HR Update is a way for MOSERS to communicate benefit news and updates with human resource and payroll representatives. Check back often and sign up to receive our emails. 

  • In This Edition:

    Aug 16, 2023, 7:40 AM By MOSERS

    Please Work the Salary Verification Report ASAP!

    Remember the Termination and Reemployment Rules

    Reemployment – an Option for Retirees

    Invalid Address Report – a Key Part of the Annual Term Life Insurance Review

    Timely Comp Time Payouts Increase Accuracy


  • Please Work the Salary Verification Report ASAP!

    Aug 16, 2023, 7:39 AM By MOSERS

    The Salary Verification Report is ready to work. If you are not the person responsible for working this report, please let MOSERS know as soon as possible. The report must be completed by September 6.

    If you are responsible for working this report, please sign in to the Employer Login, hover over the Error Reports heading, and click the Salary Verification Report. Names of individuals responsible for working the report will appear. You may view any or all portions of the report by clicking on the appropriate name or department. You will then be able to submit your responses to MOSERS electronically.

    Eligible employees receive one times their annual salary in basic life insurance coverage. The Annual Salary Verification report is essential in ensuring that covered employees receive the correct amount of life insurance coverage each year.

    The amount of coverage adjusts each January according to the employee's annual earnings in effect on July 31 of the previous year (or the employee's first day of coverage, if not covered on July 31).

    • Annual earnings include normal earnings from a benefit-eligible position, including shift differential, security differential, and retention pay.
    • Overtime pay and other irregular payments are excluded from annual earnings.
    • If an employee is working in both a benefit-eligible and non-benefit-eligible position simultaneously, only pay from the benefit-eligible position is included in annual earnings.

    For the report, MOSERS used the SAM II base salary plus shift differential pay from the July 2023 payroll file to update basic and optional life insurance coverage amounts for most state employees. Manual salary verification is still needed for hourly and intermittent employees, employees on leave, employees working in multiple positions, and anyone not in SAM II.

    If you have questions about the annual salary verification process, please email employers@mosers.org, or call an employer services analyst at (800) 827-1063, option 2. You can also watch a brief video tutorial on how to work the report if needed. 


  • Remember the Termination and Reemployment Rules

    Aug 15, 2023, 9:00 AM By MOSERS

    Before receiving a benefit payment from MOSERS, IRS rules require a “bona fide termination” of the member’s employment. For purposes of MOSERS Board Rules, a "bona fide termination" occurs when:

    • The member has completely severed employment;
    • The member has not entered into a prearranged agreement (written or oral), prior to retirement, with the State of Missouri or any MOSERS-covered employer for subsequent employment on any basis (full-time, part-time, or other); and
    • The member is not subsequently employed with the State of Missouri or any MOSERS-covered employer on any basis (full-time, part-time, or other) within 30 days after their employment with their prior employer has ended.

    See FAQs on Termination and Reemployment Rules and a flyer on Termination and Reemployment Rules for more information.


  • Reemployment – an Option for Retirees

    Aug 15, 2023, 8:59 AM By MOSERS

    Non-Benefit Eligible:

    Upon meeting the termination and reemployment rules, a retiree may return to work and continue receiving their monthly pension payment, as long as their position is not a MOSERS or MoDOT and Patrol Employees’ Retirement System (MPERS) benefit-eligible position.

    Benefit Eligible:

    If a retiree returns to work for the state of Missouri in a MOSERS or MPERS benefit-eligible position:

    • Their monthly pension payment will stop.*
    • The life insurance they retained as a retiree, if any, will end. They may re-elect life insurance through SEBES within 31 days of employment without proving insurability.
    • Depending on various factors (their plan, how long they work, etc.), they may or may not earn additional credited service during reemployment.
    • When they return to retirement status, their monthly pension payment will equal the amount they were receiving when they returned to work plus any additional benefit they may have earned during reemployment. They also may retain life insurance up to the maximum amount allowable, if applicable.

    *Effective August 28, 2023, a retiree serving as a legislator or statewide elected official will not have their pension payment stopped.


  • Invalid Address Report– a Key Part of the Annual Term Life Insurance Review

    Aug 15, 2023, 8:58 AM By MOSERS
    MOSERS is making final preparations for our Annual Life Insurance Review, which will occur during the month of October. MOSERS does not send mail to members who have an invalid address on file in our system. It is important that we have the correct mailing addresses on file for all benefit-eligible employees. Please sign in to the Employer Login and select the MOSERS Invalid Address report. Submit any necessary changes as soon as possible so eligible employees will receive their review forms at the proper mailing address.

  • Timely Comp Time Payouts Increase Accuracy

    Aug 15, 2023, 8:58 AM By MOSERS

    Payments of unused compensatory leave time, or comp time payouts, to benefit-eligible employees made before or after an employee’s termination, are included in retirement-eligible pay and are eligible for salary credit provided contributions are remitted to MOSERS for the payment.

