New Employees

Welcome to the Maryland-National Capital Park & Planning Commission (Commission)!

The Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) is the Commission’s retirement system for its employees. If you are new to the workforce or want to learn more about retirement benefits, don’t worry. We will walk you through the basics.

The ERS is a defined benefit plan. This is a type of retirement plan that is qualified under IRS Code Section 401 (a), meaning it meets the requirements set by the IRS for this kind of retirement plan. What “defined benefit” means for you is this: once you qualify to receive this benefit it is guaranteed. It is calculated using a formula based on your salary and the number of years of credited service you have with the Commission.

As you continue in your career here, you will come across some important milestones, such as becoming vested and qualifying for retirement. The Plan Document lays out the full details of your plan and benefits. We encourage you to review it, and to reach out if you ever have any questions. Understanding your retirement benefits doesn’t have to be complicated, and we are here to help make it clear.

Smiling professional extending a handshake, with colleagues standing behind him.

There are two plans open to new hires:

Plan E

Plan E

If you fall into one of the following categories, you are automatically enrolled in Plan E, and you do not need to take any action to join:

  • Full-time Career Employees
  • Part-time Career Employees
  • Employees of the ERS hired on or after January 1, 2013
  • Appointed officials, including Commissioners, the Executive Director, the General Counsel, and the Secretary-Treasurer
  • Employees who are exempt from the Merit System and who are appointed by their respective County Planning Board
  • An employee appointed to the position of Inspector General

Plan E is a Social Security integrated retirement plan. This means Plan E pays you your full retirement benefit until you become eligible for full Social Security retirement benefits. Once you become eligible for full Social Security benefits, your Plan E retirement benefit will be reduced, even if you have not started collecting Social Security yet.

If a prior position with the Commission made you a current member of Plan B, Plan E does not apply to you.

Plan C

Plan C

If you fall into one of the following categories, you are automatically enrolled in Plan C, and you do not need to take any action to join:

  • Full-time Career Park Police Officers
  • Park Police Officers who are exempt from the Merit System and who are appointed by their respective County Planning Board

Normal Retirement under Plan C is reached at age 55 with at least 5 years of credited service, or at 25 years of credited service regardless of age, whichever comes first. Retiring at your normal retirement date means receiving the full calculated benefit, with no reduction. Early Retirement is also available after 20 years of credited service, regardless of age, though the benefit is reduced the earlier someone retires.

Transfer Service Credit

If you were a member of a qualified, actuarially funded, defined benefit retirement system of the State of Maryland, or of any political subdivision of the State, you may be able to apply to transfer your credited service into the ERS.

Your credited service may be eligible for transfer if all the following are true:

  • You have not had a break in employment
  • You file a claim for the service within one year of becoming a member of the ERS
  • Within that same one-year period, you deposit your total accumulated contributions from your previous system into the ERS

All service must be certified as transferable by your former retirement system. Since the ERS is a contributory system, transfers from a contributory system will require you to transfer your accumulated contributions. Transfer from a non-contributory system will result in an actuarial deficit at the time of your retirement. Certain Maryland State Pension Plans also have their own specific requirements for transfers, so the rules may vary depending on where you are transferring from.

If you have applicable prior service, it is your responsibility to request a transfer in writing to the Executive Director of the ERS.

Anyone who thinks they may qualify to transfer service credit is encouraged to contact the ERS directly at contactERS@mncppc.org or 301-454-1415 to confirm eligibility.