MNPEA Steward payroll meeting with county

Payroll errors and take away explained 01-20-15 meeting

On January 20, 2015 several MNPEA Stewards and our attorney met with Hennepin County Labor Relations, HCSO payroll and APEX payroll. This is what steward NDT passed on: 


In: 911 TCs concerns, CO-911 Site, Detention concerns, Steward concerns



Hello all

Well, we met with the County APEX and HR people yesterday so that they could explain to us how they had made the error which resulted in the over-payment and reclaiming of money from our checks in December last year.

Without boring you all with repeating the rather long and tedious explanation they gave us I'll cut to the bottom line as succinctly as I can, bear with me as its complicated.

When we settled the Contract and received our retro pay in October last year the retro amount included a number of different payments:

- For those on Top Step a cost of living percentage increase of 3.5%

- For those not on Top Step an increase to their current Step level to the 2014 rate plus a 2.5 cola

- For those who had a Step advance prior to October 10th, a retro increase to their previous step, plus a retro amount for their new current step

- For those on Mids and Dog a retro increase in Shift Allowance

- For everyone who works weekends a retro increase on Weekend Allowance

- For everyone a retro payment for Overtime, Holidays, Sick days etc, based on the 2014 step levels

[That last one is in bold and underlined as it will be important in a moment]

So, we all got a retro pay amount in our October checks, which varied depending on our Step level, amount of overtime worked etc

Now, in December we get Stability Pay, which, due to Federal legislation, is classed as a premium increase to our pay and must also be included in our overtime pay rate.

We each got a fix amount of Stability Pay, which varied dependent upon on our years of service, then that amount is divided up by pay weeks and applied to a calculation based on the number of overtime hours we worked each week throughout the year, for all of 2014.

What this essentially does is increase our overtime rate above a standard One and a Half rate, so we get a little extra bonus per hour of overtime. This is calculated at the end of the year based on how much Stability pay you get and retroactively applied to the overtime hours worked that year

Hope you're still with me, as we're getting to where the error occurred - What the APEX system did when it ran the Stability Pay bonus was go to the wrong levels of pay

Instead of using the current 2014 rates it reverted to the old 2013 rates when it paid us the Stability Pay bonus, PLUS it repaid us the retro amounts for the overtime and shift allowances that we had already been paid in October  [The line in bold above]

It paid us TWICE for back pay on increased overtime and shift allowance rates - ONCE in October and AGAIN in December.

We were, indeed, incorrectly overpaid by this amount.

There are a number of FLSA calculations and restrictions which apply but this is the basic issue. We were paid twice for overtime rate enhancements.

So that is the explanation of what happened. I for one can accept that their system made an error and now understand how it came about.

My main issue with APEX and the County was the manner in which staff have been treated throughout this whole issue.

I very strongly made a number of points on this matter concerning the fact that we were given a phone number to call and then told nobody could explain how our individual amounts were calculated; they wanted the money back all in one go; that this has dragged on for weeks and that we were basically being treated like children who's allowance was being withheld.

APEX managers apologized for this and accepted their fault.

They have also agreed that they will be sending out an email to those concerned with a more though explanation than I have been able to give you in lay mans terms. There will also be a contact number to talk with somebody who WILL, they say, be able to give more details if staff require that.

Expect this in the next week or so.

Going forward:

APEX state they have fixed the problem, with a patch from the software designer and we will not have this problem in 2015.

APEX and HCSO payroll are developing a program that staff will be able to run to check on their pay and explain some of the payments and allowance calculations.  Expect this in a month or so, they correctly, want to make sure it works accurately before releasing it.

There are plans within HCSO for us to move away from Workforce Director and put more of our pay calculations into the APEX system, which should remove a number of the human error / data entry problems we have experienced.

APEX accepts that our pay slips are almost impossible to understand and they state they are working with the software designer and other users - many other Counties use APEX/Peoplesoft - to come up with solutions.

So, where does that leave us?

Essentially the APEX program screwed up, the County claims they have fixed the problem and promised to communicate with those concerned.

