ERS Staff

Administrative Services

Andrea L. Rose
Administrator

Heather D. Brown
Administrative Assistant

Member Relations
 
Antonia L. Lanier
Member Relations Manager

Lisa D. Butler
Senior Retirement Benefits Analyst

Angela Griggs-Montero
Member Relations Assistant

Technical Services
 
Sheila S. Joynes
Accounting Manager

Ann L. McCosby
IT Systems Manager/Leader

Edward D. Sarkar
IT Manager/Leader


Office Hours
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

301-454-1415

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The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission Employees’ Retirement System (ERS) covers employees of the Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission (the Commission), a body corporate of the State of Maryland, established by the Maryland General Assembly in 1927. The ERS was established as a single employer defined benefit pension plan effective July 1, 1972, in accordance with the Trust Agreement between the Commission and the ERS Board of Trustees. Today, the ERS consists of four defined benefit plans:  Plan A, the original plan; Plan B, for non-police, integrated with Social Security; and Plans C and D, for park police.

General employees may be members of Plan A or B. Plan A was the original plan open from July 1, 1972 until December 31, 1978. Plan B is mandatory for all full-time career general employees hired on or after January 1, 1979. Effective January 1, 2009 membership is mandatory for part-time career Merit System employees, Appointed Officials, Commissioners, and employees/directors appointed by the Commission/Planning Board to positions exempted by the Merit System.  Under the terms of Plans A and B, the normal retirement date for participating general employees is the first day of the month coinciding with or immediately following the date on which a participant attains age 60 with at least 5 years of credited service, or upon completion of 30 years of credited service, regardless of age.

Park Police may be members of Plans C or D. Plan C is mandatory for all Park Police hired on or after July 1, 1993. Plan C also includes members who elected, on or before October 25, 2002, to transfer from Plan D to Plan C. Plan D is closed to new members. The Normal Retirement Date for Plan C members is the first day of the month coinciding with or immediately following the date on which the participant attains age 55 and has completed five years of credited service, or has completed 25 years of credited service, regardless of age. The normal retirement date for Plan D members is the first day of the month coinciding with or immediately following the date on which the participant attains age 55 and has completed five years of credited service, or has completed 22 years of credited service, regardless of age.

Employees participating in Plan A contribute 6% of their base pay.  Employees participating in Plan B contribute 3% of their base pay up to the Social Security covered wage base and 6% thereafter. Park Police participating in Plans C and D contribute 8% and 7% of their base pay, respectively. 

Benefit payments are determined by application of a benefit formula considering the average of an employee’s annual base pay during the three consecutive years that produce the highest total earnings prior to retirement, and the number of years of credited service, up to 40 years for members of Plan A, 35 years for members of Plan B, 30 years for members of Plan C, and 32 years for members of Plan D. Under certain conditions, participants may elect to take early retirement at a reduced benefit level. Joint and survivor options are also available under the Plans.

Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs) apply for retirees and beneficiaries who have been receiving a benefit for at least six months. The COLA is applied each July 1st and is based on the change in the Consumer Price Index. The COLA can go up or down by 5%, but will never result in a benefit less than the initial benefit.