Legislative Summary, Training and KRS Mandates

APRIL 2019
Employer Reporting, Compliance & Education

2019 Legislative Summary

Seven bills and two resolutions passed during the 2019 Regular Session of the General Assembly that will have an impact on KRS. We will you provide you with additional information about any reporting changes as we complete our review of the bills and update our publications and procedures. Read More 

House Bill 358 Vetoed

House Bill 358 was vetoed by the Governor on April 9, 2019, voiding the bill in its entirety. This means effective July 1, 2019, quasi-employers will pay the same 83.43% employer contribution rate as other KERS non-hazardous employers unless legislation is enacted prior to July 1, 2019 changing the quasi-employer contribution rate.

The Governor has stated he will call a Special Session of the General Assembly prior to July 1, 2019. Click here to read the Governor's veto message.

Training Registration Now Available

The Divisions of Member Services and Employer Reporting, Compliance & Education are partnering again this year to offer Reporting Official training with the Pre-Retirement Education Program (PREP). This is an opportunity for employers to have a full day of KRS training.

The retirement eligibility requirement to attend PREP is waived for employers. PREP registration must be completed through Eventbrite.

Reporting Official training registration is completed in Employer Self Service. After you log in, go to the seminars module under the services menu to complete your registration.

Please note that the May 17th PREP and Reporting Official training sessions are reserved for Kentucky Human Resource Information System (KHRIS) employers. KRS defines KHRIS employers as those included on the Personnel Cabinet’s monthly retirement file. KRS assigns all KHRIS employers a five-digit numeric employer code. Although you may use KHRIS for health insurance, you are not considered a KHRIS employer for KRS reporting purposes and should register for a different training session.

Click here to view session descriptions and the schedule.

The Six KRS Mandates

Many organizations have mission statements. KRS, on the other hand, also believes in mandates. A mandate forces us to focus on what we should be doing longer-term and with our daily activities. They guide every one of our 248 employees. As the word implies, we are “mandated” to do these six things:

1. Strive for appropriate funding for all plans.

2. Provide members with efficient access to information and helpful counseling to meet their individual needs.

3. Manage the assets in accordance with each plan's needs while adding value to a passive portfolio.

4. Communicate effectively with all constituents, while ensuring appropriate transparency.

5. Maintain a work environment that promotes employee effectiveness, morale, and retention.

6. Insist on a culture of continuous enhancement to everything we do.

As you can see, these six mandates focus on how we can best serve members and provide them with their hard-earned benefits. Always help us help your employees by giving us suggestions to better serve them. If you have suggestions, please share them with your ERCE representative.

Questions?

If you have questions, please contact our office at 1-888-696-8810.