Option to Purchase Service Credit Ending September 29, 2017

Public Act 92 of 2017, which was signed into law today, discontinues the option to initiate a service credit purchase as of September 29, 2017. This change in the law has no other effect on your pension or retiree healthcare benefits, and it does not affect purchases you’ve already made or tax-deferred payment agreements you may already have in place.

If you’re planning a service credit purchase, full payment for the amount of service you wish to buy or a fully completed Tax-Deferred Payment (TDP) Agreement (R0392C) signed by both you and your employer must be received in our office by 5:00 p.m. EDT, September 29, 2017. Any service credit applications received after that time will not be processed and payments will be refunded appropriately. However, the ability to receive credit for time spent in military service and to reinstate service credit by repaying any refunded pension contributions will remain available to you after that date.

To find out what types of service credit you may be eligible to purchase, the rules, the cost, and how to purchase, our website is your best resource. Go to www.michigan.gov/orsschools and click on Service Credit – Earning and Purchasing.

The best way to find out the cost of buying various types of service credit is to use the tools available in miAccount – log in at www.michigan.gov/orsmiaccount. First, create a pension estimate. The Estimate Pension tool lets you enter any number of “what-if?” scenarios to create multiple estimates. Next, click on Your Service. From there, you can estimate the cost of purchasing Universal Buy-In service credit and various other types. After calculating your cost, click on “When will I recover this cost.” The Breakeven Point for Your Service Purchase calculator uses one of your pension estimates to determine how many years after retiring it would take to recover the cost of your purchase.

Watch for a letter in the mail from our office with more details. If you have any questions after reviewing the resources on our website, log in to miAccount and use our online Message Board for secure, direct access to our representatives.

Sincerely,

Office of Retirement Services

SEBAC Unions Ratify Tentative Agreement


Posted & updated 7/18

The members have spoken.  Results of the ratification vote were as follows:

A&R Contract Tentative Agreement (A&R membership vote):

  • Yes   84.32%
  • No    15.68%

Pension/Healthcare Tentative Agreement (A&R membership vote):

  • Yes   81.69%
  • No    18.31%

At SEBAC, a strong majority of our colleagues also ratified the agreement.  With strong support from the various membership constituents, last night leaders of the 15 SEBAC unions voted unanimously to approve the Tentative Agreement, thus clearing the way for the next step.

Across the State, SEBAC union members voted to ratify the Pension/Healthcare Tentative Agreement:

  • Yes   83%
  • No    17%

Of the 33 collective bargaining units represented by SEBAC, all units voted to ratify their contracts.

The next step is for the Tentative Agreement to go before the Legislature for their consideration.  How the Legislature will proceed is unclear, but the issue is expected to come to the floor of the House on Monday.  The Tentative Agreement must clear the Legislature to become effective.

Call your State Representatives and urge them to support Collective Bargaining.  Urge them to support the Agreement.

SEBAC press release

Governor's press release

SEBAC Press Conference - 7/17/17 (video link to CT-N)

 

National March for Public Education Comes to Detroit July 22

DETROIT – Teachers, parents, students and supporters from across metro Detroit will be holding a rally and march for public education at Clark Park in southwest Detroit this Saturday, July 22, 2017. The event is from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is being held as part of a national march in Washington, D.C. and 15 other cities across the country. 

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WHAT'S NEW: Voting on tentative agreement extended to July 21

Voting on the DFT tentative contract agreement with the Detroit Public Schools Community District has been extended from Wednesday, July 19 to Friday, July 21.

Ballots must be postmarked by that date.  Ballots will be counted on Thursday, July 27, beginning at 2 p.m. at the Detroit Association of Educational Office Employees headquarters, located at 115 West Willis St., Detroit, MI 48201-1809.  Members will have the opportunity to observe the ballot-counting process at that time.

Remember, if you have questions regarding our Tentative Agreement with DPSCD, please call us at 313-875-3500, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

A&R Tentative Agreement Election Results

Results of voting on A&R's successor agreement are as follows:

A&R Contract Tentative Agreement

  • Yes   84.32%
  • No    15.68%

The 15 voting members of SEBAC agreed not to release the Pension/healthcare voting results until all bargaining units have completed voting.  All bargaining units will be completed today.

The next step in the process is to report the A&R vote at SEBAC, which is anticipated to meet later today.  At SEBAC, if the threshold of 10 voting members declare that the Pension/healthcare TA passed their membership (and the 10 voting members constitute 66% of state employee union membership) then the Pension/healthcare TA will pass and both the Pension/healthcare TA and the A&R contract will be submitted to the legislature for acceptance.  

Posted 7/17

WATER FOR WILDLIFE

During the heat of the summer, water is a real magnet for birds and other wildlife looking to cool off and get a drink.

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McDowell members attend AFT-WV Summer School

AFT-McDowell officers Kevin Green and Ginger Blankenship (pictured with AFT representatives Zanetta Thomas and Leah Hale) attended the 22nd annual AFT-WV Summer School in Kingwood, WV. The week long event combines professional development courses for teachers and service personnel with fun evening activities like bingo, karaoke and trivia night.

It also provides an opportunity to meet school staff from across the state and share ideas and discuss common issues. 

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