FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this request will result in an annual cost of approximately $41,697. Since County Retirement Board positions are funded by the Contra Costa County Employees' Retirement Association, this request has no impact on the County budget.
BACKGROUND:
The Public Employees' Pension Reform Act of 2013 requires that active members who retire on or after January 1, 2013 must wait 180 days after retirement to return to work. The Act also allows the Board, based on a finding that the appointment is necessary to fill a critically needed position, may waive the 180 day period.
Joelle Luhn retired from the Contra Costa County Employees' Retirement Association (CCCERA) on December 7, 2013. Prior to retiring, Ms. Luhn held the position of Retirement Communications Coordinator and was responsible for providing communications materials to actives, retirees and the Board, as well as creating and compiling the Consolidated Annual Financial Report (CAFR) and the Popular Annual Financial Report (PAFR) for CCCERA.
CCCERA is actively working with Human Resources to recruit for this position with the goal of a permanent appointment. However, the production period for the CAFR and PAFR begins in late January and the recruitment and selection process will not be completed by that time.
Due to this vacancy in a critically needed position, CCCERA is requesting a waiver of the 180 day waiting period for Joelle Luhn and approval to hire her as a temporary County employee until the position is permanently filled. The attached request memo was approved by the Retirement Board on January 8, 2014.
Under current Contra Costs County Employees Retirement Association (CCCERA) rules, if a CCCERA retiree returns to work for a CCCERA covered employer, the retiree can work for 960 hours or less per fiscal year. This rule continues to apply.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
Failure to receive Board approval may jeopardize efforts of the Contra Costa County Employees' Retirement Association's to provide high quality services to active and retired County employees and the Retirement Board.
CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:
Not applicable.