Occ. Code 0131300

New York State Department of Civil Service

Classification Standard

Positions in this title series perform a variety of tasks related to the processing and maintenance of member and employer applications and data in the New York State and Local Retirement Systems.

Teachers’ Retirement Examiners provide retirement related services such as reviewing disability retirement claims, tracking and calculating outstanding loans, processing retirement payroll changes and pay death, monitoring earnings after retirement, and other services for members of the Teachers' Retirement System.

EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM EXAMINER 3: entry title to this series. Expected to be familiar with the laws, rules, regulations, legal opinions, and established written procedures of New York State and Local Retirement Systems; must be skilled in arithmetic reasoning and able to perform high level complex calculation; must be able to prepare, understand and interpret written materials. Must be able to interpret the Retirement and Social Security Law and communicate complex benefit information to Systems members, on a one-on-one basis, demonstrating excellent listening, written and verbal communications skills. Must be familiar with the principles and practices of technical supervision, cross training, coaching, mentoring and transferring knowledge of benefit calculations to other staff members.

EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM EXAMINER 4: supervises ERSE 3's. Has knowledge of laws, rules, regulations, legal opinions, and established written procedures of New York State and Local Retirement Systems; must be able to prepare, understand and interpret written materials, and be familiar with the principles and practices of administrative and technical supervision.

EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM EXAMINER 5: supervise ERSE 3's and 4's. Have solid understanding of the laws, rules, regulations, legal opinions, and established written procedures of New York State and Local Retirement Systems; prepare, understand and interpret written materials, design and present retirement curricula to internal and external to customers (e.g., employers, members), support the development, testing and implementation of computer applications, and be familiar with the principles and practices of administrative supervision, identifies and ensures resolution of employer related problems as they relate to participation, plan upgrades and reporting.

EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM EXAMINER 6: serves as the highest-level ERSE. Must be able to successfully apply the full range of skills, knowledge and competencies associated with administrative supervision, coordinate and monitor the work of several sections within the Bureau; most often is the lead person or project manager for implementing new legislation and work process improvement initiatives, many of which cross Bureau lines and demand a successful interaction with other ERSE 6's outside the Bureau, as well as other professional staff to achieve the Systems’ or Agency’s objectives. Must be thoroughly familiar with all major aspects of the Retirement Systems’ laws, policies and procedures; must be able to understand and properly interpret complex written materials; must be able to work independently as well as demonstrate effective team building and project management skills.

EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM EXAMINER 3

Under the general direction of an Employees’ Retirement System Examiner 4, the incumbent:

Directs work of clerical employees.

• Trains, mentors and functions as technical supervisor of lower level clerical staff.
• Advises subordinates regarding routine correspondence and telephone inquiries from members, employers, pensioners, beneficiaries, and others.
• Reviews the work of subordinate employees concerning application of relevant sections of the policies, rules and regulations of the Retirement Systems, and the New York State Retirement and Social Security Law.

Provides technical direction and assistance to staff and others.

• Writes simple computer program modules and assists in verifying the accuracy of computer programs in the Division of Retirement.

Ensures the prompt and accurate processing of the unit’s work.

• Helps determine eligibility and benefit payments by making available and interpreting Retirement Systems policy and law, which form the basis for determining eligibility and benefit payments.
• Reviews accidental death, accidental and ordinary disability applications to make determinations on eligibility for benefits, reviews member applications for completeness and accuracy.
• Acts as the unit’s liaison with other units within the Bureau and within the Retirement Systems, personally handling difficult problems or cases that may arise; resolves more difficult employer reporting problems.
• Answers related telephone inquiries and responds to correspondence and e-mail from employers, members, pensioners, beneficiaries, and others.
• Reviews processing of transactions to pension payroll files and ensures strict compliance with computer processing schedule.
• Assists the Employees’ Retirement System Examiner 4 in the development and maintenance of custom reports, specialized analytical studies and individual processing applications.
• Reviews and prepares for modification, as necessary, existing automated correspondence due to changes in the law, policies and procedures.

In some cases, incumbents may be assigned to perform complex retirement calculations that have long-term fiscal implications for retirees and the Retirement Systems and for which the application of extremely complex law and procedure is required. Incumbents regularly communicate complex information about retirement benefits in a clear and concise manner to facilitate informed choices.

EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM EXAMINER 4

Under the general direction of an Employees’ Retirement System Examiner 5, the incumbent:

Serves as Unit Head and supervises a number of entry level Examiners.