MNPEA will, however, push forward with applying what pressure we can to have the pay slips improved, including requesting an audit of the system by the MN Department of labor.

The Stewards and I will strive to keep you informed

Nicc Newton-D'Taillefer

MNPEA Steward


http://hcso.co-911.com/?p=1012

Stewards List 2015

This is the new steward list for 2015.

Nicholas Newton DTaillefer

Richard Deal

Ben Ebbers

Mike Smith

Chad Vanheel

Jason Herlitz

Dave Bentzen

Alternates:

Phil Miles 
Carol Orcutt

It has been a pleasure serving you as a steward all of these years. Thanks for voting me in every time I ran. I decided not to run this time. It's time to leave it to the next generation. 

This blog will continue as a service and voice to our members.

179A.06 RIGHTS AND OBLIGATIONS OF EMPLOYEES.

Subdivision 1.Expression of views.

Sections 179A.01 to 179A.25 do not affect the right of any public employee or the employee's representative to express or communicate a view, grievance, complaint, or opinion on any matter related to the conditions or compensation of public employment or their betterment, so long as this is not designed to and does not interfere with the full faithful and proper performance of the duties of employment or circumvent the rights of the exclusive representative. 

Guest Post from N. Schlitter regarding Social Security

Social Security is running a $75 billion deficit that is projected to grow to $322 billion by 2032!!!

The fund will be there in future years, but what will be your actual benefit?  15-25% of your average income over 35 years of paying in?  Who knows for sure, but it does not look good.

Would you invest in a company that was projected to go bankrupt as bad as the Social Suckurity Fund?

According to this attachment, continuing to pay into Social Insecurity would be the same as investing in a company that has operational costs that outpace revenues.......in the billions!

How will this deficit be reduced?

There are only a few options:

a) raise the SS tax (which has already been proposed for 2017, look it up)

b) reduce benefits to people who are currently retired (pay in more, get less of a return)

c) reduce benefits for future retirees (see above)

d) raise the SS tax cap (for 2014 the cap was $117,000)

e) stop raiding the fund to pay for other programs (yea, right)

f) keep people from bilking the system (see above)

e) place a windfall provision on ALL of an individual's retirement income

g) raise the age of full retirement age up from 67 to 70 years of age

h) borrow even more money from China to pay for it

There is always a disclaimer associated with investing in the stock market: "past performance is no guarantee of future results", the same can be said about the Social Security fund.

For decades people have predicted that the SS fund will be depleted and insolvent, it finally became true in 2010 when it began running a deficit for the first time ever.  For those of you that like to point out that the fund has been predicted to run out of money for decades and hasn't yet.....well, that time is now.

How can anyone that still has 20 to 30 years to work before they retire not see the benefit of an exta 6.2% of their income to invest knowing that when it is time for their retirement  Social Security will almost assuredly pay out less than was promised?  Your "guaranteed" return from SS won't be as lucrative as you might like to think.

Take some time to think about how bad you will potentially get pinched if you continue to pay in (i.e. higher taxes, lower benefits).

The government also taxes SS benefits when it is not your only source of income. 

Does losing another 15-20% of your retirement income after federal and state taxes sound good to you when that money could be in a Roth IRA with tax-free withdrawals?

Investing is a risk, that is undeniable, but is contributing money to an insolvent fund any better?

The government has already begun attacking pensions because there won't be enough funds available to support future retirees. They have the right to reduce your pension benefits at any time.  (If you don't believe that, do a little research, an article was published in the 12/11/14 edition of the Star Tribune.

Like it or not, the same WILL happen with the Social Security fund, go ahead, vote YES if you are okay with this and you are confident that the people in charge of the SS fund can fix the mess of a deficit it has. (remember, the national debt is over $18 trillion and counting, their track record at managing money is awful, we all know this)

Social Security Deficits Are Permanent and Set to 
Quadruple in Less Than 20 Years

Social Security began running deficits in 2010, paying out nearly $50 billion more in benefits than the program received in payroll taxes. Without reforms, Social Security's deficits will rise rapidly and will quadruple in less than 20 years.

