Broadcast e-mail archive: Employers

December 16, 2011

Subject: MTRS Board news: Karen Mitchell and Dennis Naughton elected; longtime member John Dow retires

Dear School District Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Payroll Officials, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

As you may know, we recently conducted an election for the two elected seats on our seven-member Board. As reported to our Board this morning, our members have elected Karen Mitchell, an active teacher in the Plymouth Public Schools who returns for a second term, and Dennis Naughton, a retired teacher from the Millis Public Schools. Thank you to all of our candidates, and to all of our members who participated in this important election.

Mr. Naughton replaces John A.M. “Jay” Dow, who, after 40 years of dedicated service, decided not to seek re-election. One of the longest-serving Board members, Mr. Dow began his teaching career in the Boston public schools, taught in Ipswich for a few years and then transferred to Marblehead, where he remained for 35 years before retiring in 1989. In the early 1970s, he was also president of the Massachusetts Teachers Association, where he learned the importance of the pension system and a strong retirement board. We are extremely grateful for Mr. Dow’s service to the educators of Massachusetts and the Board, and we wish him the best in retirement.

For more information on the Board election, please visit our website at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs or contact us at 617-679-6877.

December 8, 2011

Subject: MTRS updates: Pension reform, revised Retirement Application, the Open Checkbook initiative

Dear School District Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Payroll Officials, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

Please take note of the following three updates regarding recent pension reform legislation, our revised Retirement Application, and the Commonwealth’s Open Checkbook project.

1) Governor Patrick signs pension reform bill; MTRS implementation plan now in development

As you probably know, on November 18, 2011 Governor Deval Patrick signed Chapter 176 of the Acts of 2011, “An Act Providing for Pension Reform and Benefit Modernization.” This is the third pension reform measure passed in the last three years, and it significantly changes the benefit structure for new members who enroll in a Massachusetts public retirement system, or re-enroll after taking a refund, on or after April 2, 2012. The law also increases benefits for certain retired members and survivors, and changes certain rules affecting current active members of the MTRS. For an overview of this legislation, see our website at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/1news/1legis.htm .

At this time, we are working to develop the necessary policies and procedures to implement these changes as quickly and smoothly as possible. Please bear with us as we work out the details and update our member and employer materials. Be assured that, in the coming months, we will be sending additional updates describing how these changes affect you and our members.

2) Open Checkbook launches; state expenditures, including certain pension info, posted online

For your reference, on December 5, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts launched Open Checkbook, a website that provides a searchable database of all state expenditures for fiscal years 2010, 2011 and 2012. Because the MTRS is a state agency, our retirees' names and pension amount information are posted on Open Checkbook.

Open Checkbook was created as part of an effort to increase overall fiduciary transparency. The initiative was mandated by the 2011 state budget and is cited in M.G.L. Chapter 7, Sec. 14C (online at http://www.malegislature.gov/Laws/GeneralLaws/PartI/TitleII/Chapter7/Section14C ).

3) New version of Retirement Application released—now in “savable” pdf format

In advance of the upcoming retirement season, we have reviewed and revised our Retirement Application—both Part 1, which is completed by the member, and Part 2, which is completed by employers. Please note, however, the basic process remains the same: members are still to complete Part 1 and provide you with a printed copy of Part 2; you are still to complete Part 2 and return it to the member for sending to us.

For more information, and a link to the updated Part 2, please visit our website page about the Retirement Application at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/4emp/4empret.htm .

For more information on all of these topics, please visit our website at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs or contact us at 617-679-6877.

November 15, 2011

Subject: MTRS update: Member Enrollment Form now available in downloadable format

Dear School District Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Payroll Officials, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

As we have not yet been able to resolve the technical difficulties we have been experiencing with our online member enrollment tool, we have substituted a simple, downloadable, two-page MTRS Enrollment Form in its place, at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/enrolltemp.htm .

Accordingly, at this time, regarding:
• Your new, already-registered employees, who have not been able to enroll because our online tool has been unavailable: As possible, please advise these employees to go to our website and download, complete and mail the MTRS Enrollment Form directly to the MTRS.
• Your new, not-yet-registered employees: Please continue to register your new employees in MyTRS as you have been doing, and provide them with the Online Enrollment Assignment sheet that directs them to the "Enroll in the MTRS" page on our website. Once there, instead of completing their portion of the enrollment process online, they will need to download, complete and mail the MTRS Enrollment Form directly to the MTRS.

We will process the returned forms and update your employees' enrollment status in MyTRS, which is visible to you in your view of your members' records. Members who complete and submit the MTRS Enrollment Form will satisfy our enrollment requirement, and will not be asked to complete the online enrollment process at a later date.

We are sorry that our online enrollment tool has been unavailable for these past two months. We continue to investigate the programming problems involved, and sincerely apologize for this inconvenience to our members and you, our school district representatives.

As always, if you or your staff have any questions or need assistance, please contact your assigned Employer Services Representative or our Employer Services unit at 617-679-6895 or mailto:empsup@trb.state.ma.us . Thank you all for your understanding and patience.

November 10, 2011

Subject: MTRS announces programs for members retiring within the next year!

Dear Dear School District Superintendents, Business Managers, Payroll Officers, Personnel Administrators, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

Please take note of these four announcements regarding our Board election, Board member changes, and ongoing “Ready for Retirement” programs, and as always, if you or your employees have any questions, please feel free to contact us.

As I mentioned in my memo to you of August 29, 2011, we are now conducting an election for the two members of the Board who are elected by the active and retired members of our system. This election is held once every four years.

If any of your employees believe that they are eligible to vote but didn’t get a ballot, please ask them to call our Cambridge Call Center, at 617-679-6890, and request a ballot. We will then determine that person’s eligibility and, if appropriate, send a ballot directly to him or her. [Note: A member is eligible to vote if he or she is an active or retired member of the Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System. Accordingly, temporary, part-time and substitute teachers who have not yet completed their six-month waiting period are not eligible to vote. If an employee is on a leave of absence, is on sick leave or is receiving Workers’ Compensation, however, he or she is eligible to vote.]

Governor names new appointee to the Board:
Meet Anne Wass

At its October meeting, the Board welcomed new member Anne Wass, who was recently selected by Gov. Deval Patrick to serve as his appointee. Ms. Wass replaces Ellen T. Hargraves, who held this seat for 11 years.

Ms. Wass, who retired in 2007 after 31 years of teaching sixth grade at Hanover Middle School, has held many leadership positions with the Massachusetts Teachers Association at both the local and state levels. She served on the MTA's Board of Directors and state Executive Committee, and was president of the MTA from 2006 until 2010. Along the way, she won numerous awards for her teaching service, including the Bristol County Educators' Association Kathleen Roberts Human Relations Award and the Plymouth County Education Association's Honor Award.

For additional information, please see About the Board and its members at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/4about/4board.htm .

Linda M. Ruberto to leave Board at end of January;
Board now accepting applications for Board-appointee position

Our seven-member board includes one member who is chosen by the vote of the other six. After 20 years of dedicated service to our members, Linda M. Ruberto, the current appointee, recently announced that she will be leaving the Board at the end of her term in January 2012. In anticipation of Ms. Ruberto’s departure, the Board is now inviting applications for this position.

Anyone who is interested in applying for this position should review our web page, Board-appointee position: Description and application process at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/4about/4bdmemapp.htm , for additional information and instructions. All applications must be postmarked no later than December 12, 2011. The Board will review all applications and invite finalists for an interview at the end of January.

Reminder: Please encourage your MTRS members who are retiring within the next year to attend our “Ready for Retirement” programs—going on now!

While our two Cambridge presentations are already full, seats are still available at our other programs. As possible, please remind your soon-to-be-retiring employees that we’re offering this program—and that this is a prime opportunity for them to get answers to their questions about retirement benefits. Online registration is required, and is available at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/3register/r4r.htm .

For more information on all of these topics, visit our website at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs or contact us at 617-679-6877.

October 26, 2011

Subject: MTRS announces programs for members retiring within the next year!

Dear School District Superintendents, Business Managers, Payroll Officers, Personnel Administrators, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

Please help us spread the word to your employees who are planning to retire within the next year—we’ve scheduled our “Ready for Retirement” seminars!

The MTRS staff will again be presenting this popular program across the Commonwealth in November and December. Space is limited, and registration is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Online preregistration is required for this program and our simple online registration form is accessible via a link from our homepage at http://mass.gov/mtrs .

We are asking for your help to publicize these seminars. Please remind your soon-to-be-retiring employees that we’re offering this program—and that this is a prime opportunity for them to get answers to their questions about retirement benefits. We have attached a one-page flyer in pdf format, and respectfully ask that you print and post it, or distribute it to your employees who are members of the MTRS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, PLEASE DISTRIBUTE this information to any MTRS member retiring this year.

