Employee FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Disclaimer: These FAQ’s are some of the questions that Human Resources frequently gets asked. The questions and answers are not intended to be exhaustive. The answers on this FAQ page do not constitute legal, financial or tax advice. This information is intended to be helpful and provide some initial guidance concerning certain HR issues. While we make every effort to keep these answers current, the law, the 火博体育官网 Employee Handbook, 火博体育官网 policies and procedures and circumstances can rapidly change which could alter answers given on this page.
Payroll
Full-time employees are paid on the 15th and the last day of the month. Part-time employees are paid on the 10th and 25th of the month. If any of those days fall on a Saturday, Sunday or bank holiday, payment will be made the prior Friday for that particular pay period.
The Direct Deposit form is available for print on the Payroll webpage or Self-Service Banner, Employee tab. You can also pick one up in the Human Resources office. A voided check or print out from your bank with account and routing number must be attached. Upon sign up, Human Resources will give you an effective date. 火博体育官网 strongly encourges use of direct deposit.
Benefits
You can sign up for insurance up to 31 days after date of hire or during NMPSIA's open/switch enrollment period offered each year. The open/switch enrollment period begins the first of October and runs throughthe middle of November.
Insurance rates can be found in Self-Service Banner, Employee tab via the T-BirdWeb Portal.
Changes can only be made during NMPSIA's open/switch enrollment which typically begins the first of October and runs through the middle of November. Changes due to "a qualifying event" such as; involuntary loss of coverage, change in marital status, birth/adoption of a child, incapacity of a child covered under the NMPSIA Group Plan, legal guardianship of a child, or promotion to a new job classification. Any such event must be reported to the Human Resources office and a change card completed within 31 days from the qualifying event.
Retirement
Retirement eligibility is determined by your start date.
TIER 1: Membership Prior to July 1, 2010
If your ERB membership began before July 1, 2010, and you have not withdrawn all of your contributions, you are eligible to retire on the earliest date you meet any of the following criteria:
1. “25 and Out” – Earned service credits + allowed service credits = 25 or more years. There is no minimum age requirement.
2. “Rule of 75” – Your age + earned service credits = 75 or more. Under the Rule of 75, allowed service credits are used to calculate your retirement benefit but do not count toward eligibility. If you retire under this rule, are under age 60, and have less than 25 years of earned service credit, your retirement
Benefit will be reduced by:
0.6% for each ¼ year, or portion thereof, that retirement occurs prior to age 60 but after the 55th birthday (equal to 2.4% per year), plus
1.8% for each ¼ year, or portion thereof, that retirement occurs prior to age 55 (equal to 7.2% for each year under age 55). For example, if you are six months past your 59th birthday, the reduction in benefits is 1.2%.
3. “65 and 5” – If you are at least 65 years old and have five or more years of earned service credit, you are eligible for retirement.
4. COLA begins at age 65.
TIER 2: Membership on or after July 1, 2010, but prior to July 1, 2013
If you are first employed by an ERB employer on or after July 1, 2010, but prior to July 1, 2013 or if you were employed before July 1, 2010, terminated your employment and subsequently withdrew all of your contributions, you must meet one of the following requirements to be eligible for retirement:
1. “30 and Out” – Earned service credits = 30 or more years. There is no minimum age required. Under Tier 2 “30 and Out,” allowed service credit is not used to determine eligibility for retirement but is used to calculate retirement benefits.
2. “Rule of 80” – Your age + earned service credits = 80 or more. As in the Rule of 75, allowed service credits are used to calculate your retirement benefit but do not count toward eligibility. If retire under this rule, are under age 65, and have less than 30 years of earned service credit, your retirement benefit will be reduced by:
• 0.6% for each ¼ year, or portion thereof, that retirement occurs prior to age 65 but after the 60th birthday (equal to 2.4% per year), plus
• 1.8% for each ¼ year, or portion thereof, that the retirement occurs prior to age 60 (equal to 7.2% per year).
3. “67 and 5” – If you are at least 67 years old and have five or more years of earned service credit, you are eligible for retirement.
4. COLA begins at age 65.
TIER 3: Membership Beginning on or after July 1, 2013
If your ERB membership began on or after July 1, 2013, or you were employed before July 1, 2013, terminated your employment and subsequently withdrew all of your contributions and returned to work for an ERB employer on or after July 1, 2013, you must meet one of the following requirements to be eligible for retirement:
1. “30 and Out” – Earned service credits = 30 or more years. Soft minimum retirement age of 55: those who retire younger than age 55 with 30 years of service credit will have a reduction in benefits to the actuarial equivalent of the member retiring at age 55. Under Tier 3 “30 and Out,” allowed service credit is not used to determine eligibility for retirement but is used to calculate retirement benefits.
2. “Rule of 80” – Your age + earned service credits = 80 or more. As in the Rule of 75, allowed service credits are used to calculate your retirement benefit but do not count toward eligibility. If you retire under this rule, are under age 65, and have less than 30 years of earned service credit, your retirement benefit will be reduced by:
• 0.6% for each ¼ year, or portion thereof, that retirement occurs prior to the member’s 65th birthday but after the 60th birthday (equal to 2.4% per year), plus
• 1.8% for each ¼ year, or portion thereof, that retirement occurs prior to the member’s 60th birthday (equal to 7.2% per year).
3. “67 and 5” – If you are at least 67 years old and have five or more years of earned service credit, you are eligible for retirement.
4. COLA begins at age 67.
When you have met the eligibility requirements and are ready to retire, complete the Retirement Application found at www.nmerb.org. We recommend that you begin this process 60-90 days prior to your planned retirement date in order to avoid any interruption in your income. If you plan to retire in July, ERB suggests you start the process six months prior to your retirement date. If you are still employed by an ERB employer, your employer must submit your Retirement Application to ERB along with a Certification of Termination. If you have not worked for an ERB employer within the last six months, you only need to complete the Member Information page of the Retirement Application.
For more information, visit www.nmerb.org.
Leave
Leave accrual begins with the first payroll.
Sick Leave
- Employees on a 12-month contract will accrue 6.67 hours every pay period.
- Employees on a 9 or 10 month contract will accrue 4 hours every pay period.
Vacation Leave
- First year - Employee accrues 1.67 hours per pay period.
- Second year - Employee accrues 3.33 hours per pay period.
- Third year - Employee accrues 5 hours per pay period.
Note: Employees on a 9 or 10 month contract do not earn vacation leave.
Personal Leave
- Employees on a 12-month contract earn 2 days each fiscal year. Must be used by June 30th of each year.
- Employees on a 9 or 10 month contract earn 4 days each fiscal year. Must be used by the end of their contract. They are allowed to take up to one unused personal leave day per each summer session taught.
- First year - Employee can only carry over 20 hours at the end of the calendar year.
- Second year - Employee can only carry over40 hours at the end of the calendar year.
- Third year - Employee can only carry over 60 hours at the end of the calendar year.
Yes. FMLA requires covered employers to provide 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to eligible employees; however, 火博体育官网 requires that the FMLA leave run concurrently with accrued paid sick leave, personal leave and vacation leave for any qualifying event.
The 火博体育官网 policy regarding FMLA can be found in the Employee Handbook via Self-Service Banner. Here is the link for your convenience: Employee Handbook.
Disability Service for Staff and Faculty
For accommodations and disablity services contact the Counseling Department at 575.492.2576.
Health & Safety
Contact 火博体育官网 Security at 575.399.2033.
Yes. Please report unsafe conditions to Dennis Kelley, Director of Public Safety/Security, at 575.408.2466.
