Welcome to Employer Digest, your monthly source for IMRF news and

information to help you stay connected with IMRF.

Identifying Members with Missing Termination Information

When an employee no longer works for your organization, it is important to update their information in your Employer Access account. To learn more about how to identify these members and to update their employment status, click here and choose “Member Record Maintenance: Identifying Members with Missing Termination Information.” 

Correcting Missing Contributions & Enrollment Information

IMRF members (non-retirees*) hired in qualifying positions should be enrolled in IMRF and contributions should be withheld. Occasionally, mistakes occur within this process and the member is not properly enrolled or contributions are not withheld. 

Depending on whether or not contributions were withheld, this can be corrected either through an Omitted Service Application or through Wage Reporting/Adjustment. Learn more about how to update these records by clicking here or here. 

*For participation rules related to retirees, see this section of our Authorized Agent Manual. 

Learn about IMRF’s 2024 investment return, funded status and overall financial position from IMRF Executive Director Brian Collins in this video.

In 2024, the IMRF investment portfolio had a net return rate of approximately 9.2%. IMRF’s estimated actuarial funded status is about 96.4%. These estimates are based on preliminary data and are likely to change.

The Rate Meetings will review year-end financial results and actuarial data for IMRF, and the data's estimated impact on employers. IMRF Executive Director Brian Collins, and Chief Financial Officer Mark Nannini will conduct the meetings. 

Please register for one of the following dates:  

Wednesday, May 14 

In-person:  

Western Suburbs – Wheaton

Presentation: 10-11 AM 

Arrowhead Golf Club (26W151 Butterfield Rd., Wheaton, IL 60189)  

In-person: 

Northern Suburbs – Northbrook

Presentation: 2 pm -3 pm 

Hilton Chicago/Northbrook (2855 Milwaukee Ave., Northbrook, IL 60062)  

Thursday, May 15 

Online Webinar 

Presentation: 10-11 AM 

In-person:  

South Suburbs – Tinley Park

Presentation: 2-3 PM 

Hilton Garden Inn Chicago/Tinley Park (18335 LaGrange Rd.,

Tinley Park, IL 60487) 

Friday, May 16

In-person:  

Central Illinois – Springfield

Presentation 10-11 AM  

Express Personnel Building - Lower Conference Room   

(3000 Professional Dr., Springfield, IL 62703) 

To register for one of these meetings, click here. 

Tom Kuehne Retires From Board

IMRF is proud to thank outgoing Executive Trustee Tom Kuehne for his service to the organization, its membership, and its employers. Kuehne, retired as Finance Director and Treasurer for the Village of Arlington Heights, participated in his final IMRF Board meeting on February 21.

Read more about IMRF's progress under his stewardship here.

New Trustee Brian Townsend Appointed

On February 21, the IMRF Board of Trustees appointed Brian Townsend as Executive Trustee effective March 1, filling the vacancy that will be created by Tom Kuehne’s retirement.  

Townsend is the Village Manager of Schaumburg. Read more about his experience here.

Louis Kosiba Retires From Board

Thank you to Louis Kosiba for his service to IMRF as the Annuitant Trustee from 2021 to 2025. Kosiba had previously worked at IMRF, including as Executive Director. Kosiba attended his final IMRF Board meeting on February 21.  

Read more about IMRF's progress under his stewardship here.

2025 Board Officers

With Louis Kosiba’s retirement, Gwen Henry will serve as President. Henry has previously served as Board President in 2021 and 2012.

For the full IMRF Board of Trustees Directory, click here.

On Friday, February 21, the IMRF Board of Trustees:

• Discussed Board of Trustees changes 
• Approved 2026 Death and Disability Rates
• Completed first step of triennial planning process  
• Received update on the 2023-2025 Strategic Plan  

2025 Board Meeting Calendar

The Board Meeting Calendar for 2025 is now available here on the IMRF website.

For More Information

You can read the full report in the February 2025 Board Meeting Highlights.

The next regularly scheduled Board meeting will be held Friday, March 28, at 9 AM.

Changes in work responsibilities and hours often affect whether positions qualify for IMRF. Every year, Authorized Agents must review and determine whether positions continue to meet or exceed the employer's hourly standard for IMRF participation.*

Expected versus actual hours 

If a person is employed in a qualifying position, the Authorized Agent must enroll that person in IMRF. To qualify for IMRF participation, a position must require at least 600 or 1,000 hours (depending on the employer's hourly standard) over the next 12 months. To determine this, measure the expected hours the position requires against the employer's hourly standard; the actual hours worked may be more or less. While conducting this measurement: 

• Pay attention to part-time, temporary, and seasonal employees since their hours can change quickly. 
• Be mindful of those who have more than one position with the same employer. When determining IMRF participation, these employees’ hours are combined; these combined hours may qualify the employee for IMRF participation, although the individual positions may not qualify.

Steps to reclassify 

If the requirements of a position change and the position requires reclassification: 

1. Determine if the position will continue to require the newly increased or decreased number of hours. 
2. Log in to Employer Access to complete and submit either an enrollment or termination notice to IMRF if the change is permanent. 

More information

1. To help in evaluating positions, download and complete the “Should this employee be enrolled in IMRF?” checklist. Keep the checklist in the employee's file for reference. Also, review Section 3.65A of IMRF's AA Manual for additional information. Or call IMRF using the employer-only number 1-800-728-7971 with questions.

*Note: Special rules apply to retirees; this article is specific to those not already receiving an IMRF pension.

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