MainePERS Employer Update

June 2023

Fiscal Year End

Payroll Reporting Deadlines

Please submit your May and June payroll filings by the due dates below. Timely submission is important in preparing the actuarial valuation on which employer and employee contribution rates are calculated. If you anticipate a delay in reporting either your May or June payroll data, please contact Employer Reporting as soon as possible at 1-800-451-9800 or via email at employer@mainepers.org.

May’s Payroll Filing Due Date is: June 15th

June’s Payroll Filing Due Date is: July 17th

Group Life Insurance Premium Rates for FY24

Reminder that Group Life Insurance Premium Rates for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2023 are available on our website. Premium rates for basic coverage in the PLD and State Plans are increasing in FY24. There are no changes to premium rates for the Teacher Plan. Visit www.mainepers.org/employers/group-life-insurance/ to review the new rates. If you have any questions please contact Survivor Services at survivor.services@mainepers.org.

Group Life Insurance Levels

Life insurance levels have been updated for 2023. Please review your invoice. If you have any changes or corrections, please contact Survivor Services.

Employer Reporting Implements

New Organizational Model

The Employer Reporting Unit recently implemented a new organizational model to better serve you. This included a title change for most positions to Employer Reporting Account Associate, each with responsibility for all aspects of defined benefit and defined contribution plan reporting and account reconciliation for the employers they support. Each Employer Reporting Account Associate has been assigned specific employers. This now provides one point of contact for all your employer reporting needs, such as submitting payroll reports, making adjustments to previously submitted reports, or scheduling payments.

Additionally, the number of employer accounts assigned to each Employer Reporting Account Associate has been reduced with the aim of giving each team member more time to dedicate to individual employer accounts. To accomplish this, it was necessary to re-assign accounts across the team. The current Employer Reporting Account Associate assignments, including contact information, is available on the “ESS Assignments” tab on the account page in the Employer Self Service Portal.

As always, you may also contact Employer Reporting at employer@mainepers.org and someone will be available to assist you or refer your request to the appropriate individual.

Is It Time to Update Your

ESS Contact Information?

Please remember to regularly review your contact information listed in the Employer Self-Service Portal (ESS). The next time you login, please take a few minutes to review the contact information (name, phone number, and email address) for each of your contacts and make any additions or deletions that may be necessary.

While you are there, you can also add your chief executive officer and chief financial officer for your organization.

Occasionally, MainePERS needs to communicate information directly to the individuals in these positions. Having their contact information available in our records makes that communication process much easier.

Common chief executives are Town Managers, School Superintendents, and Executive Directors; in ESS, select “Executive” as the contact role for this individual. Finance Directors, Business Managers, and Controllers are common “chief financial officers”; in ESS, select “Finance” as the contact role for this individual.

Thank you for keeping this important contact information up to date!

FY 24 Pension Contribution Rates

The employer and employee pension contribution rates for FY24 are now available on the MainePERS website (www.mainepers.org/employer

/employer-rates-and-rate-setting/) and are effective on July 1, 2023.

Please keep in mind that rates are effective with your first pay date in July even if that pay date covers periods beginning in June!

Grant funded teacher rate information is included in the Teacher section. The grant funded teacher costs do not include the additional amount due for teacher retiree health. This is established by and paid directly to State Employee Health and Benefits. A separate notification will be sent from Employee Health and Benefits for the amount due to fund retiree health coverage.

Did you know MainePERS has a

Disability Retirement Program?

One of the benefits available to MainePERS-covered employees is the Disability Retirement Program

Who is Eligible?

A MainePERS covered employee who has a mental or physical incapacity that makes them unable to perform the essential functions of their job with reasonable accommodation (or a job of equal pay and stature that is made available by their employer) and the functional limitations associated with the incapacity can be expected to permanent may be eligible. The employee must meet the terms of their specific disability retirement plan as it relates to any age restrictions or other required provisions such as pre-existing medical conditions. They must be on their employer’s payroll making contributions to MainePERS at the time an incapacity occurs. Because this is a retirement benefit, not a short-term or long-term disability insurance program, the individual must terminate MainePERS covered employment before any disability retirement benefit payments can be made.

MainePERS relies on information from employers such as the member’s job description, leave information, medical documentation and information about accommodations. MainePERS will contact you to review specific job details in order to help us determine eligibility.

When to apply?

If you have an employee who has an incapacity that makes them unable to perform the essential functions of their job with reasonable accommodation and they have shared that their healthcare providers expect the situation to be permanent, the timing may be right for them to consider applying for disability retirement. Employees may apply for benefits while still actively employed. Since not all applicants meet eligibility criteria, the decision to terminate employment should not be made based solely on the employee’s application for benefits.

How to apply?

Employees interested in pursuing disability retirement, can contact disability staff at 1-800-451-9800 or 207-512-3170 to participate in an Intake conversation and request an application for Disability Retirement Benefits.

Data Safety:

Keeping Your Internet

Browser Current

Keeping your employee data safe is critical to MainePERS. Anyone connecting to the MainePERS Employer Self Service (ESS) Portal should do so using a device that is running up to date operating systems and current browser. Internet browsers are constantly being updated so you should periodically check the status of your internet browsers to make sure you are running the most current version.

MainePERS publishes ESS Desktop Technical Specifications that employers may refer to when determining if their computers and internet browsers are up to date. You can find that document on our website at www.mainepers.org/employers/employer-reporting/guides/. Please take a moment to review the specifications with your IT department or IT service provider to make sure you are up to date.

If you have questions about the importance of keeping up to date, or find you are unable to do so, please contact your Employer Reporting account representative for assistance.

Employer Training Schedule

Set Through September

MainePERS' employer training schedule through September is now available (www.mainepers.org/employers/employer-training-

sessions/). You may also request training on specific topics, or group training for multiple members of your payroll and human resources staff. If you would like to register for a training session or request training on a specific topic, please contact Employer Reporting at 1-800-451-9800 or by email at employer@mainepers.org.

MainePERS' Deferred

Compensation Program

The MaineSTART 457 Deferred Compensation Plan is now available to Public School Teachers. By joining this program, employers can provide their teachers with an opportunity to participate in another MainePERS offered retirement savings plan. MaineSTART offers both Traditional (pre-tax) and Roth (after-tax) accounts. These voluntary programs can help your employees save money to fund their retirement and help secure their financial future. Please contact Gary Emery at 207-512-3116 or gary.emery@mainepers.org to explore adding the MaineSTART program for your employees. Additional information is available at www.mainestart.org.