Thank you for your continued assistance to our members and us—we truly appreciate your efforts!

With best wishes,
Joan Schloss

==========
Joan Schloss
Executive Director
Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System
One Charles Park, Cambridge, MA 02142-1206
Main phone: 617-679-MTRS (6877)
Fax: 617-679-1661
http://mass.gov/mtrs
==========

<R4Rposter102011.pdf>

READY FOR RETIREMENT
For members retiring in 2012

The MTRS staff will be presenting our popular seminar, “Ready for Retirement,” across the Commonwealth in November and December. “Ready for Retirement” is a free, optional, two-hour program (4-6 p.m.) designed for members retiring in 2012. We’re reaching out to soon-to-be retirees before the retirement season starts so that when you begin the application process, you will know just what you need to do and when.

Topics include:
* the retirement application process and the benefit calculation formula,
* timelines and service expectations,
* first payment information,
* health insurance, tax and working after retirement issues,
* cost-of-living adjustments after you retire, and
* recent changes to Massachusetts pension law and what they mean for you.

Please note: Personalized account information and pension estimates are not offered during these sessions.

To attend, simply choose the date and location that is best for you, and then register online at least 7 DAYS before your desired program date. Our simple online registration form is located at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/3register/r4r.htm . We hope to see you soon!


WEST SPRINGFIELD, Wednesday, November 9, West Springfield High School auditorium
WOBURN, Wednesday, November 9, Woburn High School auditorium
LEE, Tuesday, November 15, Lee Middle and High School auditorium
CAMBRIDGE, Thursday, November 17, MTRS Cambridge office
MIDDLEBOROUGH, Tuesday, November 22, Middleborough High School auditorium
AUBURN, Tuesday, November 29, Auburn High School auditorium
WEYMOUTH, Tuesday, November 29, Weymouth High School auditorium
HYANNIS, Thursday, December 1, Barnstable High School Knight auditorium
IPSWICH, Tuesday, December 6, Ipswich High School auditorium
CAMBRIDGE, Thursday, December 8, MTRS Cambridge office

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October 4, 2011

Subject: MTRS Enrollment form update

Dear School District Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Payroll Officials, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

Unfortunately, we have not been successful in fixing the “member” portion of our online enrollment form. We expect the form to be down for another 2-4 weeks. Once the form is restored we will send you a follow-up e-mail.

Please be assured that this issue has no effect on your district’s ability to register your employees, take deductions from their pay or include those members on your monthly deduction reports. While the member enrollment form is inoperable, school district personnel can access member contribution rates in MyTRS using the View/Update Member Information link on the MyTRS homepage.

As always, if you or your staff have any questions or need assistance, please contact your assigned Employer Services Representative or our Employer Services unit at 617-679-6895 or mailto:empsup@trb.state.ma.us . We apologize for this inconvenience, and thank you for your patience!

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September 1, 2011

Subject: MTRS Enrollment form

Dear School District Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Payroll Officials, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

I am writing to inform you that we have disabled the “member” portion of our online enrollment form to repair it. We expect the form to be down for at least two weeks. Once the form is restored we will send you a follow-up e-mail.

Please be assured that this issue has no effect on your district’s ability to register your employees, take deductions from their pay or include those members on your monthly deduction reports. While the member enrollment form is inoperable, school district personnel can access member contribution rates in MyTRS using the View/Update Member Information link on the MyTRS homepage.

As always, if you or your staff have any questions or need assistance, please contact your assigned Employer Services Representative or our Employer Services unit at 617-679-6895 or mailto:empsup@trb.state.ma.us . Thank you in advance for your cooperation and attention to these important deduction reporting issues. We appreciate your continued assistance to us and our members!

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August 29, 2011

Subject: MTRS update: Notice of MTRS Board election

Dear School District Superintendents, Business Managers, Payroll Officers, Personnel Administrators, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

As you may know, the Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement Board is comprised of seven members, two of whom are elected by the members of the Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System for four-year terms. Since the terms of our incumbent elected members expire later this year, the Board has scheduled an election for this fall. Active and retired MTRS members are eligible to run for these unpaid positions, and interested members may obtain nomination papers from our Cambridge office beginning September 12. Ballots will be mailed to the home addresses of eligible voters in early November, and votes must be cast by December 12.

At this time, we respectfully ask that you post the attached notice announcing our upcoming Board election in an appropriate location in your building at your earliest convenience. Also, it would be helpful if you would call attention to this notice during any upcoming staff meetings or include a note about it in any e-mail or printed announcements that you may circulate to your faculty members. As you will see, the poster provides important information, including the election schedule and deadlines that are critical to any member seeking to be elected to the Board.

If you have any questions about the election, please contact Susan Theil, Director of Communications, at 617-679-6844 or susan.theil@trb.state.ma.us. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and assistance!

<<MTRSBoardElectionPoster-8.5x11.pdf>>

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May 3, 2011

Subject:MTRS notice: Six additional MyTRS training sessions scheduled; 14 updated guides now online

Dear School District Superintendents, Business Managers, Personnel Administrators, Payroll Officers, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors:

Please note these two timely announcements regarding MyTRS:

1. Six additional MyTRS training sessions have just been scheduled: In response to popular demand, we will be offering six additional MyTRS training sessions, including two on Wednesday mornings to accommodate employer representatives who were unable to attend Friday morning programs. The new dates, locations and registration details are below, and also online at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/3register/3mytrspro.htm. If you have not attended one of our training sessions yet this spring, we hope that you will be able to join us in the coming weeks!
2. New and updated Guided Practices and Resource Guides are now available online: In an effort to provide simple, step-by-step instructions for performing the most frequently used functions, we have revised our online user guides and posted them in downloadable pdf format on our website at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/4emp/4guideprac.htm. For quick at-a-glance information on the basic processes, please consult these brief, specific guides—they are designed to walk you through each process simply and quickly!

If you have any questions at any time, please contact our Employer Services unit at mailto:empsup@trb.state.ma.us or 617-679-6895. Thank you for your continued assistance to our members and us!

Sincerely,
MTRS Employer Services

==========
MTRS Employer Services
Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement System
One Charles Park, Cambridge, MA 02142-1206
Main phone: 617-679-MTRS (6877)
Employer Services Unit: 617-679-6895
http://www.mass.gov/mtrs
==========

MyTRS Employer Training: Spring 2011

Training session overview
To be presented by MTRS Employer Services representatives in our Cambridge and Springfield office training rooms, this year's program is a shorter, revised version of last summer's all-day training seminars. In each morning program, we will cover the basic functions and "how-to"s of MyTRS: it will be a refresher for anyone who attended last year's seminars, and a solid, to-the-point overview for new representatives and for those who were unable to attend the 2010 programs.

You will learn how to:

• Get started (log in, navigate, view and update records)
• Register new employees
• Submit your deduction payment electronically
• Report your employees' retirement deductions
• Access the updated Guided Practices and Resource Guides

Who should attend
You should be sure to attend if you are involved in submitting monthly deduction reports and payments, or registering new employees in the MTRS, and you:

• did not attend one of the original MyTRS training seminars last summer,
• have had difficulty using MyTRS or submitting your deduction reports,
• have specific questions that you'd like to ask one of our Employer Services representatives in person, or
• simply want to receive a refresher on how to use the system.

Locations, dates and times
All programs will be held on either a Wednesday or Friday morning, in our Cambridge or Springfield office, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., with the doors opening at 8:30 a.m.

• Cambridge: Wednesdays, May 4 and 11; Fridays, May 20 and 27, and June 3
• Springfield: Friday, June 10

Please note that space is limited to 40 attendees per session in Cambridge, 30 attendees per session in Springfield; registration will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. If necessary, we will offer additional programs to accommodate everyone who wishes to attend. Want to attend but can't make these dates? Use the online registration process to sign up to receive advance notice of future MyTRS trainings.

To register for a program or advance notice of future MyTRS trainings, simply go to http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/3register/3mytrspro.htm and follow the easy instructions.

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April 25, 2011

Subject: Notice: MTRS Furlough Policy expires on June 30, 2011

Dear School District Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Payroll Officials, Town Treasurers and Personnel Officers:

As you may recall, on April 30, 2010, the Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement Board adopted its "Policy on Furloughs and other Fiscal Emergency Measures for School Years 2009-10 and 2010-11." We are writing to remind you that the Board's furlough policy expires on June 30, 2011.

Beginning on July 1, 2011, the TRS will apply G.L. c. 32, §§ 4(1)(c) and 5(3)(b), as set forth below.

Chapter 32, § 4(1)(c) allows the MTRS to recognize creditable service for any "period of … continuous absence without regular compensation" up to one month.

Chapter 32, § 5(3)(b) provides that any "leave or period of absence" occurring within the three-year period used for the member's final average salary will be included in that period and, if unpaid, the "rate in effect for him immediately preceding any period of his absence" shall be used.

