As you may recall when OCAA obtained the 2.7% @ 55 retirement formula for the membership, attorneys agreed to pay the entire cost of this enhanced benefit, which includes a slight annual adjustment. This adjustment is normally less than one-half of one percent.
Because the County illegally imposed terms and conditions of employment on the attorneys, which forced attorneys to pay the “employee retirement pick-ups” previously paid by the County, this year’s annual adjustment is more substantial (between 1.75% and 1.91% of salary depending on your age when hired). This adjustment is due to the assumptions used by OCERS to develop costs of the retirement formula. Part of the assumptions that OCERS relies on are also in dispute – more information will be forthcoming in the next few weeks.
A retirement rate calculator is provided so that you can determine your personal cost. This additional expense will be reflected on your July 19th paycheck.
That said, OCAA absolutely disagrees with this additional retirement charge as well as the County retirement cost previously passed on to you. Both will be addressed at the upcoming PERB Hearing, which is scheduled in October 2013 and in the Civil Case we have filed against the County, scheduled to begin in September 2013. We believe that we are on firm legal standing to “right this wrong” – in the meantime however we wanted to advise you of this upcoming additional retirement charge.
Please feel free to contact the OCAA office if you have questions. Thank you.