121.40 Cooperative extension personnel at the
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences; supplemental retirement
benefits. ---
(1) SHORT TITLE. This section shall be known and may be cited
as the "Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Supplemental
Retirement Act."
(2) PURPOSE. The purpose of this act is to provide a
supplement to the monthly retirement benefits being paid under the federal
Civil Service Retirement System to, or with respect to, certain retired
employees of the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences at the University
of Florida, whose positions were ineligible for coverage under a
state-supported retirement system.
(3) DEFINITIONS. The definitions provided in s. 121.021 shall
not apply to this section except when specifically cited. For the purposes of
this section, the following words or phrases have the respective meanings set
forth:
(a) "Institute" means the Institute of Food and Agricultural
Sciences of the University of Florida.
(b) "Division" means the Division of Retirement.
(c) "Participant" means any employee of the institute who is
eligible to receive a supplemental benefit as provided in subsection
(4).
(d) "Trust fund" means the Institute of Food and Agricultural
Sciences Supplemental Retirement Trust Fund.
(e) "Creditable service" means any service subsequent to December
1, 1970, with the institute as a cooperative extension employee holding both
state and federal appointments, that is credited for retirement purposes by
the institute toward a federal Civil Service Retirement System
annuity.
(4) ELIGIBILITY FOR SUPPLEMENT. To be eligible for a benefit
pursuant to the provisions of this section, a person must meet all of the
following eligibility criteria:
(a) The person must have held both state and federal appointments
while employed at the institute, and have completed 10 years of creditable
service with the institute, subsequent to December 1, 1970.
(b) The person must be participating in the federal Civil Service
Retirement System based on service at the institute.
(c) The person must have retired from the institute on or after
January 1, 1985, and must have been eligible for benefits under the federal
Civil Service Retirement System commencing immediately upon the termination of
service with the institute.
(d) The person must have attained the age of 62.
(e) The person must not be entitled to any benefit from a
state-supported retirement system or from social security based upon service
as a cooperative extension employee of the institute. Participation in the
Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Supplemental Retirement Program
shall not constitute membership in the Florida Retirement System.
(f) The person must have been employed with the institute prior to,
and on, July 1, 1983.
(5) SUPPLEMENT AMOUNT. The supplemental payment shall provide
a benefit to the retiree equal to the amount by which the retirement annuity,
without a survivor benefit, earned by the employee under the federal Civil
Service Retirement System with respect to service as a cooperative extension
employee of the institute after December 1, 1970, is inferior to:
(a) An amount equal to the option one retirement benefit that the
employee would have been entitled to receive at his or her normal retirement
age under the Florida Retirement System, attributable only to creditable
service after December 1, 1970, as a cooperative extension employee of the
institute, excluding any past or prior service credit, had such employee been
a member of the Florida Retirement System; plus
(b) An amount equal to the primary insurance amount that the
individual employee would have been entitled to receive under social security
at age 62 had he or she been covered for such employment, such amount to be
computed in accordance with the Social Security Act only with respect to
employment as a cooperative extension employee of the institute after December
1, 1970.
(6) PAYMENT OF SUPPLEMENT. Any participant who retires on or
after January 1, 1985, from the federal Civil Service Retirement System as a
cooperative extension employee of the institute at the University of Florida
and who satisfies all of the eligibility criteria specified in subsection (4)
shall be entitled to receive a supplemental benefit computed in accordance
with subsection (5), to begin July 1, 1985, or the month of retirement, or the
month in which the participant becomes age 62, whichever is later. Upon
application to the administrator, the participant shall receive a monthly
supplemental benefit which shall commence on the last day of the month of
retirement and shall be payable on the last day of the month thereafter during
his or her lifetime.
(7) OPTIONAL FORMS OF SUPPLEMENTAL RETIREMENT BENEFITS. Prior
to the receipt of the first monthly supplemental retirement payment, a
participant shall elect to receive the supplemental retirement benefits to
which he or she is entitled under subsection (6) in accordance with s.
121.091(6).
(8) DEATH BENEFITS.
(a) If the employment of a participant is terminated by reason of his
or her death subsequent to the completion of 10 years of creditable service
with the institute but prior to his or her actual retirement, such 10-year
period having commenced on or after December 1, 1970, it shall be assumed that
the participant had met all of the eligibility requirements under this section
and had retired from the federal Civil Service Retirement System and under
this section as of the date of death, having elected, in accordance with
subsection (7), the optional form of supplemental payment most favorable to
his or her beneficiary, as determined by the administrator. The monthly
supplemental benefit provided in this paragraph shall be paid to the
participant's beneficiary (spouse or other financial dependent) upon such
beneficiary's attaining the age of 62 and shall be paid thereafter for the
beneficiary's lifetime.
(b) If a participant dies subsequent to his or her actual retirement
under the federal Civil Service Retirement System but prior to attaining age
62, and such participant was otherwise eligible for supplemental benefits
under this section, it shall be assumed that the participant had met all of
the eligibility requirements under this section and had retired as of the date
of death, having elected, in accordance with subsection (7), the optional form
of supplemental payment most favorable to his or her beneficiary, as
determined by the administrator. The monthly supplemental benefit provided in
this paragraph shall be paid to the participant's beneficiary (spouse or other
financial dependent) upon such beneficiary's attaining the age of 62 and shall
be paid thereafter for the beneficiary's lifetime.