These two provisions allow members to have temporary (up to one month) unpaid leaves of absence from work without affecting their retirement calculation. The same two sections allow for service credit and imputed salary for members who are absent from work due to furloughs. This assumes the "furlough" is a temporary (less than one month) period of unpaid leave of absence from required work days. These two sections cannot be used if there is no absence, thus they are not helpful if a district implements a salary reduction or a reduction of the contractual work year.

• Service credit for a furlough: In order for a MTRS member not to lose creditable service for a "furlough," the member must be placed on an authorized unpaid leave during the period of the furlough, not to exceed one month.
• The member's last salary rate applies during the furlough: If a furlough day is a period of authorized unpaid leave, the MTRS will use the salary rate in effect immediately preceding the furlough when determining the salary average for any member who has a furlough within his highest three or last three years.
• Please note: "Furloughs" that do not meet the statutory requirements include plans that reduce the number of work days by implementing "volunteer" days during which teachers work but do not get paid or when a district reduces the school year itself. These types of plans will negatively impact a MTRS member's creditable service and salary average.

If you would like an opinion as to whether your district's particular cost-saving measure will impact the retirement calculation of your MTRS members, please mail, e-mail, or fax us a copy of the relevant contract language to the attention of Erika Glaster, Deputy Executive Director, MTRS, One Charles Park, Cambridge, MA 02142-1206, e-mail: mailto:erika.glaster@trb.state.ma.us, fax: 617-679-1661.

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April 11, 2011

Subject: MTRS announces Spring retirement information seminars

Dear School District Superintendents, Business Managers, Payroll Officers, Personnel Administrators, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

Please help us spread the word to your employees—we've scheduled our Spring seminars, and all MTRS members are invited to attend one or both programs:

• Your MTRS Benefits: for all members interested in learning more about their retirement plan and benefits, and
• The Next Chapter: our popular all-day retirement planning program for members 5 to 15 years from retirement.

Both programs are described in detail below; space is limited, and registration is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Online registration is required for all of these programs and is available at http://mass.gov/mtrs .

Please help us publicize these seminars by letting your employees know that we'll be offering these programs in the coming weeks—and that this is a prime opportunity for them to get answers to their retirement benefit questions. We have attached a one-page flyer in pdf format, and respectfully ask that you please print and post it, or distribute it to your employees who are members of the MTRS. IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, we would greatly appreciate your forwarding either this message or the attachment (or both!) to your MTRS members via e-mail.

If you have any questions about our upcoming seminars or any other retirement issues, please be sure to contact us at mailto:empsup@trb.state.ma.us . And thank you in advance for any assistance you can provide in letting our members know about these programs.

Sincerely,
Joan Schloss

<<Spring2011SeminarPoster-FIN.pdf>>

YOUR MTRS BENEFITS
Your MTRS Benefits is an optional, free, two-hour (4-6 p.m.) informal program for any member who wants more information about MTRS retirement benefits—whether you are a new member, mid-career educator or soon-to-be retiree. Topics include:

• recent—and potential—pension reforms,
• MTRS benefits and services,
• estimating your retirement benefits under the regular and RetirementPlus formulas,
• various issues you need to consider in retirement, including health insurance coverage, taxation of your retirement benefit, the rules on working after retirement, Social Security—and more!

Program locations and dates:
AUBURN, Tuesday, May 3; Auburn High School auditorium
BARNSTABLE, Tuesday, May 3; Barnstable High School, Knight Auditorium
RAYNHAM, Thursday, May 5; Raynham Middle School auditorium
IPSWICH, Wednesday, May 11; Ipswich High School auditorium
SPRINGFIELD, Wednesday, May 11; Van Sickle Middle School auditorium
CAMBRIDGE, Thursday, May 12; MTRS Main Office, Presentation Room
PITTSFIELD, Thursday, May 12; Taconic High School auditorium
WOBURN, Thursday, May 19; Woburn High School auditorium
WEYMOUTH, Wednesday, May 25; Weymouth High School auditorium
CAMBRIDGE, Thursday, May 26; MTRS Main Office, Presentation Room

To attend, simply register online at http://mass.gov/mtrs !

==============

THE NEXT CHAPTER
The Next Chapter is our award-winning retirement planning program for members who are 5 to 15 years from retirement, but it is a valuable seminar for any educator working on a retirement plan. We encourage members to bring their spouse or companion.

This all-day, comprehensive retirement planning program features expert speakers who address many retirement issues, including:

• Financial planning
• Estate planning
• Social Security and Medicare for the Massachusetts educator
• Your MTRS benefits

Registration info:

• MARLBOROUGH BEST WESTERN HOTEL, Saturday, May 14, 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
• Registration fee: $35 per person, which includes a continental breakfast, lunch and refreshments.
• Space is limited, and registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
• To attend, register online at http://mass.gov/mtrs by Tuesday, May 10.

We are confident you will find The Next Chapter Program to be an informative and enjoyable day, as well as a valuable resource in your personal retirement planning. We hope you will join us!

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February 28, 2011

Subject: MTRS notice: MyTRS training sessions now scheduled—please register online to attend

Dear School District Superintendents, Business Managers, Personnel Administrators, Payroll Officers, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors:

In response to your requests for additional training on MyTRS, our online deduction reporting application released last summer, we will be providing Friday morning training sessions this spring, starting Friday, March 11.

Overview
To be presented by MTRS Employer Services representatives in our Cambridge and Springfield office training rooms, this year’s program is a shorter, revised version of last summer’s all-day training seminars. In each Friday morning program, we will cover the basic functions and “how-to”s of MyTRS: it will be a refresher for anyone who attended last year’s seminars, and a solid, to-the-point overview for new representatives and for those who were unable to attend the 2010 programs.

You will learn how to:

• Get started (log in, navigate, view and update records)
• Register new employees
• Submit your deduction payment electronically
• Report your employees' retirement deductions
• Access the updated Guided Practices and Resource Guides

Who should attend
You should be sure to attend if you are involved in submitting monthly deduction reports and payments, or registering new employees in the MTRS, and you:

• did not attend one of the original MyTRS training seminars last summer,
• have had difficulty using MyTRS or submitting your deduction reports,
• have specific questions that you'd like to ask one of our Employer Services representatives in person, or
• simply want to receive a refresher on how to use the system.

Locations, dates and times
All programs will be held on a Friday morning, in either our Cambridge or Springfield office, from 9 a.m. to noon, with the doors opening at 8:30 a.m.

• Cambridge: March 11, March 18, April 1, April 22, April 29, May 6
• Springfield: March 25, April 15

Please note that space is limited to 40 attendees per session in Cambridge, 30 attendees per session in Springfield; registration will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. If necessary, we will offer additional programs to accommodate everyone who wishes to attend. Want to attend but can’t make these dates? Use the online registration process to sign up to receive advance notice of future MyTRS trainings.

To register for a program or advance notice of future MyTRS trainings, simply go to http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/3register/3mytrspro.htm and follow the easy instructions.

If you have any questions, please contact our Employer Services unit at mailto:empsup@trb.state.ma.us or 617-679-6895.

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October 4, 2010

Subject: MTRS notice: MyTRS to be unavailable T 10/5, 6-8 am

Dear School District Superintendents, Business Managers, Payroll Officers, Personnel Administrators, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

Please note that MyTRS will be unavailable on Tuesday, October 5, between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., so that we may perform scheduled maintenance.

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September 21, 2010

Subject: MTRS notice: MyTRS to be unavailable Th 9/23, 6-8 am

Dear School District Superintendents, Business Managers, Payroll Officers, Personnel Administrators, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

Please note that MyTRS will be unavailable on Thursday, September 23, between 6:00 a.m. and 8:00 a.m., so that we may perform scheduled maintenance.

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September 20, 2010

Subject: MTRS update: MyTRS helpful hints, FAQ and troubleshooting resources now online

Dear School District Superintendents, Business Managers, Payroll Officers, Personnel Administrators, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

I am pleased to report that, since my e-mail to you of August 31, we have installed two new “releases” of MyTRS, and these upgrades have addressed many of the most common—and frustrating—issues that were reported to us by our employer representatives. We still have a good deal of work to do to resolve the outstanding problems, but we are committed to addressing the remaining issues thoroughly and as quickly as possible.

As promised in my last e-mail, please note that we have just posted a new page on our website that contains the following MyTRS resources (http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/4emp/4mytrsweb.htm):

• an updated list of the hardware and software system requirements for using MyTRS, along with instructions and links for downloading different browser applications;
• reminders and helpful hints for using MyTRS;
• a troubleshooting guide regarding the most commonly reported issues;
• FAQs; and,
• additional MyTRS resources, including the two training guides that were used during our July employer programs.

