Category: Announcement

2021 SamCERA Board of Retirement Election Results

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The nomination period for the 2021 Board of Retirement election closed on May 3, 2021, at 5:00 p.m. Katherine O’Malley ran unopposed and deemed elected to the Board while an election was held on Monday, June 14, 2021 for the Seventh (Safety) Seat.

Katherine O’Malley was reelected to the General Member Second Seat, and she is currently a Principal Appraiser with the Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections Department. Robert Raw, a Sergeant with the Sheriff’s Department, was reelected to the Safety Member Seventh Seat, and Susan Lee, a Deputy Probation Officer with the Probation Department, was reelected as the Alternate Safety Member.

Elected Board Member Profiles

  • Katherine O’Malley was hired in 2012 by the Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder & Elections Department, and this is her second term on the Board of Retirement. She was first elected to the Board in 2018, and most recently served as Board Secretary.
  • Robert Raw has been with the Sheriff’s Department since 2012, and this is his second term on the Board of Retirement. Robert served as Vice Chair on the Board over the past year.
  • Susan Lee has been with the Probation Department since 2002, and this will be her third term on the Board of Retirement. She was first elected to serve as Safety Alternate in 2015, and she was reelected in 2018. In this role, she substitutes in the absence of the Second, Third, or Seventh Member. Additionally, if the Eighth Member and Retiree Alternate are absent, she substitutes for the Eighth Member.

Additional Information

The elected Board Members will serve a 3-year term commencing July 1, 2021 and ending June 30, 2024. The next scheduled SamCERA Board of Retirement election will be in 2022, when the General Member Third Seat, the Retired Member Eighth Seat, and the Retired Member Alternate Seat will be up for election.

Board vacancies and election information are posted at www.samcera.org, and general information about the Board of Retirement can be found at www.samcera.org/board-retirement. 

Manage your pension with MySamCERA

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MySamCERA is a secure, members-only portal for retirement benefits information, available online at: mysamcera.org.

Active and Deferred members can perform retirement benefit estimates, get member statements, check beneficiary information—and more. Retirees can print 1099s, print benefit statements, view deductions and change withholdings, and generate Pension Income Verifications. 

How to Register for MySamCERA

To access MySamCERA for the first time, you’ll need your SamCERA ID, which is a special number created for each member.

If you haven’t received your SamCERA ID, email samcera@samcera.org for assistance.

Follow the instructions on these Quick Reference Guides to learn how to register and get started with your MySamCERA account.

Need help?

If you need assistance, you can always call our office at (650) 599-1234 or send an email to samcera@samcera.org.  

SamCERA’s Reopening Plans – June 15, 2021

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(Updated on October 12, 2021.)

The past year has been challenging for everyone, and we hope that you are all safe and healthy amid the COVID-19 pandemic. We are excited to announce that we will be reopening our office to members on June 15, 2021.

While we look forward to seeing our members, we encourage everyone to utilize our remote services whenever possible. We’ve seen the great value in remote services over the past year, not only keeping members and employees safe, but also saving travel time and minimizing our carbon footprint.

As the state of this public health emergency evolves, we will remain focused on keeping our employees and members safe, healthy, and informed. Please read below for more detailed information about what reopening will look like at SamCERA. Feel free to contact us if you have any questions or concerns and be sure to visit www.samcera.org for the most up-to-date information about our current services.

Remote Member Services

We strongly encourage members to continue taking advantage of our remote services, as we will continue to offer the following:

  • Phone and Video Appointments
  • Virtual Financial Planning Classes
  • Virtual Retirement Seminars
  • Submitting Forms and Documents by email, fax, or on the MySamCERA Member Portal

To access your account 24/7 from the comfort of your home, log in to the MySamCERA member portal at www.mysamcera.org. You can also send messages and submit documents in the member portal. Contact us if you need assistance logging into your account.

Visiting Our Office In-Person

Due to a limited number of staff returning to the office, all members requiring assistance in-person need to make an appointment prior to arriving. Appointments can be requested by emailing samcera@samcera.org or calling 650-599-1234 or 800-339-0761.

