Welcome Back All 10-month Employees!  

Have a #AACPSBack2Awesome Year!

Retirement Preparation

Due to the inability to meet in groups during the pandemic closures, we have created two narrated slide presentations (Retirement Information Presentation and Retirement Forms Preparation and Submission) that are located on the AACPS website www.aacps.org/retirement. On our website you will also find links to webinars and the occasional full day virtual seminar hosted by the Maryland State Retirement Agency (MSRA).

In the past, MSRA mailed to your home a Personal Statement of Benefits every September. Now, the State now offers members access to a secure website to obtain your personal statement of benefits as well as an instant estimate of your monthly pension payment. This process, in the past using Form 9, would take six to 16 weeks to obtain the results. The new site allows participants to obtain information and make transactions related to their retirement account.

At MySRPS (My State Retirement Pension System) you can estimate your pension using various retirement dates to compare benefits. It even provides a way to estimate the value of your unused sick days. To learn more about the secure website and to enroll in MySRPS, click here.

If you have moved within the past year, please take a moment to make sure your address is updated in ESS. Maryland State Retirement always sends correspondence to the address they have on file, which is reported electronically by your employer.

If you are ready to retire and have selected a retirement date, watch the slide presentations on our website and then reach out to the AACPS Retirement Office to obtain a set of retirement paperwork. You will work with your Retirement Facilitator to send in your completed forms to AACPS so they may be processed and forwarded to the State on your behalf. Be sure to try and submit your paperwork at least two or three months before your retirement date.

You may contact Retirement by emailing Retirement@aacps.org, or calling 410-222-5224. For those with last names starting A-K, reach out to Carla Thomas. For those with last names starting L-Z, reach out to Mia Harper.

During these unprecedented times our supplemental retirement vendors are available to discuss your retirement goals, planning and budgeting, and managing your investments through virtual meetings and by phone.

AIG Retirement Services (formerly VALIC)

To find out who your financial professional is and schedule a virtual meeting, please follow the steps below: 

1. Sign into your account. If you’re not registered for an online account yet, you can do so here.
2. Once signed in, scroll to the bottom of your Overview page to view your financial professional’s information.
3. Contact your financial professional directly to schedule a virtual meeting.

Lincoln Financial

Roberto Molina is available by phone or email at 443-848-7537 or Roberto.Molina@lfg.com. Reach out Roberto directly for assistance with your supplemental retirement needs or questions.

VOYA

Robin Laird is available Monday – Friday from 9 am – 3 pm.  To schedule a virtual meeting with Robin click here or she can be reached at 443-949-5217 or robin.laird@voyafa.com.

The Supplemental Retirement Consolidated Quarterly Investment Performance Report for first quarter 2020 has been posted.

To view the report CLICK HERE

2020 Defined Contribution Plan Limits Increase

In Notice 2019-59, the IRS highlighted Defined Contribution Plan limit adjustments taking effect on January 1, 2020, for 403(b) and most 457 plans.  In 2020, the maximum employee elective deferral amount increases to $19,500 – a $500 increase from 2019.  For participants ages 50 and over, the additional “catch-up” contribution limit will increase to $6,500. 

Human Resources provides access to paystubs for all active employees through our Employee Self Service (ESS) site. Go to ESS to view your paystub, W-2, as well as your pay details, deductions, leave, benefits, dependents, and other personal information. You can also update your address and contact information for ConnectED calls.

To access the ESS system, go to https://ess.aacps.org and enter your network username (entered in lower case letters) and password. You must log out of the ESS system when you are done.  You should keep your password secure and not share it with anyone.

Links to ESS Resources are available on the HR Intranet page. Just click on the Employee Self Service button. If you have questions about the data in ESS, call HR at 410-222-5061. If you have trouble accessing ESS or don’t know your username and password, contact the Help Desk at 410-222-5135 or Help-Desk@aacps.org

All active job descriptions except Unit IV are available online in the Job Description Library (JDL) via the Intranet: Human Resources>Online Job Description Library

It is designed to allow:

• employees to search and view active job descriptions online
• managers to create new job descriptions
• managers to search, view, edit, and submit job description  
• HR to track and store historical job descriptions.  

The following Help documents are available in the JDL:

• Job Aids ("How-To" Guides: View, Edit, or Create)
• Job Description Templates
• Job Level Guidelines

For assistance, contact the JDL Administrator, Sherria Coates, at skcoates@aacps.org or call 410-222-5088.

Are you buying or refinancing a home? Need a car loan? Direct your lender to use The Work Number to obtain verification of your employment/salary.  Tell your lender the code for AACPS is 10599.  Instructions are available.  There is also a handy flyer.   

AACPS has a Fraud, Waste and Abuse reporting hotline number that employees and citizens of Anne Arundel County can call to report potential instances where they believe fraud, waste or abuse of AACPS property or resources is taking place. The toll free fraud hotline number is 1-888-484-1169. It can be reached 24 hours a day. All calls are confidential and can be made anonymously.