| Accumulated Contributions |
For a member, the member's IPERS contributions plus interest; for employers, the employer's IPERS contributions plus interest. |
| Adjunct Instructors |
Employees of a community college or university without a continuing contract and whose teaching load does not exceed one-half time for two full semesters or three full quarters for the calendar year. |
| Allowance |
Compensation paid to an employee intended for the employee to use toward personal expenses of a specific item, such as a cell phone or car. |
| Alternative Coverage |
Another qualified pension plan that the Iowa Code allows specific employers to offer their employees. Examples of employers who may offer an alternative plan are the State Board of Regents, community colleges, city managers, and municipal water utilities. |
| Back Pay |
Compensation received at a later date than would normally have been paid in a prior period.
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| Banked Holiday Pay |
Accrued unused holiday pay, with credit to be used at a later date. |
| Bona Fide Retirement Period |
A period of time during which a retiree must sever all public employment, stay out of all employment with a public employer for one calendar month, plus an additional three months from all covered employment. |
| Cafeteria Plan |
A cafeteria plan, including a flexible spending arrangement, is a plan that allows employees to choose between receiving taxable cash or benefits, such as health, dental and life insurance, instead of certain qualified benefits for which the law provides an exclusion from wages. |
| Calendar Quarters |
Periods of three calendar months, beginning each January 1, April 1, July 1, and October 1, used for quarterly reporting of wages. Example: January, February, and March. |
| Calendar Year |
The period of time beginning on January 1 and ending on December 31 of each numbered year. |
Code of Iowa
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Iowa 's written laws; laws governing IPERS are located in Chapter 97B. |
| Compensatory Pay |
Compensation for hours worked in excess of the normal workweek and banked for later use, either as paid time off or as a cash lump-sum payment. |
| Compliance Officer |
Member of IPERS' Employer Relations Bureau who is responsible for ensuring employer compliance with IPERS' code, rules, and policies. |
| Contributions |
The money that is contributed on behalf of employees, based upon covered wages and including employer and employee portions. |
| Covered Employment |
Employment with a public employer that is subject to IPERS withholding and reporting. |
| Covered Wages |
The maximum annual amount of compensation paid by a public employer to a member that is eligible for IPERS coverage. |
| Debit/Credit Memo |
A memo sent to an employer, which shows the credits and debits owed to/by the employer. |
| Defined Benefit Plan |
A defined benefit plan is a retirement plan that uses a formula to determine a member's eventual benefits. |
| Employer Periodic Wage Reporting Summary |
A cover sheet summarizing the quarterly wage report. |
| Employer Remittance Advice |
Form used to accompany monthly/quarterly submission of IPERS contributions. |
| First Month of Entitlement |
The first calendar month a member qualifies for a monthly benefit, usually the month following the month in which a member terminates employment and a completed application is received by IPERS. |
| Fraudulent Practice |
A person is guilty of a fraudulent practice if the person makes, or causes to be made, any false statement or representation for the purpose of causing an increase in any payment authorized to be made under Iowa Code Chapter 97B, for the purpose of causing any payment to be made where no payment is authorized under Iowa Code Chapter 97B, for the purpose of obtaining confidential information from IPERS or any other unlawful purpose related to Iowa Code Chapter 97B. |
| ICON |
"IPERS Connection Online" is IPERS' secure, password-protected area on the IPERS Web site used by employers to report wages, change information for employees, inquire as to past wages reported, update employer information, and contact specific departments with questions or comments. |
| Iowa Administrative Code |
These are rules adopted by agencies to implement the Iowa Code. IPERS' rules are found in Chapter 495, IAC. |
| Independent Contractors |
Self-employed persons that, for IPERS' purposes, have no employer/employee relationship with an IPERS-covered employer. |
| The Latest Word |
Quarterly newsletter for employers. |
| Occupation Class Code |
The two-digit code used by IPERS on quarterly reporting and member accounts to identify the employment class and withholding rates of a member. |
| Optional Coverage |
Specific employee classifications have the option to decline IPERS coverage, when such election is completed within 60 days of employment or taking office. Examples of classifications are mayors, city council members, community action employees, elected township officials, and city managers. |
| Per Diem Payments |
For IPERS' purposes, a per diem is generally a set amount of compensation for one specific service, such as a daily payment for attending a meeting. |
| Pretax Contributions |
Contributions deducted from an employee's gross wages prior to the calculations of federal and/or state tax. For IPERS' purposes, pretax contributions are the employee contributions which the employer deducts from employee wages and pays to IPERS on behalf of the employee. Effective January 1, 1995, employee contributions are made on a pretax basis for federal income tax purposes. Effective January 1, 1999, employee contributions are made on a pretax basis for state income tax purposes. |
| Protection Occupation Members |
The members of this group and the terms of their coverage include airport safety officers, airport security officers, conservation peace officers, correctional officers, DOT peace officers, fire prevention inspector peace officers and marshals, police officers (including part-time police officers) and firefighters. Special occupation codes and contribution rates must be used for these employees. |
| Qualified Plan |
A qualified plan status under the federal Internal Revenue Code conveys certain tax advantages to the members of the Plan, among them the privilege of having contributions toward retirement benefits being held and invested on a tax-deferred basis. IPERS is qualified under IRC 401(a). |
| Reporting Official |
The individual designated by each employer who is the IPERS contact and is authorized to sign wage reporting documents, refund applications, and retirement benefit applications. |
| Service Credit |
Membership credited to a member's record for service, maximum of four service credits per calendar year. |
| Severance Pay |
A sum of money given to an employee upon termination. |
| Sheriffs' and Deputy Sheriffs' Group |
The special occupation group which includes sheriffs and deputy sheriffs. Special occupation codes and contribution rates must be used for these employees. |
| Special Service Members |
Employment groups including sheriffs, deputy sheriffs, and protection occupation members. |
| Spiking |
A prohibited practice in which the payment/reporting of compensation is manipulated, usually to generate a higher pension benefit for an employee. |
| Tax-Sheltered Annuities |
An investment vehicle that allows employees to defer money from being taxed until a later date, usually at retirement, and qualifying under IRC 403(b). |
| Temporary Employees |
Temporary employees are hired for less than six months' duration or are working seasonally, on-call, or intermittently. Examples of temporaries would be summer employees, volunteer firefighters, and substitute teachers. |
| Vested Member |
The establishment of rights to IPERS benefits: completion of at least four years of service, or the attainment of age 55 while making contributions, whichever comes first. |
| Wage Reporting Adjustment |
Adjustment to wages submitted on a previous quarterly wage report. |
| Wage Equivalents |
Non-cash compensation. |
| Wage Reports |
A quarterly report submitted by all employers that lists employees and their covered wages. |
