9/09/2004 09555

RETIREMENT BENEFITS SPECIALIST

DEFINITION: This is specialized professional and technical work in the calculation of benefits for those accounts that are non-routine and manual in the State Employees' (SERS) or Public School Employees' Retirement System (PSERS).

An employee in this class performs highly complex non-routine and manual calculations on accounts for the payment of benefits in situations outside of normal processing. Work includes interpreting the provisions of the State Employees' or Public School Employees' Retirement Codes, rules, regulations, board policies, court orders, and legal opinions as they apply to benefit payments. An employee in this class has responsibility for processing annuitant payments and maintenance of actuarial data and member records. Work also involves interaction with members, annuitants, school officials, and attorneys in order to gather necessary information for benefit resolution and to provide interpretation of retirement code applications. Employees in this class perform a variety of benefits-related calculations, reviews and approvals. An employee in this class may be responsible for analyzing complex member financial and demographic data; creating or adjusting member accounts; and researching all member accounts. Incumbents may testify at administrative hearings for the adjudication of appeals. Employees in this class report to a Benefits Specialist Supervisor or other benefits program administrator. Work is performed independently with periodic supervisory review for consistency of the application of the retirement code and agency policies and to maintain the efficiency of operations.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: Calculates highly complex non-routine and manual retirement benefits.

Interprets the provisions of the retirement codes of the SERS or PSERS.

Calculates retirement benefits for domestic relation orders to determine percentage of marital property allocated to the alternate payee and the benefit amount to be distributed to the member.

Responds to attorney and member inquiries relating to benefits processing on divorce issues.

Conducts research and prepares summary of chronology for appeal cases scheduled for the executive staff review.

Prepares original correspondence and/or verbal responses regarding non-routine questions and issues as they pertain to the SERS or PSERS.

Participates on or leads project teams responsible for the implementation of new business processes as the result of policy changes brought about by court decisions and new or changed legislation.

Participates in the design, development, and testing of spreadsheets and automated tracking systems, and writing workflow procedures.

Reviews and approves domestic relations orders to determine the appropriate benefit payments, death-in-service calculations, elimination of frozen present value, complex final average salary, and returns to service.

Analyzes complex member financial data as well as demographic data posted to member accounts.

Creates or adjusts member accounts as a result of a return to service of an annuitant or the settlement of an arbitration or grievance.

Researches all member accounts prior to retirement or furlough or as warranted by legislative changes, downsizing by employers, and other situations.

Testifies at administrative hearings on behalf of SERS or PSERS on benefits issues as technical experts.

Works with the staff of the Legal Division in analyzing and preparing cases.

Investigates, resolves, and monitors complaints or inquiries received from members and their representatives.

Performs any related work as assigned.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of the interrelationship of computer systems with the SERS or PSERS and among supporting entities that affect benefits processing.

Ability to learn the retirement codes of either the SERS or PSERS.

Ability to learn the complex mathematical formulas utilized in the development, maintenance, and calculation of member benefits.

Ability to learn the policies and procedures governing the processing of benefits for the SERS or PSERS.

Ability to apply the State Employees' or the Public School Employees' Retirement Codes to complex and non-routine retirement benefit calculations.

Ability to interpret policies and procedures for the processing of non- routine and manual retirement benefits.

Ability to speak and write effectively.

Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with coworkers, members reporting units, agency personnel offices, legislators, administrative officials, and the general public.

Ability to utilize on-line systems for retirement benefits processing.

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: One year as a Retirement Technician;

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One year as a Fiscal Technician performing work within a public pension or retirement system or related area, such as a Comptroller's Office;

                                                                                                                                            or

Two years as a Human Resources Assistant 2 performing work in the areas of benefits or systems processing;

                                                                                                                                            or

An associate's degree and two years of experience in the processing of benefit payments;

                                                                                                                                           or

Four years of experience in the processing of benefit accounts or payments within a public pension or retirement system or related area, such as medical insurance or other insurance or pension benefits;

                                                                                                                                          or

An equivalent combination of experience or training.