PERAC Memo #17 - 2024: Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training – 3rd Quarter, 2024

Memorandum Memorandum PERAC Memo #17: Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training – 3rd Qtr, 2024 Date: 06/27/2024 Referenced Sources: PERAC Website PERAC Memo #17 2024

To All Retirement Boards: M E M O R A N D U M

TO: All Retirement Boards

FROM: Bill Keefe, Executive Director

RE: Mandatory Retirement Board Member Training – 3rd Quarter, 2024

DATE: June 27, 2024

Chapter 32 mandates retirement board members to complete training during each year of service on the retirement board. This requirement has two elements: 18 credits over the course of the member’s term and at least 3 credits in each year of the term. Failure to meet either of these statutory standards will prohibit the member from serving beyond the conclusion of the term for which the training requirement was not met. We urge board members to utilize the full array of training choices in order to remain eligible to serve. All classes, webinars, seminars, and conferences listed will earn three credits each, unless otherwise noted.

Ways to receive your credits:

Credits for attending live PERAC webinars and in person events are automatically updated by PERAC staff approximately one week after the event. All attendees must register through the links available on our website. Board members seeking educational credits – it is important that you register with your full name and the email address we have on record so we can accurately update your account. You must submit a completed Training Affidavit in PROSPER for all other trainings, including pre-recorded PERAC webinars and pre-approved webinar and conference attendance. Any session listed under sections I, II, and III are pre-approved. If a Certificate of Completion is offered for any training not directly provided by or sponsored by PERAC, you must submit the certificate through PROSPER to receive credit. Please note the full name of the recorded session you have viewed when submitting a Training Affidavit in PROSPER. Some sessions require pre-registration. Check individual sessions for closing dates. The Commission appreciates all the retirement board members who are making a good faith effort to fulfill their duties and responsibilities. Please note the NEW location for this year’s Emerging Issues Forum in Westborough, our continued collaboration with the Office of the Inspector General, and the launch of this year’s New Administrator Training series in August. Have a safe and enjoyable summer and we hope to see you at the Forum!

I. Training Schedule Dates (pre-registration is required)

Date/Time Topic/Organization Location/Registration July 16 Emergency Procurement Webinar, $29 10:00 a.m. Office of the Inspector General (OIG) Academy tinyurl.com/07-16-24-OIG July 16 Open Meeting Law Webinar 1:00 p.m. Attorney General’s Office (AGO) tinyurl.com/07-16-24-AGO July 18 Fiduciary Duty & Fraud Awareness Webinar 10:00 a.m. OIG/PERAC tinyurl.com/07-18-24-OIG July 21-24 NCTR Trustee Workshop Conference, Berkeley, CA National Council on Teacher Retirement (NCTR) nctr.org/ August 3-7 NASRA Annual Conference Conference, Pittsburgh, PA National Association of State Retirement Administrators (NASRA) nasra.org/meetings August 8 Open Meeting Law Webinar 12:00 p.m. AGO tinyurl.com/08-08-24-AGO August 19-20 NCPERS Public Pension Funding Forum Conference, Boston, MA National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS) ncpers.org/education August 21 PERAC New Administrator Training[1] Training, Northampton, MA 8:00 a.m. One-day, in-person training for new staff prosper.perac.state.ma.us/ August 28 Contract Administration Overview Webinar, $29 10:00 a.m. OIG Academy tinyurl.com/08-28-24-OIG September 18 PERAC Emerging Issues Forum Westborough, MA 9:00 a.m. Registration opens July 8 September 24-26 NCPERS Public Pension HR Summit Conference, Denver, CO ncpers.org/education October 4-9 NCTR 102nd Conference Conference, Atlanta, GA nctr.org/ October 12-16 NPEA Annual Conference Conference, Greenville, SC National Pension Education Association (NPEA) npea.com/annual-conference/ October 26-27 NCPERS Accredited Fiduciary Program (NAF) & Advanced Trustee Studies (PATS) Conference, Palm Springs, CA ncpers.org/education October 27-30 NCPERS Public Safety Conference Conference, Palm Springs, CA ncpers.org/education Date/Time Topic/Organization Location/Registration II. Recently Added or Recurring Pre-Approved Online Training (available on demand)

