[Ord. 44, 3/13/1979, § I; as amended by Ord. 85,
5/8/1990, § II]
1.
There is hereby established in Ralpho Township a nonuniformed employees
pension fund or pension annuity to be maintained by annual appropriations
made by the Township, and by gifts, grants, devises or bequests granted
to the pension fund pursuant to § 302 hereof.
2.
Such funds shall be utilized by Ralpho Township Supervisors for the
purpose of purchasing benefits as set forth in § 304 herein
for such nonuniformed employees who voluntarily retire by reason of
age and service and for death benefits as hereinafter provided.
[Ord. 44, 3/13/1979, § II; as amended by Ord. 85,
5/8/1990, § III; and by Ord. 99, 5/11/1993; and by Ord.
119, 4/14/1998]
1.
All full-time nonuniformed employees of Ralpho Township meeting the
criteria for benefits shall be entitled to a monthly pension. Such
pension is payable monthly during the participant's lifetime,
with payments ceasing upon death.
2.
No person shall be regarded as a member of the nonuniformed force
for the purposes of this Part, nor shall be or she be a member of
the retirement plan herein established, nor shall be or she have any
rights under this Part, until he or she shall have been employed as
a full-time nonuniformed employee by Ralpho Township for a minimum
period of six months.
[Ord. 44, 3/13/1979, § III; as amended by Ord.
85, 5/8/1990, § IV; by Ord. 110, 4/9/1996, § 1;
by Ord. 142, 12/10/2002, § 1; and by Ord. 150, 4/13/2004,
§ 1]
1.
Nonuniformed employees meeting the criteria for benefits herein shall
receive benefits at the following rates: 1.25% of the average of the
last 36 months' wages, multiplied by the number of years of credited
service, up to a maximum of 50 years. The normal retirement date for
an employee shall be age 62 and completion of 8 years of service.
Nonuniformed employees are 100% vested after eight years of service.
Benefits will be provided in the form of a single life annuity.
[Amended by Ord. No. 191, 12/10/2019[1]]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance provided an effective date of
1-1-2020.
2.
In case of the death of a member, from any cause whatever, during
such time as he or she shall be actively employed as a nonuniformed
employee of Ralpho Township, his or her designated beneficiary, or
his or her estate, as the case may be, shall receive such death benefits
as are hereinafter prescribed by policies issued pursuant to the plan.
[Ord. 44, 3/13/1979, § IV; as amended by Ord. 85,
5/8/1990, § III; and by Ord. 110, 4/9/1996, § 2]
1.
The Township shall expend such funds as are necessary to provide
a benefit based on an employee receiving benefits at the following
rates: 1.0% of the average of the last 60 months' wages, multiplied
by the number of years of credited service up to a maximum of 50 years.
The normal retirement date for an employee shall be age 65 and completion
of 10 years of service. Because of actuarial studies that determined
certain benefit enhancements could be provided without additional
costs to the Township, the Township provided the benefits under §
303, Section 1, which reduced the retirement age to 62, lowered the
number of averaged months' wages from 60 to 36 months, and increased
the multiplier to 1.25%. Effective January 1, 2020, the vesting term
has been reduced from 10 to eight years. As contractually provided
in bargaining agreements, in the event these enhanced benefits require
future contributions not offset by state aid, the members shall make
said contributions. If the nonuniformed employees pension plan is
actuarially sound, the Supervisors may, by resolution, waive or reduce
the necessity of member contributions.
2.
Any annuity policy shall be purchased only from life insurance companies
duly qualified and authorized to do business within the Commonwealth
of Pennsylvania. The Township shall be the owner of all such policies
and shall retain all rights of ownership including, but not limited
to, all rights of converting and electing options thereunder.
3.
Annuity policies aggregating a sufficient value to guarantee each
member as insured thereunder, the principal benefits as provided in
§§ 302 and 303 hereof, shall be purchased by the Township
as aforesaid.
[Ord. 44, 3/13/1979, § V]
The pension payments herein provided for shall not be subject
to attachment, execution, levy, garnishment or other legal process
and shall be payable only to the member or his designated beneficiary
and shall not be subject to assignment or transfer.
[Ord. 44, 3/13/1979, § VI; as amended by Ord. 89,
1/7/1991, § 1]
The expense of the administration of this fund, exclusive of
the payments of retirement allowances, shall be paid from the assets
of the fund.
[Ord. 44, 3/13/1979, § VII; as amended by Ord.
85, 5/8/1990, § VI]
Any nonuniformed employee who has been a regularly appointed
employee of the Township for a period of at least six months and who
thereafter shall enter into the military service of the United States
shall have credited to his or her employment record for pension or
retirement benefits all of the time spent by him or her in such military
service, if such person returns or has heretofore returned to his
or her employment within six months after his or her separation from
the service.