• Supervises a staff of subordinate employees.
• Carries out training and development of staff.
• Answers questions and resolves problems of a most unusual and difficult nature, interpreting very difficult sections of the Retirement and Social Security Law.
• Acts as liaison with members, employers, pensioners, beneficiaries, other Retirement Systems, doctors, attorneys, and any concerned individuals.
• Resolves, together with staff, the most complex employer reporting problems.
• May supervise processing of ordinary and accidental disability retirement cases.
• May audit earnings of disability retirement pensioners for compliance with the Retirement and Social Security Law.
• May update changes to the pension payroll file, ensuring that monthly payroll transactions are processed correctly and accurately; reviews and approves the benefit calculation work of subordinate staff and communicates directly with members and retirees.

EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM EXAMINER 5

Under the general direction of an Employees’ Retirement System Examiner 6, the incumbent:

• Serves as Section Head and supervises a number of lower level Examiners relating to the specific Retirement System function to which they are assigned.
• Supervises and coordinates the work of subordinates in the performance of section level activities in many functional areas.
• Sets specific work goals for the section supervised.
• Integrates permanent and/or temporary policy and procedural changes into overall bureau policy and procedure.
• Oversees the editing, correction, and updating of the database files retained by the Retirement Systems relative to his or her section.
• Meets and corresponds with various officials, both in and out of the Retirement Systems, as well as members and their representatives, to resolve problems that may arise.
• Makes determinations and calculations in the most unusual cases, handling any cases resulting in Retirement Systems hearings or municipal suits or cases with such potential.
• Testifies at Administrative Hearings as an expert witness on policies and procedures.
• Identifies and ensures resolution of data processing problems as they relate to retirement processing.
• Identifies and resolves employer reporting problems as they relate to report processing.

May serve as the expert trainer of internal and external customers.

Represents the Retirement System at numerous governmental and association meetings:

• Develops and presents curricula to local government officials such as: County Executives, Mayors, Town Supervisors, Council and Board members, Clerks-Treasurers, and Clerks. These sessions explain new benefits or are part of our continuing education process for elected and appointed officials. As part of our partnership with local governments these sessions which include our monthly reporting seminars improve the quality of retirement reporting, thereby reducing errors.
• Reviews audit findings and risk assessments produced by the Division of Municipal Affairs as they relate to Retirement System laws and procedures, in particular reporting days worked and items that affect service credit.
• Works closely with local government officials to resolve any errors or omissions.
• Handles the calculations of the cost of employer plan improvements.
• Makes presentations of the same to both employer groups and unions.

Under the general supervision of a Retirement Program Administrator 1 or 2, the incumbent:

Supervises the work performance in several Retirement Systems sections, supervising and coordinating the work of subordinate Examiners in the performance of section level activities:  

• Oversees the work of one or more sections, generally related to a specific retirement program; provides interpretation of rules, regulations and laws for subordinate operating staff, referring unprecedented cases to bureau management for review.
• Reviews and interprets system-generated reports, analyzing workload and workflow section.
• Researches, analyzes, and resolves the most difficult and/or sensitive problems.
• Maintains a uniform and consistent work methodology in the various Bureaus by supervising the writing, maintenance and enforcement of Bureau policy manuals.
• Serves as a liaison with the various Bureaus within the Retirement Systems, assuring that all policies and procedures of the Retirement Systems are carried out.
• Reviews and analyzes pending legislation for its possible impact on administrative problems and/or decisions.
• Testifies at Administrative Hearings as an expert witness on Retirement Systems policies and procedures.
• Communicates to professional staff and superiors, employer reporting problems and the status of report processing.
• Facilitates communication and rapport between professional and clerical staff.

EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM EXAMINER 3

One year permanent competitive service in a position allocated to a G-9 or above.

EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM EXAMINER 4

One year of permanent competitive service as an Employees’ Retirement System Examiner 3, G-12, Principal Actuarial Clerk, G-14, Principal Clerk, G-14, Principal File Clerk, G-14, Principal Account Clerk, G-14 or Principal Audit Clerk, G-14.

EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM EXAMINER 5

One year of permanent competitive service as an Employees’ Retirement System Examiner 4, G-15, Head File Clerk, G-17, Principal Actuarial Clerk, G-14, Principal Clerk, G-14, Principal File Clerk, G-14, Principal Account Clerk, G-14, Principal Audit Clerk, G-14 or Legal Assistant 1 & 2, G-14 and G-17.

EMPLOYEES’ RETIREMENT SYSTEM EXAMINER 6

One year of permanent competitive service in a position allocated to a G-18 or higher.

NOTE: Classification Standards illustrate the nature, extent and scope of duties and responsibilities of the classes they describe. Standards cannot and do not include all of the work that might be appropriately performed by a class. The minimum qualifications above are those which were required for appointment at the time the Classification Standard was written. Please contact the Division of Staffing Services for current information on minimum qualification requirements for appointment or examination.

Date: 6/02