Organization Topic How to find webinar: Office of the Inspector General Inspector General Videos You must watch all three videos mass.gov/service-details/inspector-general-educational-videos Office of the Attorney General Open Meeting Law Training You must watch all six videos go.usa.gov/xpPx5 National Council on Teacher Retirement New 2024 webinars added:

AI Policies: What, Why & How? Pension Cost Reimbursements & the New OMB Rules See our website for the link: mass.gov/service-details/perac-online-training National Conference of Public Employee Retirement Systems New 2024 webinars added:

NCPERS 2024 Public Retirement Systems Study Public Pension Workforce Update See our website for the link: mass.gov/service-details/perac-online-training PERAC New 2024 webinars added:

Disability Basics Chapter 32 in a Nutshell Calculation Basics https://www.mass.gov/info-details/perac-videos-webinars Organization Topic How to find webinar: Links to all of the above resources can be found on PERAC’s Education page at mass.gov/perac-education. Members can view the recordings and receive 3 educational credits by completing a Training Affidavit in PROSPER.

III. Conflict of Interest Online Training (three credits)

The State Ethics Commission no longer offers live webinars for the Conflict of Interest Law training. With their new online training system, users must create a login to take the training and receive a certificate:

Go to mass.gov/how-to/complete-the-conflict-of-interest-law-education-requirements If your retirement system is not listed in the dropdown menu, please have your board contact the State Ethics Commission at ethicstraining@mass.gov. They will add organizations upon request. A certificate of completion is still required to receive credit for this training and credits may only be awarded once every two years.

IV. New Administrator Training (three credits)

We will again host a series of in-person trainings for new board administrators and staff this fiscal year. The first one will be in Northampton, MA on August 21, 2024, from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and we will repeat this training in late fall in Danvers, and again in spring, 2025, in Norwood.

This all-day training is designed for newer administrators and board staff with less than five years of experience, however, board members are welcome. Should board members choose to attend, they will earn three educational credits.

Date: August 21, 2024, 8:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Location: Hotel Northampton, 36 King Street, Northampton, MA 01060

Register through PROSPER. If an individual wishing to attend does not have access to PROSPER, please contact Rose Morrison at rose.a.morrison@mass.gov.

V. Emerging Issues Forum (three credits)

This year’s Emerging Issues Forum will be at a new location! We look forward to welcoming you at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Westborough, MA. Look for the agenda later this summer.

Date: Wednesday, September 18, 2024, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Location: DoubleTree by Hilton, Computer Drive, Westborough, MA

Credits: Retirement board members will receive three educational credits.

Mark your calendars - online registration will be open July 8th through September 10th or until we reach capacity. Board members who attend will earn three educational credits.

VI. Other Opportunities to Obtain Educational Credit

The Commission is willing to approve other educational credits for a variety of events sponsored by “…local, state, regional and national organizations recognized by the Commission as having expertise in retirement issues of importance to retirement board members or other entities…”

Additionally, the Commission has approved education credit for participating in webinars. We will entertain requests for credit in relation to relevant webinars provided that such a request is made well in advance of the session.

Approval for credit must take place well in advance of the date of the event or webinar. This will enable the Commission to analyze the program and provide a general notice to other retirement board members to maximize participation. Once approved, you must complete the Training Affidavit in PROSPER to ensure proper credit. Board members experiencing Extenuating Circumstances in meeting educational requirements should review Memo 15 of 2019 and contact PERAC with any questions.

The following list of local and national organizations provide additional educational opportunities that may be relevant for retirement board members:

American Society of Pension Professionals and Actuaries (ASPPA) City/Town Sponsored Conflict of Interest or Open Meeting Law Training Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans (IFEBP) MA Association of School Committees Open Meeting Law Training MA Town Clerks Association Ethics Training National Association of State Retirement Administrators (NASRA) National Conference on Public Employee Retirement Systems (NCPERS) National Council on Teacher Retirement (NCTR) National Pension Education Association (NPEA) [1] Note: this training will be repeated in Danvers and Norwood in later quarters.