If you have an in-person appointment scheduled, we ask that you read and follow the guidelines below:

  • Visitors and clients are required to wear a face covering indoors, per the San Mateo County Health Officer’s Order. If you don’t have a mask, call us ahead of time, and we’ll bring one to the door for you.
  • Save time and submit documents safely on the MySamCERA member portal or email them to samcera@samcera.org before your appointment.
  • We’ve placed sanitizing stations at the entrance to our office and encourage all visitors and employees to sanitize their hands upon entry and exit.
  • If you or anyone in your household has been ill within the past two weeks, please let us know so we can reschedule your appointment. As an alternative, a telephone or video appointment can be scheduled, as well.
Office Hours

As of June 15th our office hours are:

Monday – Thursday
7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Contact Us
  • Phone: (650) 599-1234 or (800) 339-0761
  • Fax: (650) 591-1488
  • Email: samcera@samcera.org 
  • Address: 100 Marine Parkway, Suite 125, Redwood City, CA 94065

Compensation Limits for 2022

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Compensation limits do not limit the salary your employer can pay, but rather limits the amount of compensation SamCERA can take into account when determining your contributions and calculating your monthly pension benefit under your retirement plan. See below for new compensation limits in 2022 based on your plan and membership with SamCERA.

2022 Pensionable Compensation Limits for Plan 7 Members

Under the Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act (PEPRA), Plan 7 members are subject to pensionable compensation limits that are set by statute.

In 2022, the annual pensionable compensation limits for PEPRA members are:

  • General Plan 7 Members (County & Court): $134,974
  • General Plan 7 Members (Mosquito & Vector Control District): $161,969
  • Safety & Probation Plan 7 Members (County): $161,969

2022 IRS Compensation Limit

Every year, the IRS sets an annual compensation limit that applies to all SamCERA members (regardless of your plan) who were hired after July 1, 1996.

In 2022, the annual compensation limit for members hired after July 1, 1996 is $305,000.

 

Questions? Please email samcera@samcera.org.

Notice of Election

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SAN MATEO COUNTY EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION (SamCERA)

NOTICE OF ELECTION TO ELECT THREE MEMBERS TO THE BOARD OF RETIREMENT

Notice is hereby given that one GENERAL MEMBER is to be elected to fill the second position, and one SAFETY MEMBER is to be elected to fill the seventh position on SamCERA’s Board of Retirement. An Alternate Safety member will also be elected.

General Member Eligibility: Candidates must be active SamCERA General members. 

Retired Member and Alternate Retired Member Eligibility: Candidates must be active SamCERA Safety or Probation members.

Alternate Safety Member Seat: For the purposes of this election, Safety membership is divided into two groups, Probation and Sheriff. The candidate for the Safety member seat who receives the highest total number of votes will be elected to the Safety member seat. The candidate who is in a different group from the candidate elected to the Safety member seat and who receives the highest number of votes of any candidate of that group will be elected as Alternate Safety member.

Member Terms: The General member, the Safety member and the Alternate Safety member shall serve from July 1, 2021 – June 30, 2024.

Nomination Petitions: No nomination signatures are required for this election. At its February 23, 2021 meeting, the Board of Retirement suspended the requirement of ten (10) nomination signatures contained in Regulation Section 4.5 and suspended the disqualification of candidates for failure to submit the required qualification nomination signatures set forth in Regulation 4.7 for only this June 14, 2021 election due to the continued State of Emergency as a result of the threat of Covid-19. 

Declarations of Candidacy: This form will be available beginning Monday, April 19, 2021 through Monday, May 3, 2021. Qualified Candidates may obtain Candidacy Papers in person at: 

Registration & Elections Division Office of the Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder County of San Mateo 40 TOWER ROAD, SAN MATEO, CA 94402

Completed Declaration of Candidacy: This completed form must be filed in person with the Registration & Elections Division no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 3, 2021.

Please contact the Elections Office at (650) 312-5222 if you have any questions or wish to make an appointment to file Candidacy Papers.

The election will be held on MONDAY, JUNE 14, 2021, and in all other respects will be conducted in accordance with Article 4 of the Regulations of the Board of Retirement. These regulations are available at the Elections Office or SamCERA’s website at: www.samcera.org.

 

____________________________________________ MARK CHURCH  Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-Clerk-Recorder 

The New MySamCERA Mobile App is here! What you need to know and how to get started

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Today, we are thrilled to announce the launch of the new MySamCERA mobile app. Available for both iPhone and Android, the new app is designed to streamline your pension management and put your retirement details at your fingertips anywhere, anytime.

What you’ll find in the new app

Based on your feedback, we’ve entirely re-imagined the online pension experience. Here are a few of the elements that we’re most excited to share.

Effortless login and registration

Whether you’re new to self-service or a pro, we’ve made the new login and registration process simple. 

