01-24-2022 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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City of Orono, Minnesota Notes to the Financial Statements December 31, 2020 Note 4: Defined Benefit Pension Plans - Statewide A. Plan Description The City participates in the following cost-sharing multiple-employer defined benefit pension plans administered by the Public Employees Retirement Association of Minnesota (PERA). PERA’s defined benefit pension plans are established and administered in accordance with Minnesota statutes, chapters 353 and 356. PERA’s defined benefit pension plans are tax qualified plans under Section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. General Employees Retirement Plan All full-time and certain part-time employees of the City are covered by the General Employees Plan. General Employees Plan members belong to the Coordinated Plan. Coordinated Plan members are covered by Social Security. Public Employees Police and Fire Plan The Police and Fire Plan, originally established for police officers and firefighters not covered by a local relief association, now covers all police officers and firefighters hired since 1980. Effective July 1, 1999, the P olice and Fire Plan also covers police officers and firefighters belonging to a local relief association that elected to merge with and transfer assets and administration to PERA. B. Benefits Provided PERA provides retirement, disability and death benefits. Benefit provisions are established by state statute and can only be modified by the state Legislature. Vested, terminated employees who are entitled to benefits but are not receiving them yet are bound by the provisions in effect at the time they last terminated their public service. General Employee Plan Benefits General Employee Plan benefits are based on a member’s highest average salary for any five successive years of allowable service, age, and years of credit at termination of service. Two methods are used to compute benefits for PERA's Coordinated Plan members. Members hired prior to July 1, 1989 receive the higher of Method 1 or Method 2 formulas. Only Method 2 is used for members hired after June 30, 1989. Under Method 1, the accrual rate for Coordinated members is 1.2 percent of average salary for each of the first 10 years of service and 1.7 percent of average salary for each additional year. Under Method 2, the accrual rate for Coordinated members is 1.7 percent for average salary for all years of service. For members hired prior to July 1, 1989 a full annuity is available when age plus years of service equal 90 and normal retirement age is 65. For members hired on or after July 1, 1989 normal retirement age is the age for unreduced Social Security benefits capped at 66. Benefit increases are provided to benefit recipients each January. Beginning in 2019,, the postretirement increase will be equal to 50 percent of the cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) announced by the SSA, with a minimum increase of at least 1 percent and a maximum of 1.5 percent. Recipients that have been receiving the annuity or benefit for at least a full year as of the June 30 before the effective date of the increase will receive the full increase. For recipients receiving the annuity or benefit for at least one month but less than a full year as of the June 30 before the effective date of the increase will receive a reduced prorated increase. For members retiring on January 1, 2024, or later, the increase will be delayed until normal retirement age (age 65 if hired prior to July 1, 1989, or age 66 for individuals hired on or after July 1, 1989). Members retiring under Rule of 90 are exempt from the delay to normal retirement. Police and Fire Plan Benefits Benefits for the Police and Fire Plan members first hired after June 30, 2010, but before July 1, 2014, vest on a prorated basis from 50 percent after five years up to 100 percent after ten years of credited service. Benefits for Police and Fire Plan members first hired after June 30, 2014 vest on a prorated basis from 50 percent after ten years up to 100 percent after twenty years of credited service. The annuity accrual rate is 3 percent of average salary for each year of service. A full, unreduced pension is earned when members are age 55 and vested, or for members who were first hired prior to July 1, 1989, when age plus years of service equal at least 90.