Please be assured that we will continue to upgrade MyTRS, expand our online resources and keep you informed along the way. If you have any questions or comments at any time, please contact your Employer Services representative at 617-679-6895 or mailto:empsup@trb.state.ma.us. As always, thank you for your help and patience as we work together to implement MyTRS. Your efforts and understanding are greatly appreciated by me, our staff and our Board.

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September 7, 2010

Subject: MTRS notice: MyTRS to be unavailable W 9/8, 6-8:30 am

Dear School District Superintendents, Business Managers, Payroll Officers,
Personnel Administrators, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education
Collaborative Directors,

Please note that MyTRS will be unavailable on Wednesday, September 8,
between 6:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m., so that we may perform scheduled
maintenance.

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August 31, 2010

Subject: MTRS update: MyTRS implementation notes

Dear School District Superintendents, Business Managers, Payroll Officers, Personnel Administrators, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

First, thank you—to you and your staff—both for attending our July training sessions on MyTRS, our new online reporting application, and for working with the system these past few weeks as we requested. The representatives in our Employer Services unit have told me that the feedback from employers has been very helpful. Please accept my sincere appreciation for your efforts, patience and assistance.

Second, we are aware that you have encountered problems in working with MyTRS, and apologize for the difficulties you have experienced. Resolving these problems is our top priority. We are working with our vendor on a daily basis to address the known issues as swiftly as possible, and we will be updating the online application on a regular basis until all issues have been addressed.

Because we have received a large volume of phone calls and e-mails regarding this new system, and we have not been able to respond to you as quickly as you or we would like, we will be taking the following steps to provide you with support and keep you informed during this application start-up process:

• posting a list of known and frequently reported issues—and our schedule for addressing them—on our website;
• notifying you when updates have been made to MyTRS, and detailing the issues that are addressed in each update; and,
• adding a new “MyTRS resources” page on our website, which will include application “release notes,” troubleshooting tips, FAQs and reference information.

Third, we realize that these application issues may—and most likely, will—prevent you from submitting your monthly deduction reports by the regulatory due date of the 10th of the following month. In short, we expect reports to be delayed during the next few months. Please be assured that, during this initial transition period, the regulatory due dates will not be strictly enforced, nor will reporting delays impact members who are retiring during this time. Unfortunately, reporting delays may result in longer processing times for members who leave service and request a refund of their MTRS accounts, but we will be sure to advise these members of anticipated delays as necessary.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your Employer Services representative at 617-679-6895 or mailto:empsup@trb.state.ma.us. Again, thank you for your help, understanding and support as we work through this transition period together.

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June 10, 2010

Subject: MTRS notice: Please register for MyTRS training in July

Dear School District Superintendents, Business Managers, Personnel Administrators, Payroll Officers, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors:

Coming to your desktop in July—MyTRS!

As you know from our updates, we will soon be releasing MyTRS, our new, web-based deduction reporting application that will allow you to transact MTRS business online. After many months of planning, designing and testing, we are looking forward to introducing MyTRS to you at our all-day training programs in July.

Please note:

• Who should attend: It is very important that everyone from your school district who is involved in submitting monthly deduction reports and payments, and registering new employees in the MTRS attend this training (i.e., payroll officers, business managers, human resources officers, treasurers). It is absolutely necessary that the person designated as your district’s MyTRS security administrator attend a program, as we will be providing specialized training for security administrators. Districts are expected to begin using the new system immediately after training.
• Overview: During these all-day training sessions, we will introduce you to the features of the new system, and then walk through each of the basic processes step by step. You will learn how to:
  
  • Get started (log in, navigate, view and update records)
  • Register new employees
  • Submit your deduction payment electronically
  • Report your employees’ retirement deductions
  • If you are a security administrator, manage your district’s employer representatives’ access to MyTRS
    
• Locations, dates and times: At all locations except Hyannis, the program will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., with the doors opening for registration at 7:30 a.m. (the Hyannis program will begin an hour later to accommodate our Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket districts’ representatives). Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.
  
  • DEVENS, Devens Commons Center: Tuesday, July 13
  • TAUNTON, Taunton Holiday Inn: Thursday, July 15
  • CAMBRIDGE, MTRS Cambridge office: Friday, July 16
  • HOLYOKE, Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House: Tuesday, July 20
  • DANVERS, Crowne Plaza Danvers (formally Sheraton Ferncroft): Thursday, July 22
  • HYANNIS, Radisson Hotel Hyannis: Tuesday, July 27
  • WORCESTER, College of the Holy Cross: Thursday, July 29
  • CAMBRIDGE, MTRS Cambridge office: Friday, July 30
    
  To register, simply go to http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/3register/3mytrspro.htm and follow the easy instructions.
  

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May 20, 2010

Subject: MTRS update: MyTRS training sessions coming in July

Dear School District Superintendents, Business Managers, Personnel Administrators, Payroll Officers, Town Treasurers, Education Collaborative and Charter School Directors:

MyTRS, our new, web-based deduction reporting system described in recent e-mails and at training sessions last fall, is now in its final testing phase. We expect to release the application at the end of June, and we will present all-day training programs for school district representatives in July. So that you can plan ahead, please note:

• Dates and locations: We will offer eight sessions between July 13 and 30 across the state, and we will notify you of the specific dates and locations in the coming weeks.
• Overview: During these all-day training sessions, we will introduce you to the features of the new system, and then walk through each of the basic processes step by step. Continental breakfast and lunch will be provided.
• Who should attend: It is very important that everyone from your school district who is involved in submitting monthly deduction reports and payments, and registering new employees in the MTRS attend this training (i.e., payroll officers, business managers, human resources officers, treasurers). It is especially necessary that the person designated as your district's MyTRS security administrator by your superintendent attend the general training session, as well as the specialized training for security administrators. Districts are expected to begin using the new system immediately after training.

Also, one update and a reminder:

• Update: In preparation for the transition to MyTRS, we will be removing the current online enrollment form that you use to register new employees from our website on June 18. MyTRS features an online registration process similar to our current one, and, following the training sessions in July, you will be able to enroll new employees using MyTRS. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause you because you will not be able to enroll new June employees until July, but we are confident that you will prefer the upgraded version of this application in MyTRS.
• Reminder: As you know, starting with districts’ March 2010 deduction report, the MTRS does not accept aggregate record reports because MyTRS requires per-pay-date deduction reports. If your district is one of the few that has not yet complied with this requirement, please do so immediately. If you have any questions, please contact your Employer Services Representative for assistance.

Again, we will be sure to notify you via e-mail of the upcoming program dates and locations, and we hope to see you in a couple of months. In the meantime, enjoy the start of your summer!

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May 7, 2010

Subject: MTRS update: Impact of local cost-saving measures on MTRS retirement benefits

Dear School District Superintendents, Business Managers, Personnel Administrators, Payroll Officers, Town Treasurers, Education Collaborative and Charter School Directors:

We continue to receive a number of questions from members and employers regarding the impact of local cost-saving measures on MTRS retirement benefits, either by reducing their creditable service or salary average.

Accordingly, on April 30, 2010, the Massachusetts Teachers' Retirement Board adopted findings and a policy concerning the impact of local cost-savings measures on MTRS retirement benefits (see http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/4emp/4furlough.htm). For your reference we are providing this written guidance, which supplements our information of May 14, 2009 (http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/4emp/4empemail.htm#a051409) and August 31, 2009 (http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/4emp/4empemail.htm#a083109).

Beginning July 2011

Normally, a reduction in time worked, or a reduction in compensation, would reduce a member’s retirement benefit (if the period reduced fell within the “final three years”). However, two statutory provisions allow the MTRS to “impute” service and salary for brief periods of absence from work. Chapter 32, section 4(1)(c) allows the System to impute creditable service for any “period of … continuous absence without regular compensation” up to one month (emphasis added). Similarly, Chapter 32, section 5(3)(b) provides that any “leave or period of absence” (emphasis added) occurring within the three-year period used for the member’s final average salary will be included in that period and, if unpaid, the “rate in effect for him immediately preceding any period of his absence” shall be used.

Thus, the MTRS can impute service and salary only for an unpaid period of absence (of one month or less) from work. A period of absence is some number of whole days that are contractually required work days, but during which an employee or class of employees is expected not to be present, and for which the employee will not be paid. This is normally called a leave of absence without pay, and if it is no more than 30 days long, it will have no effect on the retirement allowance of a member retiring within three years.

If, on the other hand, a district implements a cost-saving measure that does not provide for members to be absent without pay during required work days, the MTRS will not be able to impute service or salary and a member’s retirement will be affected.

What will not affect a member’s benefit:

As of July 2011, if a cost-saving measure takes the form of an unpaid period of absence from work (of one month or less) on days that are otherwise required work days, that measure should have no effect on the retirement allowances of members retiring within three years.

