent (5%). 

The County will provide training to employees regarding how to make voluntary changes to deferrals.

2017-01-10