Memorandum  PERAC Memo #33: Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training – 1st Quarter, 2023

Date:	12/19/2022
Referenced Sources:	PERAC Website

PERAC Memo #33, 2022

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, 2023

DATE:            December 19, 2022

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 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 and in-person trainings 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, II, and III is 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.

The Commission appreciates the continued efforts of retirement board members to fulfill their duties and responsibilities as well as the continued engagement of board staff.

We wish you all a healthy and joyous holiday season and a happy New Year.  

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

Date	Topic/Organization	Location / Registration Information
January 10	Open Meeting Law	Webinar
1:00 p.m.	AGO	tinyurl.com/AGO-0110
January 19	Contract Administration	Webinar
10:00 a.m.	PERAC/IGO	tinyurl.com/PER-0119
January 22-24	Legislative Conference	Conference – Washington D.C.
	National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS)	ncpers.org
January 23-24	Communications Summit	Conference – Washington D.C.
	NCPERS	ncpers.org
January 23	Open Meeting Law	Webinar
6:30 p.m.	AGO	tinyurl.com/AGO-0123
January 25	Conflict of Interest Law*	Webinar
10:00 a.m.	State Ethics Commission	tinyurl.com/ETH-0125
February 15	Fraud Awareness	Webinar
2:00 p.m.	MCPPO / OIG	tinyurl.com/MCPPO-0215
February 16	Annual Statement & Cash Books	Webinar
10:00 a.m.	PERAC	tinyurl.com/PER-0216
February 23	Boards and Commissions: Know Your Responsibility	Webinar ($15)
9:00 a.m.	MCPPO / OIG	tinyurl.com/MCPPO-0223
March 28	New Board Administrators & Staff Training	Training - Norwood, MA
8:00 a.m.	PERAC	PROSPER
March 30	Conflict of Interest*	Webinar
8:00 a.m.	State Ethics Commission	tinyurl.com/ETH-0330
May 21-24	Annual Conference & Exhibition (ACE)	Save the Date!
	NCPERS	New Orleans, LA

*Board members must complete the Conflict of Interest Law training at least once every two years, however, the live session may be taken for credit every year.  A certificate of completion is required to receive credit for the Conflict of Interest training.

II. Recently Added Pre-Approved PERAC Online Training
(available on demand)

Organization	Topic	How to find webinar:
PERAC	Recent Cases of Interest	tinyurl.com/per-web-coi22

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

Organization	Topic	How to find webinar:
State Ethics Commission	Conflict of Interest Law* select either State and County or Municipal links	mass.gov/complete-conflict-of-interest-law-education-requirements
Office of the Inspector General	Inspector General Videos You must watch all three videos	mass.gov/info-details/inspector-general-educational-videos
Office of the Attorney General	Open Meeting Law Training You must watch all six videos	mass.gov/info-details/open-meeting-law-training-videos

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

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

Credit for the recorded session may only be awarded once every two years.

IV. Administrator Training

We will be hosting an in-person administrator training on March 28, 2023, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., in Norwood, MA. We encourage new board administrators and staff to attend this all-day training. The training is designed for new retirement board staff with less than five years of experience, however, board members who attend will earn three educational credits.

Location:

Four Points by Sheraton

Norwood Hotel and Conference Center

1125 Boston Providence Turnpike

Norwood, MA 02062

Registration for this session will be through PROSPER. If a staff member wishing to attend does not have access to PROSPER, please contact Rose Morrison at [e-mail] to register.

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.  This year we are again accepting requests for credit in relation to relevant webinars.

You must request approval for credit at least three weeks before 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. After attending, you must complete the Training Affidavit in PROSPER to ensure you receive proper credit.

Board members experiencing Extenuating Circumstances in meeting educational requirements should reviewMemo #15 of 2019 and contact PERAC with any questions.   

The following 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
• 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)