INFLATION-ADJUSTED DOLLARS (2013)

Source: Social Security Administration.

Arbitration Filed Over Brown/Black Leather

Here we go again. Typical Hennepin County Sheriff's Office logic. Take a grievance settled years ago and decide to break their agreement and also violate the contract.

Of course I'm talking about the brown to black leather uniform switch.

The issue is simple. The Sheriff's Office, as is their right decided to make a uniform change from brown to black leather in 2007.  No one questioned the switch, just how it was to be paid for.

The contract states in Article 32, section 2:

Section 2. If the basic clothing provided by the EMPLOYER is changed in type, color or style by order of the EMPLOYER, the EMPLOYER will bear any replacement cost in excess of $65.00 per calendar year, the employee to be responsible for the first $65.00 of replacement cost.

When told the employees pay only the first $65 and they pay the rest they balked. We grieved it and they settled the grievance in 2007 by stating that employees who were in brown leather could remain in brown leather.

Suddenly in 2014 the few of us still in brown leather are an issue. This also calls into question the integrity of the Sheriff's Office and their willingness to break an agreement. But it's not the first time we've heard them simply say, "We're not interested in doing that anymore."

Well we just filed for arbitration. The Sheriff's Office will now spend thousands of tax payer dollars rather then follow the contract and spend a few hundred. Bravo!

December Update-2014

This is an update for our MNPEA members for December 2014.

Let's start with the elephant in the room. As most of us know Hennepin County claims they overpaid us on the December 5th check so they took hundreds of dollars back from our last check. Hennepin County and Sheriff's Office payroll are chronically bad. We demanded an itemized reason for each person affected, they claim they will provide it. After all, if you're going to take hundreds of dollars from our checks there better be documentation as to why.

A new grievance was filed Friday for another member's screwed up check. They had 8 hours of sick time taken, even though they were at work, last September. After much wrangling Sheriff's payroll stated in writing it would be on the check on December 19th...it was not. Now they say it's too far back for them to fix...county APEX must...typical.

We stewards and our attorney met with Sheriff's Administration and Hennepin County Labor Relations on Friday December 12th. We covered three grievances.

The brown leather grievance....again..What a waste of time to try to make us few remaining in brown leather to switch to black, seven years after agreeing we didn't have too. They say they'll have an answer by the 30th of this month. Our argument is the same, per the contract we will pay the first $65, they pay the rest. It's the "they pay the rest" part they've never liked. 

Article 32, section 2: If the basic clothing provided by the EMPLOYER is changed in type, color or style by order of the EMPLOYER, the EMPLOYER will bear any replacement cost in excess of $65.00 per calendar year, the employee to be responsible for the first $65.00 of replacement cost. 

The weekend shift differential grievance.  Sheriff's payroll says a software glitch caused this to get messed up last June. They say they will fix it. They are asking all of us to check and see if we are missing weekend differential going back to June. If you are, email Dave Rice in payroll, letting him know the dates and you will be reimbursed.

Night shift differential. This has been an ongoing problem. Article 10 of our contract covers this. The Sheriff's Office position is they will only pay nightshifters this for an extension of their shift. For example if you stay over an hour or two wrapping up a report.The Sheriff's Office says if you stay over four hours you're working someone else s shift! Doesn't matter to them if you are forced to stay over...it's someone else's shift in their mind. They usually pay the nightshift differential for two hours or less, they rarely (but sometimes) pay it if you stay over four hours. The only consistency is the inconsistency. 

The Union's contention is that the contract is clear. They are to pay the ENTIRE time worked. This is Article 10 section 8 of the contract:

Compensation under this section will be in addition to the employee's regular salary and will be earned for the entire period worked, provided at least five hours of the shift worked falls on the day for which the additional compensation is being paid. 

One of the stewards and the county are looking at a Memorandum of Understanding regarding this. I disagree. They just signed the contract last September. They agreed to this language. 

It's pretty cheap to not pay someone an extra $.85 an hour for the four hours they must stay over after being up all night! They are arguing over $3.40! 

