June 2025

Updated SSA-1945 Form now available for use by Employers

The Social Security Administration has issued a new version of SSA-1945, Statement Concerning Your Employment in a Job Not Covered by Social Security. State and local governmental employers are required to provide this federal form to new hires not covered by Social Security, and to provide a signed copy to the pension paying agency. The originals should be kept with your employee records and signed copies of the form should be mailed to MainePERS at PO Box 349, Augusta ME 04332.

The form previously provided information on the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and Government Offset Program (GPO). With the repeal of these offset provisions in January 2025, the new version of the form now notifies the employee of the lack of Social Security coverage. This form is available on the MainePERS website, as well as the Social Security Administration webpages.

Fiscal Year End Payroll Reporting Deadlines

Please submit your May and June payroll filings by the due dates below. Timely submission is important in preparing the actuarial valuation on which employer and employee contribution rates are calculated. If you anticipate a delay in reporting either your May or June payroll data, please contact Employer Reporting as soon as possible at 1-800-451-9800 or via email at employer@mainepers.org.

May’s Payroll Filing Due Date is June 16^th

June’s Payroll Filing Due Date is July 15^th

FY 26 Employer Contribution Rates

Employer and member contribution rates for the upcoming fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2025 and ends June 30, 2026, are now available on the Employer Rates and Rate Setting page where you may select plan specific information. Please remember that rates change with the first pay date in the month of July, even if that pay period includes June dates.

Grant funded teacher rate information is included in the Teacher section. The grant funded teacher costs do not include the additional amount due for teacher retiree health. This is established by and paid directly to State Employee Health and Benefits. You will receive a separate notification from Employee Health and Benefits for the amount due to fund retiree health coverage.

New Printable Employer Calendar a Handy Reference for MainePERS Filing and Reporting Deadlines

A new printable calendar with important Employer filing or reporting dates is available on the MainePERS website and on Employer Self-Service (ESS). Easily printed and posted, this handy reference item includes color-coded dates to help keep track of when monthly payroll and group life insurance (GLI) submissions are due, the effective date of changes to pension contribution rates and GLI premium rate changes, and when to submit GLI coverage level updates.

Group Life Insurance

Premium Rates for FY 26

Reminder that Group Life Insurance Premium Rates for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2025 are available on our website. Premium rates for basic coverage in the PLD and State Plans are increasing in FY26. There are no changes to premium rates for the Teacher Plan. Visit https://www.mainepers.org/employers/group-life-insurance/ to review the new rates. If you have any questions please contact your Employer Reporting account associate.

Group Life Insurance Levels Updated

Life insurance levels have been updated for the coming year. Please review your invoice. If you have any changes or corrections, please contact your Employer Reporting account associate.

Premium Payments during Summer months

Teachers and school support employees who do not receive a paycheck over the summer often want to maintain their Group Life Insurance (GLI) and have the premiums paid during these months. Coverage will be cancelled if premiums for those summer months are not paid within 60 days of returning to work. Employers can help their teachers and school support employees keep their life insurance coverage premium payments up to date during the summer months in several ways.

One is by withholding premiums due for the summer months from an employee's final pay in June to continue remitting payments on their behalf during the summer. Another is to pay the summer premiums for employees then withhold the amount from an employee’s paycheck when they return to work in the fall. Or you can withhold the additional premiums throughout the school year. Regardless of how you choose to withhold premiums, the premium payment should be submitted to MainePERS with the corresponding monthly invoices you receive during the summer.

If you have an employee who will be responsible for paying premiums on their own through the summer, please upload a Personnel Status Change (PSC) form to MainePERS. This upload through the ESS portal must indicate that the employee is on a leave of absence and you will then do an adjustment to the invoice to remove the employee from your next bill. MainePERS may then bill the employee directly for the premiums that are due for those summer months.

Courtesy Reminder about Microsoft Windows 10

As previously announced by Microsoft, support for its Windows 10 will end on October 14, 2025. Most importantly, any security updates will end at that time as well. Additional information is available through Microsoft, including some frequently asked questions. Please contact your information technology administrators or service provider to discuss how your organization plans to transition.

Online Education Sessions Now Available for Your Employees

Do you have employees who want to find out more about their MainePERS benefits? We offer several different planning sessions for State employees, Teachers and Participating Local District (PLD) employees. We have Introductory Educational sessions tailored to new and mid-career members. There are Ready to Retire sessions for our members who have already received an estimate from us and are planning to retire within the next year. Recently, we added a new Special Plan session geared toward mid-to-late career State employees who are participating in a Special Plan.

Since all sessions are offered virtually via Zoom, participation is easy and no travel is required. Please encourage your employees to sign up to learn more about their pension plan and how it can fit into long-term retirement planning. Employees can find out more and register to attend one of these 60-minute sessions 24/7 right on our website at the following locations:

State Plan Employees, including Special Plans at: www.mainepers.org/statesessions

Teacher Plan Employees at: www.mainepers.org/teachersessions

PLD Plan Employees, including PLD Special Plans, at: www.mainepers.org/pldsessions

Spread the word: A printable poster is available here or can be accessed later from the MainePERS website, just click on the Printable MainePERS Member Education Session Poster. Suitable for posting on Human Resources bulletin boards or including in your next employee communication or newsletter.