Retiree Benefits
Pension
Benefits
Baltimore
County Public Schools is a participating employer in the following
defined benefit pension plans: the Maryland State Teachers' Retirement
and Pension Systems and the Baltimore County Employees' Retirement
System. Employees qualify for membership in one system or the other
by virtue of their specific job.
The Office of
Personnel provides the appropriate membership application to new
hires based upon their eligibility for either the Maryland State
Retirement System (e.g., principals, assistant principals, teachers,
guidance counselors, instructional assistants, some clericals, bus
attendants, etc.) or the Baltimore County Employees' Retirement
System (e.g., some administrative/clerical, custodians, food service
workers, groundskeepers, bus drivers, etc.). Employees eligible
for membership in the Maryland State Retirement System must enroll
as a condition of employment.
Employees eligible
for membership in the Baltimore County Employees' Retirement System
may join voluntarily only within the first two years of employment
with Baltimore County Public Schools.
Retirement
Insurance Benefits
General Provisions
Your
retirement insurance benefits are provided by the Board of Education
of Baltimore County regardless of the retirement plan from which
you are receiving your pension. Please note that the insurance
benefits and the Board's contribution percentages are subject to
change in the future depending upon the agreements reached by the
Board, its bargaining units and its funding authorities.
While you may
be vested in your pension plan, your ability to participate in the
retirement insurance plans of BCPS may be limited. In order to be
eligible to participate in retiree benefits now or in the future,
you must begin to receive a monthly pension directly following active
employment with the Board of Education of Baltimore County. An employee
who does not qualify to receive a pension currently or who elects
to defer pension benefits is ineligible for future participation
in the Board's benefit plans.
Enrolling in
Your Retirement Insurance Benefits
Members
of the Maryland State Retirement and Pension may contact the Office
of Retirement to schedule a retirement conference. Members of the
Baltimore County Employees' Retirement System should contact the
BCERS to schedule a retirement conference.
Prior to retirement,
you should notify your supervisor, the Office of Personnel, and
your pension system of your intention to retire.
The Office of
Employee Benefits will be notified of your retirement directly from
the Office of Personnel. At that time, the Office of Employee Benefits
will send the appropriate retirement benefits election forms to
you. These forms must be completed and returned to the Office of
Employee Benefits. Upon retirement, you are not required to enroll
in a health insurance plan of Baltimore County Public Schools in
order to preserve your right to enroll at a later date. As a retiring
employee of Baltimore County Public Schools, you may enroll in a
health plan and/or change your enrollment selection in the future.
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