  • Your current username and password work right out of the box.
  • If you’re a new user, our account registration wizard will have you up and running in minutes. 
  • Forgot your username or password? No problem. The new username and password retrieval wizards make it simple to instantly retrieve your necessary details without ever reaching out to customer service.
  • Repeat logins are effortless. By integrating FaceID and TouchID on your device, login issues and forgotten passwords are now a thing of the past.

Easier, faster retirement estimates

Whether your moments away from retirement or just getting started with your long-term planning, our new estimators will make it a breeze to explore the future.

  • The new “Quick Estimate” tool makes it easy to crunch the basic numbers. Watch in real-time to see how a change in your retirement date or compensation can affect your bottom line down the road.
  • The new “Detailed Estimate” tool will give you insight into nearly any retirement scenario. Seamlessly factor in changes to your work schedule, service credit, projected salary, and more with just a couple of quick taps in the app. 
  • All detailed estimates are automatically saved. Review previous estimates at any time and even share them with your SamCERA benefits specialist ahead of any planning meetings to ensure that your retirement plan is dialed in.

Paperless pension management 

We’re continually looking for ways to improve your experience through technology. These new tools will save you significant time and effort:

  • Our new DocuSign integration allows you to make essential changes to beneficiaries securely, without ever having to print or mail a form.
  • The new “Secure Document Upload” tool allows you to use your device’s built-in camera to share important documents with our benefits team instantly. 

Quick access to top requested pension details

We’ve paid particular attention to items that members and retirees frequently access and made sure they are always obvious and available. Here are just a few of the key details that you can access within the app:

  • In-app alerts for important news and updates (e.g., COLA, tax documentation, etc.)
  • 1099 Tax Information At-a-Glance
  • Payment Dates and details
  • Member Statements
  • Reciprocity Management
  • Service Credit Management

Help is always just a tap away

The new app is designed to help you find the important answers in the format that suits you best. Here are a few of the tools that are always available:

  • Secure Messaging
  • Smart FAQs
  • Find a Class or Seminar
  • Call for Support

Your feedback matters

We’re so excited about the launch of this new app, but we always want to keep our eye on the future and how we can serve you best. If you ever hit a snag or catch something we should know about, send us a note by clicking the (?) icon on the top, right of the app. We’re here to help.

Need help?

For help with the mobile app or the MySamCERA website, you can call our office at (650) 599-1234 or email us at samcera@samcera.org.

2019 SamCERA Board of Retirement Election Results

Posted on by planeteria
The nomination period for the 2019 Board of Retirement election closed on May 6, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. Each incumbent ran unopposed and was therefore certified elected by the San Mateo County Elections Officer. Al David was reelected to the General Member Third Seat, Paul Hackleman was reelected to the Retired Member Eighth Seat, and Alma Salas was reelected to the Alternate Retired Member Seat.

Elected Board Member Profiles

    • Al David is a manager with the San Mateo County Information Services Department. He is also a retired Army Reserve Lieutenant Colonel. He was first elected to the Board in 2008 to fill a vacancy and was reelected to a full term in 2009 and again in 2012, serving through 2015. He was elected again in March 2017 to fill an unexpired term. He is currently the Board Secretary and has previously served as Board Chair.
    • Paul Hackleman served as the County Benefits Manager from 1982 through March 2008. He is also a former member of the Retirement Board, having served from June 2005 through March 2008 while actively employed. He was then elected by the Retired Members to serve on the Board in 2010, 2013, and 2016. In addition to serving on the Board, he is the head of I.C. Benefits Consulting.
    • Alma Salas was a Probation Services Manager with the San Mateo County Probation Department before her retirement in May 2013. Alma first joined the Board in May of 2001 and served as Board Chair during the 2004-05 fiscal year. She was elected in 2013 to serve as the Retiree Alternate and was reelected in 2016.

Additional Information

The elected Board Members will serve a 3-year term commencing July 1, 2019 and ending June 30, 2022. The next scheduled SamCERA Board of Retirement election will be in 2021, when the General Member Second Seat, the Safety Member Seventh Seat, and the Safety Alternate Seat will be up for election. Board vacancies and election information are posted at www.samcera.org, and general information about the Board of Retirement can be found at www.samcera.org/board-retirement.

Notice of Election

Posted on by planeteria
 
SAN MATEO COUNTY EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT ASSOCIATION (SamCERA)

NOTICE OF ELECTION TO ELECT THREE MEMBERS TO THE BOARD OF RETIREMENT

Notice is hereby given that one GENERAL MEMBER is to be elected to fill the third position, and one RETIRED MEMBER is to be elected to fill the eighth position on SamCERA’s Board of Retirement. An ALTERNATE RETIRED MEMBER will also be elected.