(9) DESIGNATION OF BENEFICIARIES. Each participant may
designate beneficiaries in accordance with s. 121.091(8).
(10) COST-OF-LIVING ADJUSTMENT OF SUPPLEMENTAL BENEFITS. On
each July 1, the supplemental benefit of each retired participant and each
annuitant shall be adjusted as provided in s. 121.101.
(11) EMPLOYMENT AFTER RETIREMENT: LIMITATION.
(a) Any person who is receiving a supplemental retirement benefit
under this section may be reemployed by any private or public employer after
retirement and receive supplemental retirement benefits pursuant to this
section and compensation from his or her employer, without any limitations,
except that no person may receive both a salary from reemployment with any
agency participating in the Florida Retirement System and supplemental
retirement benefits under this section for a period of 12 months immediately
subsequent to the date of retirement.
(b) Each person to whom the limitation in paragraph (a) applies who
violates such reemployment limitation and who is reemployed with any agency
participating in the Florida Retirement System prior to completion of the
12-month limitation period shall give timely notice of this fact in writing to
the employer and to the division and shall have his or her supplemental
retirement benefits suspended for the balance of the 12-month limitation
period. Any person employed in violation of this subsection and any employing
agency which knowingly employs or appoints such person without notifying the
Division of Retirement to suspend retirement benefits shall be jointly and
severally liable for reimbursement to the retirement trust fund of any
benefits paid during the reemployment limitation period. To avoid liability,
such employing agency shall have a written statement from the retiree that he
or she is not retired from a state-administered retirement system. Any
supplemental retirement benefits received while reemployed during this
reemployment limitation period shall be repaid to the trust fund, and
supplemental retirement benefits shall remain suspended until such repayment
has been made. Supplemental benefits suspended beyond the reemployment
limitation shall apply toward repayment of supplemental benefits received in
violation of the reemployment limitation.
(c) The reemployment by an employer participating in the Florida
Retirement System of any person receiving supplemental retirement benefits
under this section shall have no effect on the amount of the supplemental
benefit of that person. Prior to July 1, 1991, upon employment of any person,
other than an elected officer as provided in s. 121.053, who is receiving
supplemental retirement benefits under this section, the employer shall pay
retirement contributions in an amount equal to the unfunded actuarial accrued
liability portion of the employer contribution which would be required for
regular members of the Florida Retirement System. Effective July 1, 1991,
contributions shall be made as provided in s. 121.122 for renewed
membership.
(d) The limitations of this subsection apply to reemployment in any
capacity with an "employer" as defined in s. 121.021(10), irrespective of
the category of funds from which the person is compensated.
(12) CONTRIBUTIONS.
(a) For the purposes of funding the supplemental benefits provided by
this section, the institute is authorized and required to pay, commencing July
1, 1985, the necessary monthly contributions from its appropriated budget.
These amounts shall be paid into the Institute of Food and Agricultural
Sciences Supplemental Retirement Trust Fund, which is hereby created.
(b) The monthly contributions required to be paid pursuant to
paragraph (a) on the gross monthly salaries, from all sources with respect to
such employment, paid to those employees of the institute who hold both state
and federal appointments and who participate in the federal Civil Service
Retirement System shall be as follows:
Due
| Dates of Contribution
| Percentage
|
|---|
Rate Changes
|
| | July 1, 1985, through December 31, 1988
| 6.68%
| | January 1, 1989, through December 31, 1993 | 6.35%
| | January 1, 1994, through December 31, 1994 | 6.69%
| |
|---|
Effective January 1, 19956.82%
(13) INVESTMENT OF THE TRUST FUND.
(a) The State Board of Administration shall invest and reinvest
available funds of the trust fund in accordance with the provisions of ss.
215.44-215.53. The board shall consider investment techniques, such as
contingent immunization or the development of a dedicated portfolio, which are
directed toward developing minimum-risk procedures for supporting a prescribed
liability schedule.
(b) Costs incurred in carrying out the provisions of this
[Footnote 1] part shall be deducted from the interest earnings accruing to
the trust fund.
(14) ADMINISTRATION OF SYSTEM.
(a) The division shall make such rules as are necessary for the
effective and efficient administration of this system. The director of the
division shall be the administrator of the system. The funds to pay the
expenses for such administration shall be appropriated from the interest
earned on investments made for the trust fund.
(b) The division is authorized to require oaths, by affidavit or
otherwise, and acknowledgments from persons in connection with the
administration of its duties and responsibilities under this section.
(c) The administrator shall cause an actuarial study of the system to
be made at least once every 2 years and shall report the results of such study
to the next session of the Legislature following completion of the
study.
History: s. 1, ch. 84-358; s. 6, ch. 85-246; s. 16, ch. 88-382; s. 19, ch.
90-274; s. 11, ch. 92-122; s. 61, ch. 92-279; s. 55, ch. 92-326; s. 10, ch.
93-193; s. 9, ch. 94-259; s. 1432, ch. 95-147; s. 19, ch. 95-154.
[Footnote 1] Note. Chapter 121 is not divided into
parts.
Note. Former s. 240.508.