For example, if the work-year pursuant to the teachers’ collective bargaining agreement is 184 days, and the district implements a furlough program that requires teachers to take two days of unpaid leave on days that would otherwise be professional development days during that school year, that program will have no effect on the retirement allowances of members choosing to retire within three years.

What will affect a member’s benefit:

As of July 2011, if a cost saving measure takes a form that (a) reduces the number of required work days in the contract; or (b) reduces duties without a reduction of days; or (c) some other form that does not provide for members to be absent without pay during required work days, then the retirement allowance of a member retiring within three years will be affected by any associated reduction in pay.

For example, if

(a) the district reduces the contractual work year; or
(b) reduces duties, but not the days to be worked; or
(c) the district and union agree to “volunteer days” on which members will work but not be paid; or
(d) the district simply reduces pay

then the reduction in pay associated with these cost saving measures will have an effect on the retirement allowance of a member who retires within three years.

Before July 2011

Because the MTRS was unable to provide meaningful guidance before implementation of the wide variety of cost-saving measures which districts developed for school years 2009-10 and 2010-11, the MTRS will apply as expansive an interpretation as it can in reviewing cost-saving measures applicable to those years. It is important, however, that districts adhere to the guidelines set forth above for school year 2011-12 and beyond if they desire to avoid impacting members’ retirement allowances.

Moreover, to avoid unanticipated consequences upon members’ retirement, the MTRS urges all districts to send us Memoranda of Agreements or other agreements that implement cost-saving measures for our review before they are executed, or as soon thereafter as possible. We will review them and let you know whether member benefits will be impacted.

If you have any questions, please contact a Member Services Representative in either our Cambridge office, at 617-679-6877; or our Springfield office, at 413-784-1711.

As always, thank you for your cooperation.

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March 24, 2010

Subject: MTRS updates: MyTRS, deduction reporting reminders, BERT 2.1a and vendor software compliance

Dear School District Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Payroll Officials, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

As you know, we are now preparing for the implementation of MyTRS, our new, web-based application that will allow employers and, eventually, our members, to transact MTRS business online. In anticipation of the release of the employer self-service phase of MyTRS this summer, I am writing to provide you with timely updates on four topics:

• MyTRS,
• MTRS reporting requirements,
• BERT 2.1a, the enhanced version of our free reporting application, and
• as known, payroll vendors’ software compliance with MTRS reporting requirements.

=====

MyTRS: Designed, delivered and preparing for summer release

The employer self-service module has been designed and delivered and we are currently testing the application and preparing support and instruction materials. As part of our commitment to ensuring that your transition to MyTRS is as smooth as possible, we will be conducting a focus group session with employer representatives to get feedback on our training program before we finalize our training presentation that will be provided for all employer representatives this summer.

=====

MTRS reporting requirements: Reports must reflect per-pay-period data, effective with your March 2010 report

Please be reminded that the MTRS can no longer accept aggregate records, beginning with the March 2010 deduction report (due at the MTRS on April 10th). All reports submitted after April 10 must consist of records compiled on a per-pay-period basis.

We understand that most districts are constrained by the limitations of vendor-supplied software. While we cannot endorse or recommend any particular vendor or product, we are available to answer any questions either you or your vendor might have. In the last section of this e-mail, you will find a list of vendors that have contacted the MTRS and the status of their software’s compliance with the non-aggregate records requirement. If your vendor needs assistance, please contact your district’s assigned MTRS Employer Services Representative ( http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/4emp/4contact.htm ).

If you anticipate that your vendor-supplied system may not be in compliance by the April deadline, there are two alternative methods of creating reports that will enable you to meet the single-record-per-pay-date requirement:

• Create separate report files for each pay period: If your system is capable of generating a separate report file for each pay date, run a separate report for each pay transaction date, and submit all reports for that month. You will still be required to report to the MTRS monthly, but our system will accept multiple files. In some cases, this approach eliminates the need for software modifications and it can also help you find and correct pay and deduction problems in the same month in which they occur.
• Use our Basic Electronic Reporting Tool (BERT): BERT is our free deduction reporting application and is available from our website at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/4emp/4bert.htm . In addition to using BERT to test your data for errors before you submit your report, you can use BERT to create a fully compliant monthly deduction report.

=====

BERT 2.1a: Enhanced version will decrease reporting issues

In response to employer feedback regarding reporting errors and issues encountered in BERT 2.1, we have released BERT 2.1a. If you are NOT encountering the reporting issues listed below, you do not need to upgrade your BERT 2.1 to BERT 2.1a. However, there is no disadvantage to using BERT 2.1a—it works exactly like the previous version.

If you are using BERT 2.1 and encountering any of these issues, please upgrade to BERT 2.1a:

• Invalid base-to-earnings errors for 12-month employees paid using an “exact pay method” that calculates a fractional pay frequency, such as 26.1 or 52.2, that cannot be reported as a decimalized value.
• Invalid base-to-earnings errors for employees with fractional full-time percentages, such as 67.66%, which cannot be reported as a decimalized value using the current file format.
• Excess base salary-to-reported-earnings errors for employees due to district-wide furloughs.
• Inability to add adjustment records to properly report account adjustments made via payroll.
• Inability to append, or combine, separate text files in order to compile a single MTRS report.

=====

Payroll vendors’ compliance with MTRS reporting requirements

For your reference, below is a list of vendors that have recently contacted us regarding MyTRS and the status of their software’s compliance with our reporting requirements. This list is intended to provide useful information to school districts that use these products and is in no way an endorsement of any of these companies or their software.

• Harpers Payroll Service: Harpers’ software is fully compliant with all MyTRS reporting requirements. The last known update was made available to Harpers clients in February 2009.
• Customized Data Solutions (CDS): CDS’s software is fully compliant with all MyTRS reporting requirements. The last known update was made available to CDS clients in December 2009.
• Softright: Softright’s software is fully compliant with all MyTRS reporting requirements as of October 2009.
• Unifund: Unifund has recently informed us that an update available to their software that will bring it into compliance is available to its clients. The MTRS has not yet tested this update; for more information, please contact Unifund support.
• Tyler Tech (MUNIS): Tyler Technologies released an update on March 23, 2010 to complete the changes needed to be compliant. Please contact Tyler Technologies for details.
• ADP: ADP recently overhauled its MTRS reporting software to comply with the MyTRS reporting standard. ADP expects to start installing the report process with their clients over the next few weeks.
• HR Knowledge: HR Knowledge is proactively working with its payroll vendor to produce a compliant version of its product and expects to issue a release in the near future.
• Admins payroll: The MTRS has recently been contacted by Admins and is currently working with them on the needed alterations to their product.
• Data National: The MTRS has recently been contacted by Data National and is currently working with them on the needed alterations to their product.

If you have any questions, please call our Employer Services unit at 617-679-6895, or send an e-mail to us at empsup@trb.state.ma.us. Thank you all for your cooperation and for assisting us in the transition to this new generation of retirement deduction reporting.

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March 16, 2010

Subject: MTRS announces Spring retirement information seminars

Dear School District Superintendents, Business Managers, Payroll Officers, Personnel Administrators, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,
 
Please help us spread the word to your employees—we’ve scheduled our Spring seminars, and all MTRS members are invited to attend one or both programs:

• Your MTRS Benefits: for all members interested in learning more about their retirement plan and benefits, and
• The Next Chapter: our popular all-day retirement planning program for members 5 to 15 years from retirement.

Both programs are described in detail below; space is limited, and registration is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Online registration is required for all of these programs and is available at http://mass.gov/mtrs .
 
Please help us publicize these seminars by letting your employees know that we’ll be offering these programs in the coming weeks—and that this is a prime opportunity for them to get answers to their retirement benefit questions. We have attached a one-page flyer in pdf format, and respectfully ask that you please print and post it, or distribute it to your employees who are members of the MTRS. IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, we would greatly appreciate your forwarding either this message or the attachment (or both!) to your MTRS members via e-mail.
 
If you have any questions about our upcoming seminars or any other retirement issues, please be sure to contact us at mailto:empsup@trb.state.ma.us . And thank you in advance for any assistance you can provide in letting our members know about these programs.
 
Sincerely,
Joan Schloss
 
==========
Joan Schloss
Executive Director
Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System
One Charles Park, Cambridge, MA  02142-1206
Main phone: 617-679-MTRS (6877)
Fax: 617-679-1661
http://mass.gov/mtrs
 
==========
 
YOUR MTRS BENEFITS
Your MTRS Benefits is an optional, free, two-hour (4-6 p.m.) informal program for any member who wants more information about MTRS retirement benefits—whether you are a new member, mid-career educator or soon-to-be retiree. Topics include:

• recent—and potential—pension reforms,
• MTRS benefits and services,
• estimating your retirement benefits under the regular and RetirementPlus formulas,
• various issues you need to consider in retirement, including health insurance coverage, taxation of your retirement benefit, the rules on working after retirement, Social Security—and more!

