Reportable TFFR salary is a member's earnings in eligible employment for teaching, supervisory, administrative, and extracurricular services during a school year reported as salary on the member's federal income tax withholding statements plus any salary reduction or salary deferral amounts under 26 U.S.C. 125, 132(f), 401(k), 403(b), 414(h), or 457.
Once a member is contracted to perform teaching, supervisory, administrative, or extracurricular services, additional pay earned by the member is considered a part of retirement salary, even if no written agreement exists.
TFFR Salary does not include fringe benefits such as payments for unused sick leave, personal leave, vacation leave, housing allowances, transportation expenses, early retirement incentive pay, severance pay, any payments conditioned on or made in anticipation of retirement or termination, medical insurance, workers' compensation benefits, disability insurance premiums or benefits, bonuses, teacher aide pay, referee pay, bus driver pay, janitorial pay, or salary received by a member in lieu of previously employer-provided fringe benefits that are made on an individual selection basis.
No. TFFR defines "bonus" as an amount paid in addition to regular contract salary which does not increase the base rate of pay, is not expected to recur, or is not expected to be a permanent salary increase. Bonus payments are not eligible retirement salary. TFFR is not stating you cannot make this payment, you just cannot report it for retirement purposes.
If a member resigns, retires or dies before the end of the school year, the member's total compensated hours and last date worked must be reported on the monthly report following termination. Example : A member signs a contract for 182 days for 8 hours per day. The member terminates employment after 75 days on December 15. The compensated hours and last date worked are reportable on the December report filed January 15.
Compensated hours is the total number of hours a member is employed and compensated for in a school year (not to exceed 700 hours). To calculate total compensated hours you multiply total days worked during the fiscal year × hours worked each day, (8 hours × 75 days = 600 hours).
Under the General Rule, a retired teacher cannot return to TFFR-covered employment until 30 calendar days elapse from the member's TFFR retirement date. A retired teacher can then return to covered employment for a maximum annual hour limit and continue receiving a monthly retirement benefit. Exceptions to the general rule allow retirees to return to TFFR covered employment and exceed the annual hour limitation. Under all re-employment options, employer and employee contributions are required on all retirement salary paid to the retiree. See the Employing a TFFR Retiree section for more information. When a retired teacher is hired, the employer must notify TFFR by completing the Retired Member Employment Notification Form.
The general rule is that substitute teachers are not reportable to TFFR since they are not contracted teachers. The only time a substitute teacher is reportable is if the teacher, including re-employed retirees, is under a contract (written agreement) to perform the substitute teaching services. Substitute teaching is also reportable if the teacher/re-employed retiree is already under a contract to perform teaching services, including time certain contracts and while under the contract, performs substitute teaching duties (in-staff subbing). If the teacher/retiree performs noncontracted substitute teaching duties outside of the time certain contract, the substitute teaching compensation is not reportable.
An employer is required to file a new Employer Payment Plan form when the employer wishes to change the model or amount of contributions paid by the employer as a salary supplement. Prior to making a model change you may request a model comparison from TFFR. This comparison will help the employer and employees analyze the cost implications of the change. Your payroll system must also be updated and tested to incorporate the model change.