This is ongoing. If it ends up in arbitration I think we'd win. 

I'd be remiss not to mention that messing with people's money is a bad idea. It's a morale buster. A major bone is that when they short us it takes weeks or months to get reimbursed. When they say we owe them, it's taken out the next check...and that without any documentation other then they said so.

Happy Solstice, Merry Xmas or happy however you celebrate this time of year!

How the Grinch stole Xmas

Imagine your employer informed you that they overpaid you the previous check and were taking hundreds of dollars out of the next. The check before Christmas! They claim they overpaid the FLSA calculations on your last check, the check with your Stability pay (Holiday Bonus). But offer no explanation or proof.

They email you with a number to call if you have any questions.

Questions like:

Can you show me where you overpaid me?

Can't we spread this out over a few checks if I was over paid?

When you call the number you don't get the person who you were told to call. But the person on the other end takes your information and you are told you will be called back that afternoon.

That call doesn't come. If you call back later and ask, you are told, "No one is available to talk."

We have had payroll issues with Hennepin County for a long time. Unpaid overtime, missing sick time, unpaid raises and backpay. We have had many meetings with the County. County payroll is chronically off.

Now Hennepin County has a budget of hundreds of millions of dollars. They have very high paid accountants to manage their budget, guys with Masters Degrees in Accounting. Their one job is to make sure the numbers add up.

All of the payroll is done on software. Software with names like APEX and Workforce. Software programmed and run by high paid IT guys. Guys who's one job is to make sure that the payroll is inputted correctly.

Finally the day before Thanksgiving we were  told we just had to trust them.

The very next check they claim is wrong in their favor. Suddenly it's not weeks to resolve, grievances to be filed, no, it's instant correction.

Merry Xmas Grinch, er Hennepin County.

I'd love to give them a Department of Labor audit for my gift.

Hennepin County Jail, pre-dawn

Walking into work, 5:35 AM, November 3rd, 2014

Steward Nominations

I will be hanging up the sheet for Steward Nominations when I'm back at work Saturday. If you are interested in being a Union Steward you must Self Nominate. The sheet will be posted until Dec. 5th.

This is your chance to be involved. Negotiate the contract, file grievances, represent members.

Public Safety and Judiciary Board meeting. Nov. 4, 2014

Highlight is the County Commissioners grilling about overtime use in the first 5 minutes.

More info on the Social Security vote, a Q and A

THIS POST WAS UPDATED 11/10/14

I emailed Lisa Underhill a couple more questions and asked her to read over this post for accuracy. The items in red were clarified by Lisa and updated. The questions in red at the end of the post are new questions.

As I previously wrote about last August in my post, Big Change in Correctional Pension, The members in the Correctional Pension must choose to stay in Social Security or opt out.

There are major ramifications for Corrections Officers/Detention Deputies if they opt out.

Jeremy Zajicek and Lisa Underhill from Hennepin County’s Benefits Division were here today to answer questions.  I asked a few and these were their answers.

Q. If the CO's opt out of Social Security what happens to previous contributions? 

A. The money and credits stay in Social Security but future contributions stop.

Q. If one requests a refund does it go back only three years (member contribution only, not employer portion)?

A. Yes, requests for refunds can only go back 3 years (2011-2014) which is what the Social Security Administration’s statute of limitation is set at.  You will lose Social Security credit for any years that are refunded and Hennepin County also receives a refund of its contributions for those years.

Q. What about survivor benefits for spouses or children? Will they be able to collect if we opt out?

A. It depends on how much was paid in before you opt out. You have to have paid in enough quarters and it will be greatly reduced.

Q. What about Social Security disability?

A. If you get hurt outside of work, currently SSI Disability pays more than PERA Disability. You might not get anything, it will depend on how much you paid in and if you had enough quarters to qualify.

