Glossary of Terms

The computation based on benefits earned and life expectancy of member and beneficiary to determine necessary reduction of benefits under retirement options or to determine cost of purchasing additional benefits.

The spouse, former spouse, child, or other dependent of a member or retired employee who, pursuant to a judgment, decree, or order relating to child support, alimony, or the disposition of community property, is entitled to receive all or a portion of the allowance or benefit of a member or retired member from the System.

The average of a member's 36 consecutive months of highest compensation as certified by the public employer.

A person eligible for a benefit from a member or retired employee.

Discontinuance of a benefit with no possible reinstatement.

Temporary withdrawal of benefit with possible reinstatement when certain conditions are met.

The Public Employees' Retirement Board.

Members of boards or commissions of the State of Nevada or of its political subdivisions when such boards or commissions are advisory or directive and when membership thereon is not compensated except for fees for attendance at meetings and expenses incurred.

Except as it may conflict with the Nevada Administrative Code at 284.214, call-back pay is defined as compensation earned for returning to duty after a member has completed his regular shift, is off duty for any period of time, and is requested to return to duty with less than 12 hours' notice.

An unmarried person under 18 years of age who is the issue or legally adopted child of a deceased member. As used in this policy, "issue" means the progeny or biological offspring of the deceased member.

The salary paid to a member by the member's public employer which is subject to contribution.

The months, one following the other, in which some compensation is reported or service credit received, whether any actual work was performed or not. For the calculation of average compensation, compensation reported shall not be prorated to reflect the portion of the month that the reported compensation represents. Months for which a member does not receive service credit shall be spanned and not included in determining average compensation.

Employee/Employer Pay: The employee and employer pay equivalent contributions.

Employer Pay: The employer pays the entire contribution on behalf of the employee. The employee's portion must be in lieu of an equivalent salary increase or by salary reduction, except when the employee is a local elected official or district judge.

Employee: Deductions made from the employee's salary, paid to the System and credited to the employee's member account. Employees do not earn interest on any employee contributions credited to their member accounts.

Employer: Payments made by employers to this System under the employee/employer contribution plan.

Employer Pay: Payments made by employers on behalf of those employees under the employer-pay contribution plan.

A position determined by a participating public employer's governing body to be experiencing a critical labor shortage after taking into account the following criteria:

• The history of the rate of turnover for the position; 
• The number of opening for the position and the number of qualified candidates for those openings; 
• The length of time the position has been vacant; and 
• The success of recruiting persons in other states to fill the position.

The surviving parent of a deceased member who was dependent upon the deceased member for at least 50% of the parent's support for at least 6 months immediately preceding the death of the member.

Benefit provided to an eligible member who becomes totally unable to perform his current or any comparable job for which he is qualified by his training and experience because of injury or physical or mental illness of a permanent nature.

Initial: A distribution to the member of the portion of mandatory employer-pay contributions submitted on his behalf by his public employer as of the date of termination of employment.

Final: A distribution to the member of the portion of mandatory employer-pay contributions submitted on his behalf by his public employer which are credited after termination of employment. 
 

Child, spouse survivor beneficiary of an unmarried member, or dependent parent eligible to receive survivor benefits if the eligible member should die.

Any person employed in a position which is normally considered half time or more according to the full-time work schedule of the public employer and is under the direction and control of officers of the public employer.

See Contributions

See Contributions

Primary: Public employment which is half time or more upon which retirement contributions must be paid. In the event of employment in two or more eligible positions, the position paying the greatest salary shall be primary.

Secondary: In the event of concurrent public employment, the lesser salaried position. 

See Contributions

Administrator of the Public Employees' Retirement System appointed by the Board.

A member who is employed in an approved firefighter position.

A position which requires an employee to work half time according to the full-time work schedule of the public employer, for a duration exceeding six months.

Regular additional compensation paid to all eligible employees of a public employer for performing dangerous duty.

Compensation for work actually performed during an official holiday which is in addition to the compensation paid to all employees who do not work, providing the total working hours do not exceed the working hours of a normal workweek or pay period as certified by the public employer.

Any person who renders specified services for a stipulated fee who is not under the control of a public employer, except as regards the result of the work, and who does not receive customary employee benefits provided by the public employer.

A position for which no regular work schedule exists.

An employee selected by a public employer or group of such employers to certify records and coordinate retirement matters between the System and members of participating public employers. The employee selected must be a member of the System through his employment with the public employer.

Additional compensation provided to all eligible employees by a public employer based on years of service.

Required public employers who did not elect participation under the employer-pay contribution plan for certain employees prior to July 1, 1983, to pay the entire retirement contribution on behalf of their employees:

• For all police/fire employees with the Nevada Highway Patrol, Motor Carrier Division, and Division of Forestry employed on or after July 1, 1983.
• As of July 1, 1985, if the employee had ten or more years of accredited, contributing service;
• On the date after July 1, 1985, that the employee had ten years of accredited, contributing service; or
• As of the hire date for individuals employed on or after July 1, 1985, who did not already have active or inactive membership in the System.

Active: A member who is in the employ of a participating public employer and whose employee contributions are currently being paid to the System.

Inactive: A member who has been reported as terminated from public employment and who has not withdrawn his employee contributions and/or the portion of mandatory employer-pay contributions submitted on his behalf.

The individual account maintained for each member of the System.

Except as it may conflict with the Nevada Revised Statutes at 284.180 and the Nevada Administrative Code at 284.238 and 284.250, overtime pay is defined as additional compensation earned by a member who is held over on his regular shift or is requested to return to duty at a time that is more than 12 hours after notice is given.

Accumulation of all contributions, return on investments, and interest received from or on behalf of police and firefighter members of the System.

Committee appointed by the Board to advise them on matters pertaining to the Police and Firefighter's Retirement Fund.

A member who is employed in an approved police position.

Employment with a public employer.

The increase paid monthly to eligible benefit recipients.

State agency, political subdivision, or other public or quasi-public entity which has met the requirements for membership and is participating in the System.

Initial: The return to a member of all employee contributions credited to the member's account as of the date of termination of employment.

Final: The return to a member of all employee contributions which are credited after termination of employment.

A member of the System who is not a police officer or fireman.

Return of contributions to employee and public employer.

The calendar month for which the member's compensation and service credit are reported and certified by the participating public employer.

A person who is receiving a retirement benefit on his own behalf from this System.

The total years, months, and days of credit which an employee has earned in the System.

The monthly payments from the System paid to a retired employee for the remainder of his life.

Additional compensation paid to all eligible employees by a public employer for employment in a shift other than the regular shift.

The husband or wife of a member.

Compensation earned for holding oneself ready for duty while off duty.

Beneficiary of a member who was unmarried at the time of his death, had met the minimum eligibility requirements, and has designated this beneficiary to receive payments.

Monthly allowance paid to eligible survivor(s) of a deceased member.

The Public Employees' Retirement System.

A position that will be staffed for six months or less.

All accumulated leave or bonus payments that are made upon the termination of employment for any cause including death.

The attainment of creditable service which guarantees to a member those benefits accrued as of that date.

A volunteer member of a regularly organized and recognized fire department that is participating in the System.

Official, regular, full-time workday certified by a public employer.

Official, regular, full-time workweek certified by a public employer.