Program locations and dates:
AUBURN, Tuesday, April 6; Auburn High School auditorium
HOLYOKE, Tuesday, April 13; Holyoke High School auditorium
IPSWICH, Tuesday, April 13; Ipswich High School auditorium
BARNSTABLE, Thursday, April 15; Barnstable High School, Knight Auditorium
CAMBRIDGE, Tuesday, April 27; MTRS Main Office, Presentation Room
WEYMOUTH, Thursday, April 29; Weymouth High School auditorium
LEE, Thursday, April 29; Lee Middle and High School auditorium
FOXBOROUGH, Thursday, May 6; Foxborough High School auditorium
WOBURN, Tuesday, May 11; Woburn High School auditorium
CAMBRIDGE, Thursday, May 13; MTRS Main Office, Presentation Room

To attend, simply register online at http://mass.gov/mtrs !

==============

THE NEXT CHAPTER
The Next Chapter is our award-winning retirement planning program for members who are 5 to 15 years from retirement, but it is a valuable seminar for any educator working on a retirement plan. We encourage members to bring their spouse or companion.

This all-day, comprehensive retirement planning program features expert speakers who address many retirement issues, including:

• Financial planning
• Estate planning
• Social Security and Medicare for the Massachusetts educator
• Your MTRS benefits

Registration info:

• MARLBOROUGH BEST WESTERN HOTEL, Saturday, May 8, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Registration fee: $35 per person, which includes a continental breakfast, lunch and refreshments.
• Space is limited, and registration will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.
• To attend, register online at http://mass.gov/mtrs by Friday, April 30.
  

We are confident you will find The Next Chapter Program to be an informative and enjoyable day, as well as a valuable resource in your personal retirement planning. We hope you will join us!

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January 14, 2010

Subject: MTRS reminder: Your March 2010 retirement deduction report must reflect separate “per pay date” records

Dear School District Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Payroll Officials, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

As mentioned at our fall 2009 training programs and in previous e-mails, we are in the process of developing MyTRS: a secure, web-based application that will allow you and, later, our members, to access account information and transact MTRS business online. We are eagerly looking forward to implementing the employer self-service phase of this new system this spring, as it will provide significant benefits to you and our members.

As we described in our email of August 18, 2009, while the new system still requires you to submit monthly deduction reports, it requires that the data within those reports be per pay date. In other words, employers should no longer combine data from multiple pay dates within a month and report the sum in one aggregate record. If, for example, you pay your teachers twice in a given month, that month’s report must contain two records per teacher.

All MTRS deduction reports must include “per pay date” records starting with the March 2010 report, which is due at the MTRS on April 10, 2010.

In brief, if your monthly reports:

• ARE in compliance with this requirement, thank you for your efforts! You do not need to do anything else at this time.
• are NOT in compliance with this requirement, please begin submitting per pay date deduction reports as soon as possible, and no later than March 2010.

As always, if you or your staff have any questions or need assistance with this transition, please contact our Employer Services unit at 617-679-6895 or mailto:empsup@trb.state.ma.us . Thank you in advance for your cooperation and attention to these important deduction reporting issues. We appreciate your continued assistance to us and our members!

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November 16, 2009

Subject: MTRS Update: New version of Retirement Application, Part 2, just released

Dear School District Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Payroll Officials, Town Treasurers and Personnel Officers,

As we do every year, we have reviewed and revised our Retirement Application and made some modifications both to Part 1, which is completed by our members, and Part 2, which is completed by employers. For your reference, while most of the revisions to Part 1 were minor wording and formatting changes, we do want to point out one change in the Salary Verification section, as detailed below. Please be assured that the basic process remains the same: members are still to complete Part 1 and provide you with a printed copy of Part 2; you are still to complete Part 2 and return it to the member for sending to us.

In brief:

• All of the changes are described in the “Update” at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/4emp/4empret.htm . As you will see, the revisions to the Service Verification and Current Deductions sections were minor updates to the instructions. However, the Salary Verification section has been expanded. In an effort to avoid processing delays for members, decrease the amount of follow up work for you and us, and ensure that we have the necessary information to properly review and analyze salary data as a result of recent pension reform measures, we are now requiring that you provide additional information and documentation for members with individual contracts when you complete Part 2. For details, please see http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/4emp/4empret.htm .

• The new Part 2 replaces the old Part 2. If you have ALREADY completed the old Part 2 for a retiring employee, you do NOT need to complete a new Part 2. We will accept the old version of Part 2. If you have NOT yet completed Part 2 for a retiring employee, please use the new Part 2, as we would like you to start using the new version as soon as possible.

• The new, interactive version of Part 2 is available on our website where the old version had been (Home > Employers > Employer forms > Retirement Application, Part 2; http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/4emp/4empret.htm ). The complete Retirement Application—Parts 1 and 2—continues to be available to members at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/2members/20active/intro.htm .

If you have any questions about our new form, please be sure to contact us at mailto:empsup@trb.state.ma.us . Your input is always welcome and appreciated!

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October 6, 2009

Subject: MTRS announces programs for members retiring within the next year!

Dear School District Superintendents, Business Managers, Payroll Officers, Personnel Administrators, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

Please help us spread the word to your employees who are planning to retire within the next year—we’ve scheduled our “Ready for Retirement” seminars!

The MTRS staff will again be presenting this popular program across the Commonwealth in November and December. Space is limited, and registration is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Online preregistration is required for this program and our simple online registration form is accessible via a link from our homepage at http://mass.gov/mtrs .

We are asking for your help to publicize these seminars. Please remind your soon-to-be-retiring employees that we’re offering this program—and that this is a prime opportunity for them to get answers to their questions about retirement benefits. We have attached a one-page flyer in pdf format, and respectfully ask that you print and post it, or distribute it to your employees who are members of the MTRS. MOST IMPORTANTLY, PLEASE DISTRIBUTE this information to any MTRS member retiring this year.

Thank you for your continued assistance to our members and us—we truly appreciate your efforts!

With best wishes,
Joan Schloss
Executive Director
Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System
One Charles Park, Cambridge, MA 02142-1206
Main phone: 617-679-MTRS (6877)
Fax: 617-679-1661
http://mass.gov/mtrs
==========

READY FOR RETIREMENT
For members retiring in 2010

The MTRS staff will be presenting our popular seminar, “Ready for Retirement,” across the Commonwealth in November and December. “Ready for Retirement” is a free, optional, two-hour program (4-6 p.m.) designed for members retiring in 2010. We’re reaching out to soon-to-be retirees before the retirement season starts so that when you begin the application process, you will know just what you need to do—and when.

Topics include:
* the retirement application process and the benefit calculation formula,
* timelines and service expectations,
* first payment information,
* health insurance, tax and working after retirement issues,
* cost-of-living adjustments after you retire, and
* recent changes to Massachusetts pension law and what they mean for you.

Please note: Personalized account information and pension estimates are not offered during these sessions.

To attend, simply choose the date and location that is best for you, and then register online at least 7 DAYS before your desired program date. Our simple online registration form is located at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/3register/r4r.htm . We hope to see you soon!

CAMBRIDGE, Monday, November 2, MTRS Cambridge office
WOBURN, Monday, November 9, Woburn High School auditorium
HYANNIS, Thursday, November 12, Barnstable High School Knight auditorium
FOXBOROUGH, Tuesday, November 17, Foxborough High School auditorium
WEST SPRINGFIELD, Tuesday, November 17, West Springfield High School auditorium
IPSWICH, Thursday, November 19, Ipswich High School auditorium
AUBURN, Monday, November 23, Auburn High School auditorium
LEE, Monday, November 30, Lee Middle and High School auditorium
CAMBRIDGE, Monday, November 30, MTRS Cambridge office
WEYMOUTH, Thursday, December 3, Weymouth High School auditorium

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September 23, 2009

Subject: MTRS notice: One update and one reminder (new release of BERT 2.1)

Dear School District Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Payroll Officials, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

First, the update: The new release of our Basic Electronic Reporting Tool (BERT) is now available online. Please note that it is very important that you download BERT 2.1 and begin to test your monthly deduction reports as soon as possible because, as noted in our e-mail of August 18:

• We are now developing “MyTRS”: a secure, web-based application that will allow you and, later, our members, to access account information and transact MTRS business online. We are looking forward to implementing the Employer Self-Service phase of this new system in the spring of 2010.
• MyTRS will apply strict data validations and will not accept reports with “aggregate” records. BERT 2.1 includes expanded reporting functions that will provide you with a preview of your current data’s compliance with the requirements of MyTRS. In general, using BERT 2.1 is the best way to prepare you to submit your data online in MyTRS successfully.
  

To download BERT 2.1, as well as access additional information, FAQs and installation support, please go to http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/4emp/4bert.htm .

