05/14/1997 09551

RETIREMENT TECHNICIAN TRAINEE

DEFINITION: This is structured trainee level technical work involving the processing of retirement benefits and the maintenance of retirement accounts or the communication of detailed benefits information to the active and annuitant members for the State Employees' Retirement System, the Public School Employees' Retirement System, and the Pennsylvania Municipal Retirement System.

An employee in this class participates in a twelve month formal on-the-job training program designed to develop understanding and competence in interpreting, communicating, and applying Retirement Systems laws in order to respond appropriately to inquiries from the members, reporting units, external organizations and legislators and/or determine all benefit payments and maintain member retirement accounts. An increase in the utilization of the techniques learned will occur with an increase in the knowledge and experience gained through the training period. Work is performed under the direct supervision of a technical supervisor who assigns work, provides guidance and direction, and reviews work in progress and upon completion for quality and adherence to established standards, rules, and regulations.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: Participates in formal on-the-job training to develop the knowledge and skills needed to determine benefit payments, to maintain employee retirement accounts, and/or explain all aspects of benefits administration for annuitants and active members in accordance with current retirement law.

Assists in providing estimates and/or determining eligibility and calculations for normal, early, frozen, disability, and multiple service retirement benefits.

Assists in determining monies owed to the Retirement System and monies due members of the System to include overpayments, underpayments, refunds, purchase of service, adjustments, etc.

Assists in determining eligibility for purchase of service, calculating cost statements, completing appropriate documents, and explaining all aspects of Purchase of Service.

Assists in preparing adjustments to members accounts and/or benefit payments resulting from arbitration awards, back pay awards, court decisions, legislative changes, return to service, death in service or retirement, etc.

Assists in reviewing, auditing, and initiating corrective action for a member's total account. This includes salary and service records, purchases, refunds, death benefits, adjustments, and other member related data.

Assists in providing member service support via telephone.

Assists in performing research assignments on employee retirement records to ensure accuracy of information or to resolve complaints.

Assists in responding to member, agency, and reporting unit inquiries regarding rules, regulations, procedures, and individual retirement accounts.

Assists in service as a liaison between members, agencies, reporting units, regional offices and headquarters to resolve problems, gather information and respond to inquiries.

Assists in responding to a variety of tax inquiries such as rollovers, withholding exclusions ratio, investment in contract, and general IRS rules and regulations.

Assists in preparing material for occasional informational workshops throughout Pennsylvania for members and employers; i.e. general information programs, pre-retirement programs, and employer workshops.

Performs related work as required.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of basic math skills such as addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, ratios, percentages, formulas, etc.

Knowledge of basic computer applications used in an office environment such as; data base, spreadsheets, and related peripheral equipment.

Ability to learn and apply mathematical formulas in the calculation and adjustment of retirement benefits.

Ability to communicate clearly and concisely both orally and in writing.

Ability to learn to accurately analyze reports, terminal display data, retirement forms, employer data, and other data related to a member's account.

Ability to learn to recognize deficiencies and inconsistencies in retirement account information.

Ability to learn and apply the Retirement Law to the active and inactive members of the State Employees' Retirement System and the Public School Employees' Retirement System.

Ability to learn, correctly interpret and apply rules, regulations, procedures, legislation, and directives governing the calculations of retirement benefit payments and the maintenance of member's accounts.

Ability to learn and apply automated technology to retirement processing.

Ability to learn computer applications for retirement benefit calculations.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with peers, members, agency personnel offices, reporting districts, legislators, attorneys and other groups or individuals that come in contact with the Retirement System.

Ability to learn to operate a personal computer or video display terminal and apply/manipulate associated software for retirement system processing.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: Three years of experience in advanced clerical or technical work which includes or is supplemented by either one year of experience applying basic computer skills and techniques or three (3) credits in computer basics and techniques;

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Associate Degree that includes or is supplemented by three (3) credits of computer basics and techniques;

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Any equivalent combination of education, experience, and training which includes one year of advanced clerical or technical work applying basic computer skills and techniques or three (3) credits of computer basics and techniques.