Author: PASS202

Essentially it was negotiated by employer and employee groups back in 1992. In lieu of compounding the 3% annual increase, employers agreed to pay 62/100^th of 1 % of the IMRF payroll into a pool to be distributed to retirees. To be eligible, the retiree must be in retirement one year by July 1^st .  The distribution is in July. The amount is the relation of your June benefit payment to all benefit payments in that month. The first payment was in July, 1993. A pool of $18.16 million was distributed, with the average recipient receiving 90.28 % of their June payment. In 2013, the pool was $41.21 million with an average payment of 37.87%. The payment has dropped in relative value because the size of the retiree payroll ( what IMRF pays as benefits )  has grown faster than the increase in IMRF employer payrolls for participants. The statute provides that if the annual 3% increase is ever compounded, the 13^th payment will cease. 

Download the My IEA app available for your apple device or for android at google play. Get instant notifications about important IEA news as it gets posted. You can also get the DEALS app which connects you cost savings information from NEA member benefits. Be in the loop and save money too.

Recent Legislation has extended  the time that a school district has to offer Health Insurance to members working 30 hours or more. As more details becomes available those affected will be notified. The date is sometime in 2015. PASS is constantly working with the districts Administrators and Insurance Brokers to ensure the best available coverage at an affordable price for those that will be affected members.

Every dollar paid to IMRF retirees comes from 3 sources:

63 cents from IMRF Investments

25 cents from Employers

12 cents from IMRF members

 

This reflects a 3 cent per dollar increase from the previous year in investments and a decrease of 2 cents from employers and 1 cent decrease from the members.

IMRF takes pride in the investment policies and always being aware of a changing investment market place. 

John Piechocinski led the Plainfield Delegation which included Jason McGraw, Carl Chapman, Debra Reuther, Damion Bolognani, Brien Goeble and Steve Calabrese from PASS as well as 16 APT delegates in the 160th IEA Representative Assembly.

Highlights included the adoption of the 2014-15 IEA Budget. The budget was adopted reflecting a $1 increase in the amount of Certified dues but a Zero increase in Support Staff dues. With the notification that the NEA portion of the dues will also reflect a zero increase in the Support Staff Dues meaning that the dues will remain the same for the next school year. There was an amendment proposing an additional increase of $1 to support the Score Grant Program but this was not supported and was not adopted by the entire delegation.

In  other RA business there were amendments made to the IEA’s Legislative Platform. The entire Legislate Platform may be viewed on the IEA web site.

The was a spirited discussion between Gov. Pat Quinn and Rep candidate Bruce Rauner. Topics included school funding, collective bargaining and pensions. The entire discussion may also be viewed on the IEA web site.

Delegates participated in open hearing on a variety of topics from IMRF to School Security, During the delegations lunch period each shared some highlights from the session that they attended.

Included in the order of business was the Officer and NEA Director elections. The IEA Officers were unopposed and declared winners to serve another 3 year term. Alex Wallace a bus driver from Oswego was reelected as a NEA  Director. Alex won by 3 votes.

There were 11 new business items presented and debated of which only 3 were passed by the delegation. Those may also be viewed on the IEA Web site.

Presentations were made to the ESP of the year, Teacher of the year, Friends to Education and the Human and Civil Rights award.

Also givings presentations were LT. Governor Shiela SImon, and Reprenentative Tom Cross. Senator Dick Durban was unavailable due to extended business in Washington.

Everyone should thank those that chose to give up their personal time to represent you at the state level.