    Comp time payouts may impact the calculation of an employee’s pension benefit. This is why paying out unused comp time before or with an employee’s final paycheck is beneficial. A delayed comp time payout could result in an incorrect benefit estimate or pension check and could require MOSERS to recalculate a retiree’s pension.


  • Recently Updated Resources

    Aug 15, 2023, 8:57 AM By MOSERS

  • In This Edition:

    Jul 18, 2023, 8:29 AM By MOSERS

    Get Ready for the Annual Salary Verification Process 

    Save the Date for Benefits U!

    How to Correct Service Errors

    Scheduling In-Person Appointments


  • Get Ready for the Annual Salary Verification Process

    Jul 18, 2023, 8:29 AM By MOSERS

    Each August, MOSERS asks our employers to help verify employee salaries to ensure that basic life insurance coverage amounts are accurate.

    MOSERS will release the Annual Salary Verification Report in mid-August. A notice (including instructions) will be sent as soon as the report is ready for your review. Employers must complete all salary verifications by September 6th.

    The report is essential to ensuring that covered employees receive the correct amount of basic life insurance coverage each year.

    Eligible employees receive one times their annual salary in basic life insurance coverage. The amount of coverage adjusts each January according to the employee’s annual earnings in effect on July 31 of the previous year (or the employee’s first day of coverage if not covered on July 31).

    • Annual earnings include normal earnings from a benefit-eligible position, including shift differential, security differential, and retention pay.
    • Overtime pay and other irregular payments are excluded from annual earnings. 

    Additionally, if an employee is working in both a benefit-eligible and non-benefit-eligible position simultaneously, only pay from the benefit-eligible position is included in annual earnings. 

    Please email employers@mosers.org if you have questions about the annual salary verification process. You can also watch a brief video tutorial on how to work the report if needed.


  • Save the Date for Benefits U!

    Jul 18, 2023, 8:27 AM By MOSERS
    The 2023 Benefits U Conference is fast approaching. If you haven’t already done so, please save the date for November 14, 2023, in Columbia, MO at the Stoney Creek Inn. We are in the process of confirming speakers for the day and registration will open in September. We look forward to seeing you there! If you have any questions about the conference, please email us at MOSERSeducation@mosers.org

  • How to Correct Service Errors

    Jul 18, 2023, 8:27 AM By MOSERS

    Occasionally, employers misclassify a benefit-eligible employee as non-benefit-eligible at the time of hire or neglect to enroll a benefit-eligible employee through SEBES. Fortunately, there is an easy way to correct those mistakes when they occur.

    Benefit-eligible employees are entitled to service and salary credit towards the calculation of their future pension. 

    Your agency must pay employer contributions for pension, life insurance, and long-term disability benefits (as applicable) for all benefit-eligible employees. Additionally, your agency remits employee contributions to MOSERS on behalf of MSEP 2011 and Judicial Plan 2011 employees.

    Once you discover the mistake, ensure the employee is entered into SEBES. Then, log in to the Employer Login, enter the employee's SSN, and select the Forms tab to complete the Application to Correct Service. 

    Once MOSERS receives the application, we will work with your agency to collect the necessary contributions, including contacting the Office of Administration to approve any corrections for agencies that use the SAM II payroll system.


  • Scheduling In-Person Appointments

    Jul 18, 2023, 8:27 AM By MOSERS

    If your employees have questions about their MOSERS retirement, life insurance, or long-term disability benefits, they can certainly ask those questions over the phone or by email. However, if they prefer, they can schedule an appointment in our office. There are several advantages to scheduling the appointment in advance rather than just stopping by. The biggest advantage is that members are likely to have a much shorter wait time if they have an appointment. 

    Counselors are available to assist members from 8:00 a.m. until noon and from 1:00 p.m. until 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Our office is open during the noon hour for members who would like to drop off forms, however, we also have a drop box outside our office available 24/7. 

    Our benefit counselors can: 
    • Print off benefit estimates during an appointment 
    • Discuss retirement options 
    • Demonstrate how to retire online 
    • Provide personal assistance when submitting a claim for life insurance or long-term disability benefits 
    • And so much more! 


  • Recently Updated Resources

    Jul 18, 2023, 8:26 AM By MOSERS

  • In This Edition

    Jun 15, 2023, 10:28 AM By MOSERS

    We Appreciate You!

    Employer Retirement Contribution Rate Updates

    Phoenix Update: Please Continue to Work AAR Reports!

    Filing a Claim for Long-Term Disability (LTD) Benefits

    Timely Comp Time Payouts Increase Accuracy 

    Seats Available in Ready to Retire Sessions


  • We Appreciate You!