Q. How do us older employees who don't have to vote know we are still going to be participating in Social Security?

A. Historically Social Security has grandfathered those in. :  Those employees who are in the non-voting group had their Social Security participation approved by the Social Security Administration on 7/1/1999 when they were moved from PERA’s Coordinated Plan into the Correctional Plan.  Their Social Security participation continues regardless of the outcome of the vote.

Someone asked why we were being asked to vote to be in Social Security now.

Lisa answered, There is no guarantee government employees participate in Social Security.  There must be a 218 Agreement to be in it. Sometimes it's voted on, sometimes it's legislated. The PERA Coordinated Pension voted to be in, in the 60's. Police and Fire were legislated out. The Correctional Pension should have voted in 1999, but it was assumed they were still in like the Coordinated Pension, but Social Security says they must decide. 

The way the vote goes will be County by County. For example, the CO's in Hennepin could vote to be in, CO's in other counties can vote to be out.

You must vote Yes to be in Social Security. If you don't return a ballot it counts as a NO vote. If a Majority Vote of 50% plus 1 is not reached everyone's vote counts as NO and you will be out of Social Security.

Some things to consider: 

You will get an increase in your take home pay equivalent to your employee contribution (6.2%). It will be taxed, and you will NOT get the employer portion. Hennepin County will keep it. If you think you can invest that 6.2% increase in your take home and do better than Social Security remember this: You will have to make a 100% return on your investment just to make up for the lost employer contribution! Plus if you live to be 95 your investment might run out, whereas Social Security will still be paying you.

Also, when you retire whatever reduced Social Security benefits you do qualify for will be further reduced by the WEP tax (windfall profit). You see, if you opted out of Social Security because of another pension it is considered a windfall profit. That pension is supposed to be your main retirement. The Police and Fire pension pays twice as much as our Correctional Pension, and they contribute twice as much to it. Ours was designed with the idea that we'd also have Social Security in addition to it.

No, PERA is not going to double our pension!

I hope this helps. Even though this doesn't affect me, it will affect your future retirement and your spouse's and children's survivor benefits and possibly your future disability payment, or lack thereof.

Choose wisely this January.

Responses to Your Questions:

1. Will this affect detention deputies who have left? If so, will they be voting? 

1.  No, this does not affect detention deputies who have left employment with the county and they will not be voting.  To be able to vote, you must be an active employee participating in the Correctional Plan as of 10/30/2014 and as of 1/30/2015; hired/rehired into a position that participates in the Correctional Plan after 7/1 1999; and/or had a break in Correctional Plan service after 7/1/1999 . 

2. Why doesn't the County have ING or other deferred comp plans talk to us about alternatiive investments?

2. Unfortunately, Wade, due to the 10/30/14 deadline to distribute the referendum information we were unable to have our deferred compensation plan representatives at these meetings.  During the 90 day period between the distribution deadline and the last day of the voting period (1/30/15) employees can call one of our vendors (Fidelity, MNDCP or VOYA) and talk directly to one of their representatives.  Here are their phone numbers: 

Fidelity – Paul Knigge 612-590-6054

MNDCP (State Plan) – David Wright 612-964-8094

VOYA (previously ING) – 612-492-0202

We are currently working out details with one of our vendors for use of their brand new, simple retirement calculator tool which uses Social Security in the calculation.  I’m hopeful we can do a demonstration of the tool at the meetings on Tuesday.

MN Progressive Project puts Stanek spending in perspective

A brief look at the list of travel charges leads one to start asking questions:
 
1) On 01/23/2012, $2,244.20 was spent at “MARRIOTT 33769″ in Washington DC, for the purpose of “JW DC NSA Conf Hotel – Stanek.” A online website lookup of this hotel says that the daily room changes range from $229 to $429. So it appears that Stanek took the most expensive room for 5 days. Is it the policy to take the most expensive room?
 

2) The number of Sheriff conferences seems high. Why did Stanek go to the WESTERN sheriffs conference?
 
3) On 03/22/2012, $1,327.20 was spent at Delta Air on a flight for and “Flight to DC and PHX”. Aren’t DC and Phoenix in the opposite directions from Minneapolis? Currently Delta Air round trips delta flights from Minneapolis to Washington are $559 first class. So was this charge for two round trip first class tickets?