Second, the reminder: If you or someone from your district has not yet registered for one of our upcoming employer training programs, please be sure to reserve a space now. Because we will be presenting an overview of MyTRS as well as demonstrating BERT 2.1, your attendance at this year’s employer training sessions is especially important. To register, please go to http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/3register/3employpro.htm .

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact our Employer Services unit at 617-679-6895 or mailto:empsup@trb.state.ma.us . We look forward to seeing you at our programs!

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September 8, 2009

Subject: Upcoming MTRS employer training programs: Please be sure your district is represented

Dear School District Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Payroll Officials, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

• how we plan to implement our new system,
• how the changes will affect your monthly deduction reporting, and
• how our new version of our Basic Electronic Reporting Tool (BERT), being released in September 2009, will help you find problems with your monthly reports and address those problems before you submit your data using MyTRS.

It is especially important that at least one representative from your district attend this year's employer training program, but we recommend that you invite all of the representatives that deal with retirement-related issues. For the agenda, schedule and a link to the online registration process, please see below.

We hope you had a wonderful summer—and we hope to see you soon!

Sincerely,
Joan Schloss

P.S. For your reference, you can find our previous e-mails to employers on our website at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/4emp/4emparchive.htm .

==========
Joan Schloss
Executive Director
Massachusetts Teachers’ Retirement System
One Charles Park, Cambridge, MA 02142-1206
Phone: 617-679-MTRS (6877)
http://www.mass.gov/mtrs

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?
The fall 2009 training seminar is intended for business managers, payroll officers, town treasurers and accountants, and anyone else involved in the administration of the teachers’ retirement system at the school district level. Because we will be requiring all school districts to use not only BERT 2.1 but also MyTRS, attendance at this year’s employer training session is especially important.

WHAT WILL I LEARN?
This year’s agenda includes the following topics:

• The recent “pension reform” act: What the legislative measures mean for you and our members
• MyTRS: An overview of our future online deduction reporting and submittal system
• BERT 2.1: The new features and capabilities of our soon-to-be-released version of our Basic Electronic Reporting Tool
• Working after retirement: A review of the limitations on rehiring retirees

HOW DO I REGISTER?
Simply go to http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/3register/3employpro.htm and follow the easy instructions.

WHERE AND WHEN?
The program runs from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., with the doors opening for registration at 8:30 a.m.

WORCESTER, Crowne Plaza Worcester: Tuesday, September 29
DEVENS, Devens Commons Center: Thursday, October 1
WAKEFIELD, Sheraton Colonial Hotel and Golf Club: Tuesday, October 6
FALMOUTH, Sea Crest Resort & Conference Center: Thursday, October 8
CAMBRIDGE, MTRS Cambridge office: Friday, October 9
HOLYOKE, Log Cabin Banquet and Meeting House: Tuesday, October 13
TAUNTON, Taunton Holiday Inn: Thursday, October 15
CAMBRIDGE, MTRS Cambridge office: Friday, October 16

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August 31, 2009

Subject: MTRS Notice: Clarification on furloughs and other local cost-saving measures

Dear School District Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Payroll Officials, Town Treasurers and Personnel Officers:

As you may recall, in our e-mail to employers of May 14, 2009, we provided information regarding the impact of local cost-saving measures on MTRS benefits (http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/4emp/4empemail.htm ). Since that time, we have received follow-up questions from a number of employers who are still uncertain about the differences between furloughs, pay cuts, wage freezes and other cost-saving measures.

For your reference, below is additional information on furloughs and contact information if you have questions regarding the impact other types of cost-saving measures may have on your MTRS members.

Furlough (not working and not being paid)
A furlough is a period of absence from work, usually in increments of at least one day, for which the employee receives no compensation. Furloughs do not have a negative impact on a member's retirement benefit calculation, as long as the furlough is less than one month in duration. Here's why…

• Service is credited for the furlough: Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 32, § 4(1)(c), creditable service may be allowed by the MTRS for any period of “continued absence without regular compensation, which is not in excess of one month.” Since a furlough day is a period of absence without pay, the MTRS allows creditable service for furloughs.
• The member’s last salary rate applies during the furlough: Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 32, § 5(3)(b), when determining the final average salary for a member who has a period of unpaid leave of absence within his last three years, retirement boards are to use the salary rate in effect immediately prior to the leave for the period of leave (not to exceed one year). Since a furlough day is a period of authorized unpaid leave, the MTRS will use the salary rate in effect immediately preceding the furlough when determining the salary average for any member who has a furlough within his highest three or last three years.

If your district has implemented a cost-saving measure that is different from a furlough as described above, please be advised that it may impact your MTRS members' creditable service or final average salary. If you would like an opinion as to whether your district's particular cost-saving measure will have an impact on the retirement calculation of your MTRS members, please mail, e-mail, or fax us a copy of the relevant contract language to the attention of Erika Glaster, Deputy Executive Director, MTRS, One Charles Park, Cambridge, MA 02142-1206, e-mail: mailto:erika.glaster@trb.state.ma.us, fax: 617-679-1661.

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August 18, 2009

Subject: MTRS update: Please plan NOW to comply with spring 2010 deduction reporting requirements

Dear School District Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Payroll Officials, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

As you may know from our previous programs and e-mails, we are now developing “MyTRS”: a secure, web-based application that will allow you and, later, our members, to access account information and transact MTRS business online. We are looking forward to implementing the Employer Self-Service phase of this new system in the spring of 2010, as it will provide significant benefits to you and our members:

* you will be able to submit your monthly payments and deduction reports online (a long-requested feature), and

* based on the data in your monthly deduction reports, our members’ creditable service may be calculated automatically.

At this time—when we are at least eight months away from implementing the Employer Self-Service component of MyTRS—I am writing to let you know that there are two important deduction reporting issues that you may need to begin to address NOW in order to ensure that you are able to submit your reports online successfully next spring:

1) MyTRS will apply strict data validations: Our deduction report file layout is not changing. However, while we have accepted reports containing invalid or missing data in certain fields in the past, MyTRS will strictly apply the current validations. Accordingly, to the extent that you are currently submitting incomplete data, please begin to collect and submit complete, accurate data in your future reports.

2) MyTRS will not accept reports with “aggregate” records: If you are now combining the data from multiple pay dates and reporting the sum in one “aggregate” monthly record per employee, you will need to change your method of reporting to reflect single lines or records per pay date (or “transaction date,” as the field is named in our file layout) per individual. In other words, if you pay teachers twice per month, your monthly report will need to show two “lines” per teacher--not one with the monthly total per individual. In brief, do not combine pay dates within each record. At this time, if you are submitting aggregate records, please begin to submit your future reports in a non-aggregate format. (Note: Until we put the new web-based employer self-service system into operation, you may still submit multiple monthly reports on one CD or disk, if necessary, as long as each report includes one “line” per pay date per individual.)

We know that the new system will be a big change for you and for us. To facilitate the transition as much as possible, please note that we are:

* Releasing an updated version of our Basic Electronic Reporting Tool (BERT 2.1) in the next few weeks. This version includes expanded reporting functions that will provide you with a preview of your current data’s compliance with the requirements of MyTRS. In general, if your reports are error-free in BERT 2.1, you will be able to submit your data online in MyTRS successfully.

* Presenting our annual employer training programs in September and October. Please watch your Inbox for an announcement of the dates, locations and registration deadlines, and be sure that your school district is represented at one of these programs. Because we will require all school districts to use not only BERT 2.1 but also MyTRS, attendance at this year’s employer training sessions is especially important.

If you have any questions in the meantime, please don’t hesitate to contact our Employer Services unit at 617-679-6895 or mailto:empsup@trb.state.ma.us. Thank you in advance for your cooperation and attention to these important deduction reporting issues. We appreciate your continued assistance to us and our members!

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July 21, 2009

Subject: MTRS employer training programs: Coming this fall

Dear School District Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Payroll Officials, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

A number of school district administrators have contacted us to ask whether we will be presenting our annual employer training programs again this summer. Please note that, while we usually hold these seminars during July and August, we have postponed this year's programs until the fall, after the busy and often hectic start of the school year. Please watch your Inbox for an announcement of our 2009 programs, which will most likely be held in late September and/or early October.

As a preview, this year's agenda will include:
* a review of the recent "pension reform" act, and how it affects you and our members;
* a demonstration of BERT 2.1, the soon-to-be released, updated version of our deduction reporting application; and,
* an overview of "MyTRS," our future online deduction reporting and submittal system.

Again, we will be sure to notify you via e-mail of the upcoming program dates, locations, and registration deadlines, and we hope to see you in a couple of months. In the meantime, enjoy the rest of your summer!

