Memorandum  PERAC Memo #25: Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training – 4th Qtr 2024

Date:	10/01/2024
Referenced Sources:	PERAC Website

PERAC Memo #25 2024

To All Retirement Boards:

TO:                  All Retirement Boards

FROM:            Bill Keefe, Executive Director

RE:                  Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training – 4^th Quarter 2024

DATE:            October 1, 2024

Chapter 32 mandates retirement board members to 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 three credits each, unless otherwise noted.

Ways to receive your credits:

• Credits for attending live PERAC webinars are automatically updated by PERAC staff approximately one week after the event.
  • All attendees must register through the links available on our website.
  • Board members seeking educational credits – it is important that you register with your full name and the email address we have on record so we can accurately update your account.
• You must submit a completed Training Affidavit in PROSPER for all other trainings, including pre-recorded PERAC webinars and pre-approved webinar and conference attendance. Any session listed under sections I through V are pre-approved.
• If a Certificate of Completion is offered for any training not directly provided by or sponsored by PERAC, you must submit the certificate through PROSPER to receive credit.
• Please note the full name of the recorded session you have viewed when submitting a Training Affidavit in PROSPER.
• Some sessions require pre-registration. Check individual sessions for closing dates.

Please note we will return to Danvers in November for another round of the New Administrator Training first held in August in Northampton. We will also conduct this training in Norwood in the spring. Also of note, the Fall MACRS Conference in Springfield will be held in December this year. The Commission would like to acknowledge all the retirement board members who are making a good faith effort to fulfill their duties and responsibilities. We wish you all the best in this upcoming holiday season.  

I. Training Schedule Dates (pre-registration is required)

Date	Topic/Organization	Location / Registration Information
October 3	Public Pension Insights 2024	Webinar
1:00 p.m.	NCPERS	Register for webinar
October 4 - 7	NCTR 102nd Annual Conference	Conference, Atlanta, GA
	National Conference on Teacher Retirement	Register for conference
October 7	Open Meeting Law	Webinar
6:00 p.m.	AGO	Register for webinar
October 12 - 16	NPEA Annual Conference	Conference, Greenville, SC
	National Pension Education Association	Register for conference
October 23	Legislative Update	Webinar
1:00 p.m.	PERAC	Register for webinar
October 26 - 27	NCPERS PAT/NAF Pre-Conference	Conference, Palm Springs, CA
	National Conference of Public Employee  Retirement Systems (NCPERS)	Register for conference
October 27 - 30	Public Safety Conference	Conference, Palm Springs, CA
	NCPERS	Register for conference
October 30	Open Meeting Law	Webinar
3:00 p.m.	AGO	Register for webinar
November 19	New Administrator Training [1]	Training, Danvers, MA
8:00 a.m.	PERAC	PROSPER
November 19	Open Meeting Law	Webinar
7:00 p.m.	AGO	Register for webinar
December 5	Open Meeting Law	Webinar
11:30 a.m.	AGO	Register for webinar
December 8 - 11	Fall MACRS Conference	Conference, Springfield, MA
	MACRS	See website for information
January 26 - 27	Pension Communications Summit	Conference, Washington, D.C.
	NCPERS	Register for conference
January 27 - 29	Legislative Conference & Policy Day	Conference, Washington, D.C.
	NCPERS	Register for conference

II. New Administrator Training (three credits)

Our 2024 series for new board administrators continues in Danvers this quarter. This all day training is designed for newer administrators and board staff with less than five years of experience, however board members are welcome. Should board members choose to attend, they will earn three educational credits. The agenda is available on our website. We will repeat this training next spring in Norwood.

Training information: 
Danvers DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel
50 Ferncroft Road, Danvers, MA 01923 
November 19, 2024, 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Register through PROSPER. If an individual wishing to attend does not have access to PROSPER, please contact Rose Morrisson at [e-mail]. Lunch will be served. Please advise our staff if you need reasonable accommodations at least two weeks prior to the training date.

III. Fall MACRS Conference

PERAC will be presenting at the fall MACRS Conference to be held December 8 – 11 in Springfield, MA. More information on agenda and credits will be available as the date approaches, but we offered 9 credits at the spring MACRS Conference. Board members must be present and sign in at each session where credit is being offered to ensure they receive proper credit.

We will notify boards when registration opens.

IV. Recently Added or Recurring Pre-Approved Online Training 
(available on demand)

Organization	Topic	How to find webinar:
Inspector General	Inspector General Videos  You must watch all three videos	mass.gov/service-details/inspector-general-educational-videos
Attorney General	Open Meeting Law Training You must watch all six videos	mass.gov/service-details/open-meeting-law-training-videos
State Comptroller	Cybersecurity for Retirement Boards PowerPoint Presentation Note: this presentation is provided for reference only. It is not available for credit	Download the presentation
State Comptroller	All Hands on Deck Webinar	View the webinar
PERAC	HERO Act/Veterans’ Buyback	View the webinar

Unless otherwise noted, board members can view the listed recorded webinars and receive three educational credits by completing a Training Affidavit in PROSPER.

Links to all of the above resources can be found on PERAC’s Education page at 
mass.gov/perac-education.

V. Conflict of Interest Online Training (three credits)

The State Ethics Commission no longer offers live webinars for the conflict of interest training. With their new online training system for the Conflict of Interest Law, users must create a login to take the training and receive a certificate.

To create a login and take the training, go to: 
mass.gov/how-to/complete-the-conflict-of-interest-law-education-requirements

If you want to take the training and your retirement system is not listed in the dropdown menu, please have your board contact the State Ethics Commission: [e-mail]. They will add organizations upon request.

A certificate of completion is still required to receive credit for this training and credits may only be awarded once every two years. 

VI. Other Opportunities to Obtain Educational Credit

The Commission is willing to approve other 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 2024, 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 credit must take place well in advance of the date of the event or webinar.  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. Board members experiencing Extenuating Circumstances in meeting educational requirements should review Memo 15 of 2019 and contact PERAC with any questions.   

The following list of local and national organizations provide additional educational opportunities that may be relevant for retirement board members:

• American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA)
• City/Town Sponsored Conflict of Interest or Open Meeting Law Training
• Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA)
• International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP)
• MA Association of School Committees Open Meeting Law Training
• MA Town Clerks Association Ethics Training
• MA Office of the Inspector General (OIG)
• National Association of State Retirement Administrators (NASRA)
• National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS)
• National Council on Teacher Retirement (NCTR)
• National Pension Education Association (NPEA)

[1] Note: this training will be repeated in Norwood in the spring.