A. For employees in both miscellaneous and safety retirement systems covered by this resolution.
The coverage shall be that established by the Board of Supervisors and the Board of Retirement for employees under the County Employees’ Retirement Law of 1937, the California Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013 and the Social Security Act. Coverage by the Retirement System is described by plan brochures which are available at the San Mateo County Employees’ Retirement Association (“SamCERA”).
B. For employees in the general retirement plan hired before August 7, 2011
Effective March 13, 2005, the County implemented the 2%@55.5 retirement enhancement (Government Code Section 31676.14) for employees in Plans 1, 2 or 4. The enhancement applies to all future service and all service back to the date of employment pursuant to the Board of Supervisors’ authority under 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 31676.14 had been in effect during the time period specified in the resolution adopting section 31676.14, and that the time period specified in the resolution will be all future and past general service back to the date of employment. Based upon this understanding and agreement, employees will share in the cost of the 31676.14 enhancement through increased retirement contributions by way of payroll deductions and shall contribute 3% of compensation earnable as defined in SamCERA regulations.
C. For employees in the general retirement plan hired Between August 7, 2011 and December 31, 2012
The retirement benefit options shall be:
Plan 5: 1.725% @ 58 (pre‐enhancement tier) with no 3% cost share. Current Plan 4: 2% @ 55.5 (as described 2(B) above) is closed to new employees hired on or after the effective date of the commencement of Plan 5. However, employees may transfer into Plan 4 after providing the equivalent of ten years (20,800 hours) of service in Plan 5 and entering into an agreement with the San Mateo County Employees’ Retirement Association to pay all of the employee and employer contributions that would have been required if the employee had been in Plan 4 since the date of employment, plus interest.
Plan 3: Plan 3 is closed to all employees hired on or after December 23, 2012. If an employee is already in Plan 3 with the option to transfer to Plan 5 after providing the equivalent of five years of service (10,400 hours) to the County that option is for future Plan 5 service only. After providing the equivalent of ten years of service (20,800 hours) to the County, employees may elect to transfer to Plan
4 by entering into an agreement with the San Mateo County Employees’ Retirement Association (SamCERA) to pay all of the incremental employee and employer contributions that would have been required if the employee had been in Plan 4 since the date of employment, plus interest.
D. For employees in the general retirement plan hired on or after January 1, 2013
Employees hired on or after January 1, 2013 will be placed by SamCERA into Plan 5 or Plan 7 (2%@62) depending upon their eligibility.
Plan 5: Employees who are placed in Plan 5 by SamCERA will only be subject to the applicable provisions of sections 2(A), 2(C) and 2(E).
Plan 7: Employees who are placed in Plan 7 by SamCERA will not be subject to any provisions in sections 2 (A) through 2(C) and 2 (E).
E. General Members Retirement COLA
All General management employees, regardless of plan or hire date, will pay 50% of the Retirement COLA costs as determined by SamCERA.
F. For members of the Board of Supervisors
Members of the Board of Supervisors are part of the general retirement plan described in 2A-2E, as applicable. Pursuant to State Law, Members of the Board of supervisors are not required to make an employee contribution to the retirement plan. However, pursuant to Resolution passed by the County Board of Supervisors, Members of the Board are required to make payments if they wish to participate in the retirement plan. Effective July 1, 2018, the County paid member contribution for the Members of the Board paying into the retirement plan is eliminated. In addition, as of the same date, those Members will pay 50% of the Retirement COLA costs as determined by SamCERA.
G. For those safety employees in the Management Sheriff’s sub unit hired prior to January 8, 2012 and those safety employees in the Management Probation and Management Institutions sub units 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.
- For employees in the safety retirement system belonging to the Management Sheriff’s sub unit hired prior to January 8, 2012:
• Employees shall contribute 5% of compensation earnable effective
upon the implementation of the 3% @ 50 retirement benefit.
- For employees in the safety retirement system belonging to the Management Probation and Management Institutions sub units hired prior to July 10, 2011:
• Employees share in the cost of the enhanced retirement benefits at the same rate as contributed by employees in the Probation and Detention bargaining unit.
H. For employees in the safety retirement system belonging to Management Probation and Management Institutions sub units 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 3.5% 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 (3) below.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 3.5% total of compensation earnable as defined in SamCERA regulations.
I. For employees in the safety retirement system belonging to the Sheriff Management sub unit hired on or after January 8, 2012 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 safety retirement benefit consistent with Government Code section 31664.2. Those new employees electing Plan 5 shall contribute an additional 5% 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 (3) below.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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 Supervisor’s 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 5% total of compensation earnable as defined in SamCERA regulations.
J. Safety Employees hired on or after January 1, 2013
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 sections 2(H) or 2(I), 2(J) and 2(K).
For those safety employees in the Management Sheriff’s sub unit and those safety employees in the Management Probation and Management Institutions sub units hired on or after January 1, 2013 who are placed in Plan 7 by SamCERA will not be subject to any provisions in sections 2(G), 2(H) and 2(K).
K. Safety Members Retirement COLA:
All safety employees in the Management Sheriff’s sub unit hired or rehired on or after January 8, 2012 and those safety employees in the Management Probation and Management Institutions sub units hired or rehired on or after August 7, 2011 will pay up to 50% of the Retirement COLA. COLA costs are included in the Plan 7 statutory rate.
Effective July 5, 2015, all Safety management employees, regardless of plan or hire date, will pay 50% of the Retirement COLA costs as determined by SamCERA.