General Member Eligibility: Candidates must be active SamCERA General members. Each candidate for the General member position shall be nominated by a petition signed by not less than ten (10) active SamCERA General members.

Retired Member and Alternate Retired Member Eligibility: Candidates must be retired SamCERA members and may only nominate themselves to one position, either the Retired Member seat or the Alternate Retired Member seat.

Member Terms: The General member, the Retired member and the Retired member alternate shall serve from July 2019 – June 2022.

Required Nomination Petitions & Declarations of Candidacy: These forms will be available and can be circulated beginning Monday, April 15, 2019 through Monday, May 6, 2019.  Qualified Candidates may obtain petitions in person at:

Registration & Elections Division Office of the Chief Elections Officer & Assessor-County Clerk-Recorder County of San Mateo 40 TOWER ROAD, SAN MATEO, CA 94402

Completed Nomination Petitions & Declarations of Candidacy:  These completed forms must be filed in person with the Registration & Elections Division no later than 5:00 p.m. on May 6, 2019.

Please contact Candidate Filing Officer Penny Boyd at 650.312.5506, if you have any questions or wish to make an appointment to take out Candidacy Papers.

The election will be held on MONDAY, JUNE 10, 2019 and will be conducted in accordance with Article 4 of the Regulations of the Board of Retirement.  These regulations are available at the Elections Office or SamCERA’s website at: www.samcera.org.

    

                                                                                     ____________________                                                                                      MARK CHURCH                                                                                      Chief Elections Officer

Coronavirus (COVID-19) Update

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SamCERA is committed to the safety and health of our members and community, and to slow the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), we are implementing several safety precautions in our programs and services.

SamCERA’s office in Redwood City is temporarily closed to walk-in members and the public until further notice. We have suspended face-to-face services and have implemented social distancing practices, following orders and guidance from local and state public health officials.

Programs & Services

  • Office Hours – SamCERA’s office in Redwood City is currently closed to walk-in members and the public until further notice. We will try to accommodate members during our closure, while being mindful of the health and safety of our members and employees and adhering to public health guidelines.
  • Appointments – Phone and video conference appointments are available upon request. To schedule a new appointment, email samcera@samcera.org or call (650) 599-1234. 
  • Financial Planning Classes – Classes will not be held in originally planned meeting locations, but instead will be conducted remotely via webcast. For the most up to date information about our classes, visit www.samcera.org/classes.
  • Seminars – If you are registered for an upcoming retirement seminar, SamCERA staff will contact you regarding changes to this program in coming weeks. Please keep an eye on your email and contact us with questions.
  • Retirement Benefit Statements – Please note, there will be no interruption of retirement benefit payments to retirees on direct deposit during our office closure. Also, retirement benefit statements will not be mailed during our closure, but can be viewed and printed online at www.mysamcera.org.
  • Board of Retirement Meetings – For information about Board of Retirement meetings during the “Shelter-in-Place” order, please visit the Board Meetings page: www.samcera.org/board-retirement-meetings

How to Contact Us & Submit Paperwork

To support social distancing efforts, SamCERA staff are working remotely. Rest assured that we will continue to provide services that you rely on receiving from us, and there will be no interruption of retirement benefit payments to retirees with direct deposit. Also, members and the public may still contact us by phone or email during our normal business hours, Monday-Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

  • By Phone – To reach SamCERA by phone, call (650) 599-1234 or (800) 339-0761 and leave a message with your contact information. Staff will check this voicemail regularly (every 30 minutes) and calls will be returned as soon as possible during normal business hours.
  • By Email – Email samcera@samcera.org with questions, comments or to submit paperwork. Staff will be monitoring this email during normal business hours, and it is likely the fastest way to reach us.
  • Submitting Paperwork – Please submit forms, applications, and any other SamCERA paperwork by email to samcera@samcera.org, by fax to (650) 591-1488, or by uploading to your account on www.mysamcera.org. If you do not have access to a scanner, we will accept a photograph of your document. Please contact us if you are not able to send paperwork as described in this section, and we will work with you to make accommodations.

We will continue to closely monitor the situation and make adjustments as necessary. For the most up to date information about our operations and services, visit: www.samcera.org.

Thank you for your patience, support, and understanding.

Resources & More Information: