• CMERS is a contributory defined benefit retirement plan.
   
• Enrollment is mandatory if you work for a participating
   CMERS employer. You will be enrolled in the CMERS as soon as you meet the eligibility requirements for plan membership. If your employer has a probationary period, your date of plan membership is the day after you complete the probationary period and begin contributing to the plan.
   
• There are 2 different ?plans? or ?parts? in CMERS: one for employers covered by social security (?Part B?) and one for those not covered (?Part A?). As you go through this workshop it is important to know what ?part? you belong to as there are differences between Part A (no social security) and Part B (covered by social security) particularly with regard to social security benefits.
   
• The contributions under the Plans are as follows:
   
  • If your employment is not covered by Social Security (?Part A?) you contribute 5% of your pay.
  • If your employment is covered by Social Security (?Part B?): (a) You contribute 2?% of the portion of your pay on which Social Security taxes are withheld; and (b) You contribute 5% of the portion of your pay on which Social Security taxes are not withheld.

Your contributions pay only a small part of the cost of your retirement benefits. Your municipality makes contributions at rates set by the State Retirement Commission to fund the remaining cost. The municipality also contributes toward the administrative costs of the plan.

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