Membership
Effective April 26, 2013
Any individual who is permanently employed twenty (20) or more hours per week by the City of Taunton or any of its departments, or any member unit of the Taunton Retirement System (“System”), or by the Taunton Retirement Board and who earns at least $5,000 in regular compensation as that term is so defined in M.G.L. c. 32 § 1 and 840 CMR 15.03 shall become a member of the System. An individual who is employed in a temporary capacity is excluded from membership in the System unless at the time of hire the employee will be employed at least 20 hours per week and there is an expectation that the temporary assignment will continue for at least six (6) months. In addition to the foregoing, any elected official who earns at least $5,000 per year in regular compensation may elect to join the System within (90) days of assuming office.
Creditable Service
March 28, 2022
All full-time employees will receive full credit except in an instance which full-time employees also had part-time service. Part-time service shall be prorated as it relates to the full-time position. Part-time employees will receive full credit provided that they have not been a full-time/part-time employee as stated in the preceding sentence. For the purposes of this regulation and prorating creditable service, the Board considers an individual who is regularly scheduled to work at least 32.5 hours per week to be full-time. With respect to Taunton Public Schools employees who only work the school year (10 months as opposed to 12 months), the Board credits membership service as follows: if a member renders membership service on the first day of the school year, and continues uninterrupted employment into the following school year, the member will receive one (1) year of creditable service. If a member is employed for the full school year but does not return to work for the following school year, service will only be credited through the end of the school year, i.e., the member will only receive 10 months of service based on the 12-month year. If a member terminates employment at any other time during a school year, the member's creditable service will be prorated based on the actual full months worked during that school year, based on 12 months being a full year of service.
Members are permitted to purchase past non-membership service pursuant to M.G.L. c. 32, §§ 4(2)(c) and 3(5). For members who are eligible to purchase prior non-membership service pursuant to M.G.L. c. 32, §§ 4(2)(c) and 3(5), 141 hours shall be considered one (1) month of creditable service.
Effective April 26, 2013
All full-time employees will receive full credit except in an instance in which full-time employees also had part-time service. Part-time service shall be prorated as it relates to the full-time position. Part-time employees will receive full credit provided that they have not been a fulltime/part-time employee as stated in the preceding sentence.
All members in service who are eligible veterans may purchase military service under Chapter 71 of the Acts of 1996, as amended, in installments or in its entirety, up to the date of retirement.
Purchase of past non-membership service
Any individual who is an active member of the Taunton Retirement System (“System”) as of the effective date of this regulation may purchase any past service rendered as a part-time, provisional, temporary, temporary provisional, seasonal or intermittent employee in the City of Taunton, or as an employee of any member unit of the System pursuant to M.G.L. c. 32, § 4(2)(c) provided that the position in which the member rendered the non-membership service has a part-time or full-time equivalent position that would qualify the incumbent of that position for membership in the System and this past non-membership service was for at least (6) consecutive months in duration. For example, the position of crossing guard has neither a part-time or full-time equivalent which would warrant membership in the System because those employed in such a position, by definition, will never work twenty (20) or more hours per week and thus never qualify for membership in the System. Accordingly, members may not purchase past service rendered as a crossing guard. Conversely, an individual who renders temporary or part-time service as a custodian for a minimum of 6 consecutive months and subsequently becomes a member of the System by virtue of being permanently employed twenty (20) or more hours per week will be able to purchase this service as the position of custodian has a full-time equivalent that would qualify the incumbent of that position for membership in the System. Creditable service shall be calculated based on the regulation in effect at the time the member actually purchases the service.
Make-up Payments/Redeposits
A member may buy back CETA and EEA service rendered with the City of Taunton provided that the individual gains employment in a qualified position becoming eligible for membership and provided that said service can be documented.
Regular Compensation
Miscellaneous
October 25, 2016
Correction of Errors
In all cases in which a benefit calculation error occurs that results in an underpayment or non-payment of a pension or benefit to a member or beneficiary, or in the event of any overpayment as the result of an error to a member or beneficiary, the Board shall, consistent with the provisions of M.G.L. c. 32, § 20(5)(c) pay to or collect from the member or beneficiary, as the case may be, the actuarial equivalent of the benefit paid or received in error. Pursuant to the Supreme Judicial Court's decision in Herrick v. Essex Regional Retirement Board, 465 Mass. 801 (2013) and PERAC Memorandum #32/2013, the Board has determined that the actuarial equivalent requires that the interest to be applied will be calculated for each calendar year based on the 10-year Treasury rate in effect on January 1st of each year.
Disbursements of Funds
Disbursements shall be authorized by signatures of any two members of either our five-member board or the executive director or assistant director who is authorized to sign by the retirement board as per Chapter 32, s. 23(2).
Miscellaneous
Accidental disability applicants must be present when the Board reviews their application unless a medical reason exists that prevents them from being present.