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110 Transitional Leave

To: Salary Schedule B Staff
From: Bill Siebers, Assistant Superintendent Human Resources
Date: December 2, 2024
Re: 110 Transitional Leave

Please find attached a copy of the 110 Transitional Retirement Plan application. Please read through the application carefully.

The District has opened the window of opportunity for you to consider your retirement options early, in the hopes of having an earlier projection of staff members retiring at the end of this school year. If you know you are planning on retiring, please complete the forms and return to Human Resources as soon as you have made that decision.

For clarification:

  • If you plan on applying for the 110 Transitional Retirement Plan, you will need to complete and return the application to Karen Caruso in Human Resources prior to 4:00 p.m. on February 3, 2025.
    • Please note that the per diem rate that you will receive for your 2025 and 2026 110-day contract/assignment will be 22.85% less due to required PERA contributions and Medicare.
    • Additionally, retired employees on a 110 Transitional Retirement contract/assignment must continue to pay the employee’s share of the PERA contribution at 11.00%.

Please contact PERA directly for any questions and/or requirements that need to be met for you to receive your PERA retirement benefits.

PERA phone number

800-759-7372
303-832-9550

PERA Website

www.copera.org

The Transitional Retirement Plan is an optional benefit that for all Schedule B employee groups.

The Transitional Retirement Plan allows a PERA eligible staff member to transition into retirement for one year while working for a maximum of 110 additional days in the same calendar year and 110 days in the next calendar year. (The 220 maximum total working days allowed would be adjusted downward to match the actual negotiated contract.)

Thompson School District employees are eligible for the 110 Transitional Retirement Plan if they:

  1. will be receiving PERA retirement benefits during the transition year; and
  2. have an acceptable evaluation in the year in which they sign up for the plan.

In addition to receiving PERA benefits a transitional teacher who signs up for the Transitional Retirement Plan will:

  • receive from the district their applicable 2024-2025 per diem rate less 22.85% (PERA and Medicare) for the days worked in 2025 and 2026 under the 110-day contract.

  • have individual employee PERA contributions (currently 11.00%) withheld from his/her paycheck and receive no PERA service credit.

  • continue to have the option (based on meeting certain insurance eligibility factors) of Retiree, COBRA, or PERA health insurance including any PERA subsidy.

  • not have individual insurance premiums paid by the district, per the negotiated agreement, for transitional teachers.

In addition, a transitional teacher will:

  • be eligible to receive a first monthly PERA retirement check beginning with the month following the last contracted school day of the year prior to beginning the Transition 110 program.

  • have to maintain an acceptable performance (e.g., by meeting the Thompson district 10 professional evaluation standards as reported on the annual performance review evaluation form).

  • be an ‘at-will employee’ (any appeal of evaluation will be continued only through the Human Resources level).

  • receive four annual leave days (2 per semester in lieu of the nine annual days non-probationary staff are allocated each year). However, 110 transitional participants will not be reimbursed for these 4 days at the end of the year, if they have not been used. Unused days will be donated to the sick leave bank.

  • have their per-diem pay docked for any additional days absent, except jury duty, bereavement or up to 15 days of military leave.

  • NOT be eligible for the sick leave bank or donate-a-day.

  • remain eligible for PMI.

  • be assigned to the same building in which he/she worked in the year prior to the transition, following all rules and regulations found in the Memorandum of Understanding.

  • be assigned the same FTE as assigned in the year prior to the transition. (The only exception is if beneficial to the site and district, agreed upon by the teacher, and previously approved by Human Resources).