Some county governments participate in the State of Maryland’s Employees’ Pension System. A new report from the State Retirement Agency studies the issue of optional membership for elected and appointed official in the Employees’ Pension System. With some exceptions, membership in the System is mandatory for elected and appointed officials who were elected or appointed after July 1, 2004.
The report considers the history of the System’s rules for elected and appointed officials, including some examples from local governments, including Kent, Dorchester, and Prince George’s Counties. Participating governmental units in the Employees’ Pension System include:
- Worcester County Detention Officers
- Allegany County Commission
- Cecil County Government
- Dorchester County Commission
- Garrett County Commission
- Harford County Government
- Kent County Commissioners
- Prince George’s County Government
- Queen Anne’s County Commissioners
- St. Mary’s County Government
- Somerset County Commissioners
- Talbot County Council
- Worcester County Commission
- Dorchester County Commission
- Harford County Government
- Kent County Commissioners
- Queen Anne’s County Commissioners
- Worcester County Police
The report recommends amending current law to make membership in the Employees’ Pension System optional instead of mandatory for elected and appointed officials. The report also recommends a twelve month time-frame for elected or appointed officials to choose to join the System.
For more information, read the Overview of Optional Membership for Elected and Appointed Officials in the Employees’ Pension System from the State Retirement Agency.