 
4) On 08/14/2012, $183.98 was spent on a “Dinner with Fed Partners” at Sunsets Wayzata. An expensive meal at Wayzata’s Sunset restaurant would be $30. So did Staneck buy meals for 6 “Fed Partners”? Why didn’t “Fed Partners” use their own expense account?
 
And those questions are only from the first half page, the list goes on.
 
Stanek is Republican, so we shouldn’t be surprised that he spends other people’s money lavishly.

FULL STORY MN PROGRESSIVE PROJECT

Hennepin County Sheriff Stanek's Travel expenses

Post by Frizell for Sheriff.

Post by Frizell for Sheriff.

Post by Frizell for Sheriff.

Post by Frizell for Sheriff.

Post by Frizell for Sheriff.

Payroll Woes

As you all know when the contract was settled we were to receive all back pay on the October 10th check.

For most it didn't exactly happen that way. Some were paid their cost of living adjustment(COLA), but it appeared not all back pay was included. Some received their COLA, but not the Step increase due them. Several people said they didn't get the $350 lump sum due to people making less than $18 an hour.

On October 21, 2014, our MNPEA BA and three stewards met with Hennepin County Labor Relations to discuss this and some of our other grievances we've had with HCSO payroll.

The County admitted many did not get their Step increase on this check, and doesn't know why HCSO payroll sat on the ones who had their reviews done. Some of those missing their Step will get it on this check, but not all. Some will get it on the following check. One of our concerns was that the COLA was paid on the lower rate before the Step was included. They assured us the back pay Step will include the COLA adjustment on the higher amount when paid.

Steward Phil M stated that we can't read our paychecks as printed and we didn't trust them. He asked if those who believed their checks were wrong could get a line by line print out of how the amount was arrived at. The County said that would be too time consuming as each of our 205 members would have to have it done manually by payroll. The county said they would audit 5 members of our choosing, and if they found the back pay wasn't correct they would audit everyone and make it right.

As to the $350 members making less then $18.00 an hour were to receive, the offer was only to those making that amount before Jan 1st. Our union is fighting that.

Payroll has been a major issue, especially the Sheriff's Office payroll. There are months of unpaid weekend and night shift differentials. When contacted Sheriff's payroll either says it will be on the next check or flat out says you don't get it. Further emails bounce back. Grievances have reached the county level and I won't be surprised if they reach arbitration.

One has to wonder why the Sheriff's Office uses Workforce rather then APEX like the rest of the county and why no one can read their checks.

I think a State audit is overdue.

Ebola...Does our jail have a protocol?

Dallas County Deputy in Contact 

With Duncan's Apartment Taken to Hospital   NBC Dallas

A Dallas County sheriff's deputy in Frisco who said he was feeling ill and who had been in the apartment of Thomas Eric Duncan, the man who died Wednesday of Ebola, has been hospitalized.

NBC 5 has confirmed the man is Sr. Sgt. Michael Monnig with the Dallas County Sheriff's Office.

I remember all of the Swine Flu protocol...is there one for Ebola?

How to contain it? 

How many staff would stay home?

Just food for thought.

Gov. Candidate Jeff Johnson thinks you get paid TOO much

This is the video of the Hennepin County Board approving our contract. The single NO vote came from Minnesota Gubernatorial candidate Jeff Johnson. 

He believes the step raises are"too much."

Too much for Detention Staff working in a dangerous environment and for stressed out 911 Dispatchers.

Too much for a job class that has had 5 years of wage freezes.

 In Jeff Johnson's world you should start at one rate and stay there forever, except for small occasional cost of living raises to keep you exactly where you started as inflation occurs.

This is a no vote from a man who has made the largest most dangerous jail in the State the lowest paid in the seven county metro area.

This coming from one of the highest paid County Commissioners in the State. A man making six figures a year and one of the only County Board members with a tax payer paid take home car!

Is this the man we want for Governor?

Remember this at the polls in November.