    Jun 15, 2023, 10:26 AM By MOSERS

    June is Employee Appreciation Month, and we want to take a moment to sincerely thank you! As liaisons between MOSERS and our members, we sincerely appreciate your diligence and efforts to educate your staff on the benefits we offer.

    We receive more than 3,100 service-related forms from employers every month, which makes a big difference in how MOSERS is able to administer benefits to state employees. When submitting a leave of absence, transfer, or termination form, you are ensuring that your employees receive the credit they deserve. You truly make a difference in people’s lives every single day.

    Thank you!

  • Employer Retirement Contribution Rate Changes

    Jun 15, 2023, 8:44 AM By MOSERS

    The employer retirement contribution rate is calculated by MOSERS’ external actuary and is certified by the MOSERS Board of Trustees every year.  

    As a reminder, the employer retirement contribution rates for MSEP, MSEP 2000, and MSEP 2011, as well as for the Judicial Plan and Judicial Plan 2011, are changing effective July 1, 2023. 

    The changes to the employer retirement contribution rates for the respective plans, effective July 1, 2023, are as follows: 

    Fiscal YearEffective Date MSEP, MSEP 2000, MSEP 2011Judicial Plan, Judicial Plan 2011
    FY 2407/01/202327.26%59.83%
    FY2307/01/202226.33%60.17%

    There are no changes to the employer contribution rates for CURP, basic life insurance, and long-term disability benefits.    

    If you are a local employer, please take note and adjust retirement contributions, effective July 1, 2023, as needed. 

    If you are a SAM II employer, contributions occur automatically as a percentage of payroll, and no additional action is required of you. 

    For more information about Employer Contributions, please visit our website.   


  • Phoenix Update: Please Continue to Work AAR Reports!

    Jun 15, 2023, 8:36 AM By MOSERS

    As mentioned last month, the timeline for Phoenix implementation will be changing. We are working with our vendor to project a tentative date for deployment. We will update you on training dates and post-go-live support as soon as we know more. 

    In the meantime, please continue to send timely termination, transfer, and leave of absence forms to MOSERS for your employees and work monthly Aged Accounts Receivable (AAR) reports. Carrying past-due AAR errors can lead to inaccurate retirement records for your employees and will cause a backlog of work when we transition to Phoenix. 

    Please email employers@mosers.org if you have questions or call an Employer Services analyst at (800) 827-1063 option 2. 


  • Filing a Claim for Long-Term Disability (LTD) Benefits

    Jun 15, 2023, 8:34 AM By MOSERS

    The employee initiates a claim for LTD benefits by calling The Standard's Claim Intake Service Center at (844) 505-6026.   

    After initiating the claim, the employee is instructed to inform their HR representative that they filed a claim.  

    If you know in advance that your employee will be filing a claim, please advise them to have ready their HR representative’s name and phone number and their physician's name, address, and phone and fax number when they call The Standard. 

    After the employee files a claim, the agency/department's designated HR representative completes the Employer's Statement and emails it to ltdmosers@standard.com with the employee's name listed in the "Subject" line of the email.   


  • Timely Comp Time Payouts Increase Accuracy

    Jun 15, 2023, 8:34 AM By MOSERS

    Payments of unused compensatory leave time, or comp time payouts, to benefit-eligible employees made before or after an employee’s termination are included in retirement-eligible pay and are eligible for salary credit provided contributions are remitted to MOSERS for the payment.  

    Since comp time payouts may impact the calculation of an employee’s pension benefit, it is beneficial to pay out unused comp time before or with an employee’s final paycheck. A delayed comp time payout could result in an incorrect benefit estimate or pension check and could require MOSERS to recalculate a retiree’s pension.


  • Seats Available in Ready to Retire Sessions

    Jun 15, 2023, 8:33 AM By MOSERS

    Please encourage your employees who are within 5 years of retirement eligibility to enroll in a Ready to Retire seminar or webinar this summer. Sessions later in the year tend to fill up so now is a great time to get registered.  

    As an HR rep, you also have an open invitation to attend any member education session. Just call us at (800) 827-1063 or (573) 632-6100 and ask for Debbie at ext. 1231, or email MOSERSEducation@mosers.org.   

    Please share the following information with your team members: 

    Ready to Retire? Save Your Seat for a Summer Session!  

    Get in while you can - sessions fill fast!  

    Full-day seminars are from 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. Speakers include MOSERS, MO Deferred Comp, the Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan (MCHCP), and the Social Security Administration (SSA). View dates for our summer sessions and then: 

    • Visit www.mosers.org.  

    • Log in to myMOSERS and go to Education Enrollment.  

    • Enroll at least 2 weeks prior to the seminar.  

     Enjoy a free lunch while you learn! 



Topics


Archive