A Mixed Bag in 2020 Lame Duck Session
Right before the holiday break, the Office of Retirement Services (ORS) put out information regarding how refunds would be handled through local school districts for employees owed their 3 percent after our unanimous legal victory before the Michigan Supreme Court.
After more than seven years of waiting for a resolution to this case, some speed is finally appreciated. But MEA is also working to make sure these refunds are handled correctly so that every school employee who is owed money receives it. That’s why MEA and the other plaintiffs in the case have asked the trial court to require ORS develop guidelines consistent with court decisions for how this money should be returned. This will keep school districts from handling questions inconsistently – and ensure those districts aren’t left to clean up the state’s mess after years of frivolous appeals in this case.
For many employees, the refund is simple – they worked during 2010-2012 in the same place they’re working today. But what about those who’ve retired? Or left the profession? Or died waiting for their money to be returned? Both school employees and school districts deserve clear answers about how to properly handle the return of this money to those who earned it – and MEA is working to ensure that happens.
Pending the court’s response to our request for ORS to work with us to develop those guidelines, there are two things you can be doing now to prepare for the refund:
- Gather together any records you have that show exactly how much money was taken from 2010-2012 – particularly copies of your paycheck details that itemize funds taken from your check.
- If you no longer work in the district where you were employed in 2010-2012, get in touch with them and ensure they have your up-to-date contact information. (And be sure to share that information with us at webmaster@mea.org as well so we can keep you informed of any developments.)
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Dont prolong this. We’ve waited long enough. We expect this money at end of January.
I retired from teaching in East Lansing Public School in June, 2017. I was working full-time in East Lansing during 2010-2012 and should get a refund. I cannot register with MEA on-line since I am no longer an MEA member through retirement. I would like to leave my name and address for contact purposes to be included with the current teachers requiring refunds. Arlene Rawlinson [Personal info redacted]
Please contact the MEA Help Center at 1-866-MEA-HELP or through the live chat at the bottom of our website to update your contact info. You should also make sure the school district has your updated contact information.
Hello
I was wondering if there will be a deadline date for distribution given to districts?
I am a retired Michigan teacher, who should be getting a refund for the 3 percent that was taken from my earnings from 2010-2012. I taught for Benton Harbor Area Schools and retired in 2014. My address is {Personal info redacted].
Please contact the MEA Help Center at 1-866-MEA-HELP or through the live chat at the bottom of our website to update your contact info. You should also make sure the school district has your updated contact information.
In looking at the ORS site, I was doing some potential pension calculating. One of the questions ask what percent to use for future earnings. Zero is not an option so unless I am missing something, it appears that when our future earnings are calculated to figure out top years salaries, the pension is inflated. Could this be clarified? Thank you.
Current info
So if I am reading this correctly, you are saying we have to supply the information on how much we should be refunded and/or our school district is figuring it out? I thought the ORS would be calculating the amount and informing us of the amount we are to receive in the refund.
What was the payroll deduction called on our paystubs
Many schools already have a plan in place. Please don’t slow it down.
QUESTION: Was it ever “legal” for our districts to take the 3%?? Upon reviewing my pay stubs from 2013 through 2017, I noticed my district has taken 3% for retirement healthcare the entire time.
I went out on disability sick with cancer worked for van Buren pubic schools from 2000-2016 would like my 3% refund please