Member Contribution on Social Security Vote

This is a member contribution regarding the Big Change in Correctional Pension post.

For people who are not self-employed, 12.4% of gross income is contributed to Social Security.  6.2% by the employer and 6.2% by the employee.  So, to place it in perspective, for every $1000.00 a person earns, $62 goes into SS from a person's paycheck and their employer pays in another $62.

Here is my take on the benefits and the drawbacks of opting out of paying into Social Security...

The benefits of continuing to pay into SS:

-6.2% is employer paid.

-employees would keep their full SS benefits (contingent upon how much Congress decides to pay)

-PERA employees would keep a good amount of money that was paid into SS as opposed to only receiving back 3 years worth from the IRS if they opt out.

-Most people aren't responsible enough to save or invest if there were no SS tax.

-Older employees would not see a reduction in benefits even if they joined PERA after 1999.

-SS has been, and can continue to be beneficial as supplemental income for millions of people.

-SS is income insurance for when people stop or no longer can earn an income.

The benefits of Opting out of SS:

-6.2% more money to invest in a pre-tax IRA (deferred comp.)

-money paid into SS prior to joining PERA would still be available.

-You would have more money that would not be controlled by government bureaucrats to squander.

-SS is controlled by congress, bureacrats decide how much you will be paid out per month and when you should get a cost of living adjustment.  Funds in an IRA and personal savings are controlled by the individual, not the government.

-SS payouts are taxable income, (so you would end up paying taxes on a tax, (which seems a little asinine to me) as opposed to post-tax investments such as a Roth IRA.

-The SS fund is currently used to fund retirees, disabled people and the children of disabled people, and, for some reason, to pay back Treasury Bonds, to  fund wars, subsidies, and other government programs.

-By 2033, the SS fund is projected to be depleted.

-SS grows at a rate of approximately 4.4% from bond interest, while the stock market has grown an average of approximately 10% over the last 50 years despite the crash of 2008-09.

-with compounding interest, which equates into higher growth on money you control, taking the money you would have paid into SS and investing it in good growth stock mutual funds that have a long track record of growth would, and should, yield exponentially more money than placing it in the hands of Congress.

-with only an estimated 49% of the U.S. population paying income taxes, how can SS be sustained?

On my last pay stub, the amount that I paid into OASDI\EE amounted to $184.44.  That is $184.44 I could have placed into my deferred compensation accounts, or $138.33 into my post-tax Roth IRA. 

Honestly, does anyone feel comfortable with the government managing their money, placing it into an insolvent fund when there is annual deficits and over $17 trillion in national debt?  I personally do not.  The benefits of opting out, for me, far outweigh the benefits of continuing to pay in. Forget the so-called "three legged stool" of SS, savings, and investments, I would rather stand on my own two legs with savings and more to invest!

 Contributed by Noel Schlitter

Contract Vote Passes

The membership has accepted the County's offer. Traditionally, the County Board will approve it the second week of September and the raises will go into effect in October.

This means Detention Deputies will get the following raises:

Those in steps, will get your step plus 2.5% Cost of Living (COLA) 2014 and 2015
Those at top pay 3.5% COLA 2014 and 2015

All Dispatchers, even those in steps will get a 4.5% raise plus steps in 2014
and 2.5% plus steps in 2015.

Corrections News & Views August 2014

Contents: PERA Social Security Opt Out, Grievances, Schedules and More!

Big Change in Correctional Pension

Correctional Plan referendum on Social Security set for December
Correctional Plan members are currently participating in both PERA and Social Security. However, members who did not originally transfer to the plan from the Coordinated Plan in 1999 will be voting in December on whether to retain their Social Security coverage.

When created in 1999, it was assumed new correctional officers would be covered for retirement, disability and survivor benefits by both PERA and Social Security, just as were original participants in the plan. Only recently was it learned that the Social Security Administration requires a referendum for that to happen. PERA has prepared a Question and Answer sheet that explains the reason for the vote, the referendum process, and the impact of a “Yes” or “No” vote.

From PERA http://www.mnpera.org/