10/11/2002 09556

RETIREMENT BENEFITS SPECIALIST SUPERVISOR

DEFINITION: This is supervisory and administrative work overseeing specialized and technical processes that include 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 supervises Retirement Benefits Specialists or staff in other related classifications engaged in the completion of highly complex, non-routine, and manual calculations on accounts for the payment of benefits in situations where normal processing is not possible. These situations may be due to legislative changes, court orders, tax levies and/or domestic relation orders. Duties include planning and prioritizing work and aiding the specialists in the interpretation of the State Employees' or Public School Employees' Retirement Code. Employees in this class must interact with members, annuitants, school officials, and attorneys in order to gather necessary information for account resolution and to provide interpretation of various provisions of the retirement code. Work also includes reviewing and implementing domestic relation orders to determine appropriate benefit payments. Work may also involve preparing and presenting testimony at administrative appeals hearings. Work is performed independently and is reviewed by an administrative superior for adherence to established standards, laws and regulations.

EXAMPLES OF WORK: Supervises Retirement Benefits Specialists in the calculation of non-routine and manual accounts for benefits payment.

Provides training, evaluates training needs and requests further training or educational courses for agency staff.

Ensures compliance with procedures relative to court orders and legislation affecting benefit payments.

Calculates benefits for non-routine accounts that may not be processed utilizing the automated system.

Interprets provisions of the Public School Employees' or State Employees' Retirement Codes, rules, regulations, and legal opinions as they apply to benefit payments and member accounts.

Supervises the calculation of retirement benefits for accounts with domestic relation orders to determine the percentage of marital property allocated to the alternate payee.

Responds to attorneys' inquiries, both orally and in writing, relating to benefits processing on divorce issues.

Supervises and participates in the research and preparation of chronologies for appeal cases scheduled for the executive staff review.

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

Supervises the maintenance of records for members and annuitant accounts for the accurate and timely payment of benefits for non-routine calculations.

Prepares and presents appeal packages for staff and appeal committee review on denials as required.

Directs the implementation of new business processes as the result of court decisions and adjudication.

Testifies at administrative hearings on behalf of SERS or PSERS on benefit issues.

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

Reviews proposed retirement system legislation by offering suggested text and commenting on proposed language.

Reviews the investigative work completed by staff to resolve and monitor complaints or inquiries received from members and their representatives.

Participates in the creation of the design and/or development of spreadsheets, automated tracking systems, and workflow procedures.

Provides training on policies, related procedures, and system changes for all affected agency employees.

Serves and participates on various committees and teams to resolve issues that have a direct impact on the processing of non-routine benefits.

Employees in this class may participate in the performance of their subordinates' work consistent with operational or organizational requirements.

Performs other related duties as required.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGES, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES: Knowledge of the retirement codes of either the SERS or PSERS and the application of retirement provisions to the payment of benefits.

Knowledge of the policies and procedures governing the processing of benefits for the SERS or PSERS.

Knowledge of the interrelationship of computer systems with the SERS or PSERS and among supporting entities that affect benefits processing.

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

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

Ability to apply management techniques and principles.

Ability to communicate effectively, verbally and in writing.

Ability to plan, organize, and direct the work of staff.

Ability to evaluate employee performance.

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

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING: One year as a Retirement Benefits Specialist;

                                                                                                                                                     or

One year as a Retirement Technician Supervisor;

                                                                                                                                                     or

A bachelor's degree and one year of technical experience in the processing of benefits payments;

                                                                                                                                                     or

An equivalent combination of experience and training, which included one year of technical experience in the processing of benefits payments.