Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Andrew J. Meyers
Department: County Attorney
Information
Requested Action
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MOTION TO DIRECT County Attorney's Office to request an opinion from the Florida Attorney General as to whether Broward County may, under Florida law, offer a local defined benefit pension to employees and elected officials who are ineligible to rejoin the Florida Retirement System ("FRS").
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Why Action is Necessary
Necessary to provide the referenced Board direction.
What Action Accomplishes
Permits the provision of the referenced direction.
Goal Related Icon(s)
?County Commission
?Go Green
?MAP Broward
Previous Action Taken
Summary Explanation/Background
Currently, employees and elected officials who retire from the FRS pension plan are ineligible for renewed membership in the FRS if reemployed by an FRS employer. Although these employees cannot rejoin the FRS, the County is still required to contribute to the FRS on their behalf at a reduced rate compared to active FRS members. For example, in 2024, the employer contribution rate for an elected official in the FRS was 58.68%, compared to the employer contribution rate of 46.23% for an elected official ineligible for the FRS.
The contemplated Broward County defined benefit plan could provide retirement benefits for those employees based on factors such as the difference between the employer contribution rates for an FRS member and for someone ineligible for the FRS (using the above example for an elected official, the difference is 12.45%). If this plan were developed and implemented, the County would contribute the same amount in retirement benefits for employees and officials ineligible for the FRS as it would for those eligible for the FRS.
The County Attorney's Office has advised that a local defined benefit pension plan would be subject to regulation by the Florida Department of Management Services' Division of Retirement and must comply ...
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