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May 14, 2009

Subject: Impact of local cost saving measures on MTRS retirement benefits

Dear School District Superintendents, Business Managers, Personnel Administrators, Payroll Officers, Town Treasurers, Education Collaborative and Charter School Directors:

We have received a number of questions from members and employers regarding the potential impact of local cost saving measures on MTRS retirement benefits. We want to share the common questions and answers with you in case you have similar concerns.

1. Furlough

Question: Due to severe budget cuts, our school district is implementing a furlough. Instead of paying our teachers for the two professional development days in the contract, those days will be unpaid furlough days. How will this furlough affect teachers who will be retiring within the next three years?

MTRS Answer: The MTRS will treat the furlough days as unpaid administrative leave. Pursuant to M.G.L. c. 32 § 4(1)(c), the MTRS will grant creditable service for said leave, up to a maximum of one month. If the leave falls within the member's last three years or highest three consecutive years, pursuant to M.G.L. c. 32 § 5(3)(b), we will use the salary rate in effect immediately prior to the leave for the period of leave. Thus, there will be no negative impact on the retirement allowance of a member who loses pay due to a furlough, so long as the furlough is less than one month in duration.

Note: the MTRS position is consistent with that of the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission, as stated in their memorandum to all Retirement Boards dated April 14, 2009, http://www.mass.gov/perac/09memos/1809.html .

2. Salary Freeze

Question: Our current teacher collective bargaining agreement calls for a 3% raise in 2009-10. However, due to severe budget cuts, we have negotiated a salary freeze for 2009-10. Under our Memorandum of Agreement, we will only pay the 3% raise in 2009-10 to those staff who are retiring from our district within the next three years. Will the MTRS include the 3% raise when calculating the three-year salary average for those staff who receive the 2009-10 payment?

MTRS Answer: Unfortunately, no. If a school district implements this type of exception for members who are retiring, the associated compensation will not be included in the three-year salary average. Pursuant to 807 CMR 6.00 and 840 CMR 15.03, any amount paid as the result of an employer having knowledge of a member’s retirement is not regular compensation.

We hope this information is helpful to you as you finalize your budgets. If you have additional questions, please contact us.

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March 3, 2009

Subject: MTRS update: Transmittal of sensitive data via e-mail

Dear Insurance Coordinators, Business Managers, Payroll Officers, Personnel Administrators, Town Treasurers and Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

I am writing to make you aware of a change that will take place tomorrow regarding the transmittal of Social Security numbers via e-mail. For the past several weeks, if you have sent an e-mail containing a Social Security number to the MTRS, you should have received a warning message stating that e-mail is not a secure form of communication and asking you to refrain from sending full Social Security numbers in future e-mails.

Beginning on Wednesday, March 4, our e-mail system will no longer accept e-mails that contain full Social Security numbers. Instead, it will generate an automatic message notifying you that your e-mail has not been delivered and will be deleted from our server.

If you need to communicate with us about an individual member or a list of members, please only list the last four digits of the member's Social Security number. For each individual, simply list the information in the following format: Firstname Lastname, ####. Please do not list "X" for the first five digits as that will create a false positive in our detection software.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our member data secure.

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November 6, 2008

Subject: MTRS Update: New version of Retirement Application, Part 2, just released

Dear School District Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Payroll Officials, Town Treasurers and Personnel Officers,

As we do every year, we have reviewed and revised our Retirement Application and made some modifications both to Part 1, which is completed by our members, and Part 2, which is completed by employers. For your reference, while most of the revisions were minor formatting changes, we do want to point out that we made two significant changes to the last page in the employer signature section, as detailed below. Please be assured that the basic process remains the same: members are still to complete Part 1 and provide you with a printed copy of Part 2; you are still to complete Part 2 and return it to the member for sending to us.

In brief:

*All of the changes are detailed in the “Update” at http://mass.gov/mtrs/4emp/4empret.htm . As you will see, the changes to two sections were minor, formatting revisions; however, the last section—the employer signature section—was updated both to expand the statement to which the school district official is certifying, and, for applicants employed under the terms of an individual contract, to require the additional signature of the superintendent or, if the applicant is the superintendent, the school committee chairperson.

*The new Part 2 replaces the old Part 2. If you have ALREADY completed the old Part 2 for a retiring employee, you do NOT need to complete a new Part 2. We will accept the old version of Part 2. If you have NOT yet completed Part 2 for a retiring employee, please use the new Part 2, as we would like you to start using the new version as soon as possible.

*The new, interactive version of Part 2 is available on our website where the old version had been (Home > Employers > Employer forms > Retirement Application, Part 2; http://mass.gov/mtrs/4emp/4empret.htm ). The complete Retirement Application—Parts 1 and 2—continues to be available to members at http://mass.gov/mtrs/2members/20active/intro.htm .

If you have any questions about our new form, please be sure to contact us at mailto:empsup@trb.state.ma.us . Your input is always welcome and appreciated!

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October 2, 2008

Subject: MTRS reminder: Restrictions on public employee post-retirement earnings

Dear School District Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Payroll Officials, Town Treasurers, Charter School and Education Collaborative Directors,

As you may know from our recent mailing to all superintendents, the Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission (PERAC), has asked that we remind employers of two items: the restrictions on public employees' post-retirement employment with public agencies, and employers’ responsibility for monitoring these employees' post-retirement earnings. Accordingly, please note:

Retirees of Massachusetts public retirement systems who are re-employed in the service of the Commonwealth or any of its counties, cities, municipalities or political subdivisions, are subject to both service and earnings limitations. Specifically, the retiree may not work for a Massachusetts public employer more than 960 hours in a calendar year; and, his or her earnings for the calendar year, when added to the retirement allowance he or she is receiving, cannot exceed the salary currently being paid for the position from which he or she retired.

The responsibility for monitoring post-retirement earnings is placed upon the employer and the retiree [G.L. c. 32, § 91(c)]. The retiree is to certify to his or her employer and the treasurer or person responsible for the payment of compensation, the number of days or hours which he or she has been employed in any calendar year and the amount of earnings from this employment. If the number of hours exceeds 960, the retiree shall not continue to be employed. If the earnings exceed the amount allowed, the retiree shall return to the appropriate treasurer or person responsible for the payment of compensation all earnings in excess of the allowable amount. The amount of any excess not returned may be recovered in an action in contract by the treasurer or person responsible for the payment of the compensation to the retiree. The court has ruled that if the employer does not seek or receive the reimbursement from the retiree, the Retirement Board that paid may recoup the excess payments. [Flanagan v. Contributory Retirement Appeal Bd., 51 Mass.App.Ct. 862, 750 N.E.2d 489 (2001)]

For more information, please see PERAC's memorandum of July 2, 2008 ( http://www.mass.gov/perac/08memos/2408.html ). You can also find additional information on the restrictions on retirees' post-retirement employment on our site at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/2members/22retiree/22work.htm . As always, if you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call us at 617-679-MTRS (6877).

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July 2, 2008

Subject: MTRS announces new release of “BERT,” our retirement deduction reporting tool

Dear School District Superintendents, Directors, Business Managers, Payroll Officials, Town Treasurers and Personnel Officers,

We are pleased to announce a new release of “BERT,” our Basic Electronic Reporting Tool. In response to your feedback, this latest release includes two time-saving features that we think you will find extremely useful:

* Do-it-yourself error reporting: Simply click on the “Export error report” button to test your file for the most common errors, and then fix them BEFORE you submit your report.

* Mailing list export: Easily export your employees’ names and addresses for a convenient mailing list.

We strongly encourage ALL districts to use BERT, as it is an easy-to-use retirement deduction reporting tool that requires less data entry, features user-friendly input screens and is fully compliant with our employer reporting requirements. Using this latest release of BERT, you can:

* create your monthly deduction report database right on your desktop computer,

* create, change and delete employees’ records as needed,

* test your output file for the most common reporting errors yourself, and then correct them BEFORE you submit your report to the MTRS,

* export your monthly deduction report to your local hard drive, diskette, CD and/or other media, and

* export a name and address mailing list directly from your deduction report file.

Some quick notes:
* If your current payroll deduction reporting software or vendor is meeting your needs and our reporting requirements, then you do not “need” to use BERT. However, we strongly encourage ALL districts to use BERT, as it now allows you to test and correct your monthly report BEFORE you submit it to us.

* BERT is a Microsoft Access application, and, in order to use it, you must have Microsoft Access 2000 or a later version installed on your PC.

* For more information, FAQ and the link to download the latest release of BERT, please visit our website at http://www.mass.gov/mtrs/4emp/4bert.htm .

* If you have any questions, please contact our Employer Services unit at 617-679-6895 or mailto:empsup@trb.state.ma.us .

We will be providing a demonstration of this latest release of BERT at our Employer Training Seminar programs to be held in July and August, so please be sure to watch your e-mail for the announcement of the dates and locations. We think that you will find this new version of BERT to be extremely helpful, and we look forward to seeing you this summer!

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