Memorandum

Memorandum  #03: Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training – 1st Quarter 2020

Date: 01/06/2020
Referenced Sources: PERAC Website

PERAC Memo #03, 2020

Contact   for #03: Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training – 1st Quarter 2020

Public Employee Retirement Administration Commission

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Table of Contents

To All Retirement Boards:

 

M E M O R A N D U M

 

TO:       All Retirement Boards

FROM: John W. Parsons, Esq., Executive Director

RE:       Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training – 1st Quarter 2020

DATE:  January 13, 2020

Chapter 32 mandates that retirement board members complete training during each year of service on the retirement board. This requirement has two elements: 18 credits over the course of the member’s term and at least 3 credits in each year of the term. Failure to meet either of these statutory standards will prohibit the member from serving beyond the conclusion of the term for which the training requirement was not met. We urge board members to utilize the full array of training choices in order to remain eligible to serve. All classes, webinars, seminars, and conferences listed will earn the attendee three credits each.

If a certificate of completion is offered for training not directly offered by PERAC, you must submit it through PROSPER for proper credit. Otherwise, please submit the Training Affidavit in PROSPER.

Please view sections I, II, and III on the following pages of this memo for available pre-approved trainings. Other possible educational opportunities, listed in section IV, must be preapproved by the PERAC Compliance Unit before attendance to confirm if credit will be offered.

I. 1st Quarter Training Schedule

Date Topic/Organization Location / Registration Information
January 23 Open Meeting Law Webinar (pre-registration required)
12:30 p.m. Offered by:
Office of the Attorney General
Register:OMLTraining@state.ma.us
or 617-963-2925.
January 23 Conflict of Interest Law* McCormack State Building
1 Ashburton Place, Room 619, Boston, MA.
10:00 a.m. Offered by:
State Ethics Commission
Register: 617-371-9505 or e-mailing:David.giannotti@mass.gov
January 29 (snow date –January 30) 2018 Fee Report & Other Compliance Matters PERAC Training Room
5 Middlesex Avenue, 3rdfloor, Somerville, MA
10:00 a.m. Offered by:
PERAC
Register: PROSPER
February 12 2018 Fee Report & Other Compliance Matters Webinar
10:00 a.m. Offered by:
PERAC
Register: PROSPER
February 13 Open Meeting Law Webinar (pre-registration required)
12:30 p.m. Offered by:
Office of the Attorney General
Register:OMLTraining@state.ma.us
or 617-963-2925
February 26
(snow date –February 28)
Public Pensions: Important Updates in both Massachusetts and Federal Law Springfield Retirement Board
70 Tapley Street, Springfield, MA
10:00 a.m. Offered by:
PERAC
Register: PROSPER
March 18 Annual Statement/Cash Books Webinar
10:00 a.m. Offered by:
PERAC
Register: PROSPER
March 26 Conflict of Interest Law* McCormack State Building
1 Ashburton Place, Room 619, Boston, MA
10:00 a.m. Offered by:
State Ethics Commission
Register: 617-371-9505 or e-mailing:David.giannotti@mass.gov

* Board members must complete the Conflict of Interest Law training once every two years. A certificate of completion is required to receive credit.

II. PERAC Online Training (available year-round)

Topics
Chapter 32 in a Nutshell
Recent Cases of Interest
Audit Process Revisions
An Introduction to the Annual Statement


Please see our website’s Education page,https://www.mass.gov/perac-education,for links to the above webinars. You must complete the Training Affidavit in PROSPER to receive credit. When completing your affidavit, select the webinars marked “Affidavit Required” from the drop-down list in PROSPER.

III. Pre-Approved Online Training (available year-round)

Organization Topic How to find webinar:
State Ethics Commission Conflict of Interest Law* https://go.usa.gov/xpPxD and select State,County, or Municipal employee to view appropriate webinar
Office of the Inspector General How to be an Effective Public Board and Commission Member https://tinyurl.com/IG20abc to view webinar
Office of the Attorney General Open Meeting Law Training https://go.usa.gov/xpPx5 to view.
You must watch all six videos
National Council on Teacher Retirement Setting the Discount Rate –
A Balancing Act
www.nctr.org/government-relations/federal-webinar/ and enter the password: nctrinsight
National Crime Prevention Council Investment Fraud Prevention Program https://tinyurl.com/NCPC-perac
Download and review all five pdf presentations
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Cybersecurity Webinar no longer available

* Board members must complete the Conflict of Interest Law training once every two years. A certificate of completion is required to receive credit.

IV. Other Opportunities to Obtain Educational Credit

The Commission is willing to approve educational credits for a variety of events sponsored by “…local, state, regional and national organizations recognized by the Commission as having expertise in retirement issues of importance to retirement board members or other entities…”

Additionally, the Commission has approved education credit for participating in Webinars.In 2020, we will again entertain requests for credit in relation to relevant webinars provided that such a request is made well in advance of the session.

Approval for such credit must take place well in advance of the date of the event. This will enable the Commission to analyze the program and provide a general notice to other retirement board members to maximize participation. Once approved, you must complete the Training Affidavit in PROSPER to ensure proper credit.

The following represent a list of educational opportunities both nationally and within Massachusetts.

National Organizations Event
National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS) TEDS (ncpers.org)
NCPERS PATS (ncpers.org)
NCPERS Annual Conference (ncpers.org)
National Council on Teacher Retirement (NCTR) Trustee Workshop (nctr.org)
NCTR Annual Conference (nctr.org)
National Pension Education Association Annual Conference (npea.com)
National Association of State Retirement Administrators Annual Conference (nasra.org)
Government Finance Officers Association Annual Conference (gfoa.org)
American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries Annual Conference (asppa.org)
International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans New Trustee Institute/Advanced Trustees Institute (ifebp.org)
Massachusetts Organizations Event
PRIM Investors’ Conference
Ethics Training MA Town Clerks Association
Open Meeting Law MA Association of School Committees
City/Town Sponsored Conflict of Interest Training
City/Town Sponsored Open Meeting Law Training

Thank You

The Commission would be remiss if we did not thank all the members of the retirement boards who, in spite of other pressing duties, are making a good faith effort to fulfill their duties and responsibilities.

Commission Members

Philip Y Brown, Esq., Chairman
Auditor 
Suzanne M. Bump
Kathleen M. Fallon
Kate Fitzpatrick
James M. Machado
Robert B. McCarthy
Jennifer F. Sullivan

Downloads   for #03: Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training – 1st Quarter 2020

Contact   for #03: Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training – 1st Quarter 2020

Referenced Sources:

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