5903 - Duties of the board to advise and report to heads of departments and members.
§ 5903. Duties of the board to advise and report to heads of departments and members. (a) Manual of regulations.--The board shall, with the advice of the Attorney General and the actuary, prepare and provide, within 90 days of the effective date of this part, a manual incorporating rules and regulations consistent with the provisions of this part to the heads of departments who shall make the information contained therein available to the general membership. The board shall thereafter advise the heads of departments within 90 days of any changes in such rules and regulations due to changes in the law or due to changes in administrative policies. As soon as practicable after the commissioner's announcement with respect thereto, the board shall also advise the heads of departments as to any cost-of- living adjustment for the succeeding calendar year in the amount of the limitation under IRC § 401(a)(17) and the dollar amounts of the limitations under IRC § 415(b). As soon as practicable after January 1 of each year, the board shall also advise the heads of departments of the employees for whom, pursuant to section 5502.1 (relating to waiver of regular member contributions and Social Security integration member contributions), pickup contributions are not to be made. (b) Member status statements and certifications.--The board shall furnish annually to the head of each department on or before April 1, a statement for each member employed in such department showing the total accumulated deductions standing to his credit as of December 31 of the previous year and requesting the member to make any necessary corrections or revisions regarding his designated beneficiary. In addition, for each member employed in any department and for whom the department has furnished the necessary information, the board shall certify the number of years and fractional part of a year of credited service attributable to each class of service, the number of years and fractional part of a year attributable to social security integration credits in each class of service and, in the case of a member eligible to receive an annuity, the benefit to which he is entitled upon the attainment of superannuation age. (c) Purchase of credit and full coverage membership certifications.--Upon receipt of an application from an active member or eligible school employee to purchase credit for previous State or creditable nonstate service, or an election to become a full coverage member, the board shall determine and certify to the member the amount required to be paid by the member. When necessary, the board shall certify to the previous employer the amount due in accordance with sections 5504 (relating to member contributions for the purchase of credit for previous State service or to become a full coverage member) and 5505 (relating to contributions for the purchase of credit for creditable nonstate service). (d) Transfer from joint coverage membership certifications.--Upon receipt of an application from a joint coverage member who elects to become a full coverage member, the board shall certify to the member the effective date of such transfer and the prospective rate for regular and additional member contributions. (e) Former county employees.--Upon receipt of an election by a county employee transferred to State employment pursuant to 42 Pa.C.S. § 1905 (relating to county-level court administrators) to convert county service to State service, the board shall certify to the member the amount of service so converted and the class at which such service is credited. (f) Former school employees.--Upon receipt of an election by a former employee of the Department of Education transferred to the Department of Corrections pursuant to section 908-B of the act of April 9, 1929 (P.L.177, No.175), known as The Administrative Code of 1929, to convert school service to State service, the board shall certify to the member the amount of service so converted and the class at which such service is credited. (July 22, 1983, P.L.104, No.31, eff. imd.; Aug. 5, 1991, P.L.183, No.23; Dec. 20, 1995, P.L.689, No.77, eff. Jan. 1, 1996; June 22, 1999, P.L.75, No.12, eff. imd.; May 17, 2001, P.L.26, No.9, eff. imd.; Apr. 23, 2002, P.L.272, No.38, eff. imd.) 2002 Amendment. Act 38 added subsec. (f). See section 23 of Act 38 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to statements or estimates of benefits. 2001 Amendment. Act 9 amended subsec. (a). See section 27(b) of Act 9 of 2001 in the appendix to this title for special provisions relating to statements or estimates of benefits. 1999 Amendment. Act 12 added subsec. (e). 1991 Amendment. Act 23 amended subsecs. (a) and (b), effective on the date of publication in the Pennsylvania Bulletin of a certification by the State Employees' Retirement Board that the seven-office Statewide retirement counseling field office network is fully implemented. 1983 Amendment. Act 31 amended subsec. (d). Cross References. Section 5903 is referred to in section 5906 of this title.