Paid elected officials are considered employees for IMRF purposes. Persons appointed to fill a vacancy in an elective office are classified as elected officials.
Elected officials whose positions meet the applicable annual hourly standard for participation may choose whether or not they want to participate in IMRF. They may elect to participate (see 6.60 D. Relating to Participation by Elected Officials in IMRF).
Effective January 1, 2018, all new governing body members must meet the 1,000 hour standard.
Employers with Internet access must enroll new members via Employer Access. If an elected official elects to participate in IMRF, IMRF requires the official’s signature on the ”Election To Participate For Qualifying Position” form. Therefore, as part of the online enrollment process, a pre-populated ”Election To Participate For Qualifying Position” form is created. The employer will download the pre-populated form, sign it, have the elected official sign it and mail it to IMRF along with the signed enrollment form.
The election to participate cannot be rescinded. An elected official who elects to participate in IMRF is required to continue to participate if re-elected to subsequent terms of office.
When an elected official elects to participate, he or she may establish up to 50 months of service retroactively (see 6.60 D. Relating to Participation by Elected Officials in IMRF).
Therefore, in order to avoid forfeiting any pension service credits, elected officials with a four-year term of office should decide at the beginning of their second term whether to join IMRF.
IMRF is not in the best position to determine the hourly requirements of elected officials. Nonetheless, where IMRF determines that the certification of elected positions, as described below, is disputed or in doubt, IMRF may investigate and independently determine whether an elected position qualifies for IMRF participation.
For elected county board member qualification, see Section 3.65F.
Governing Body Elected Positions
It is the policy of the IMRF Board of Trustees to require that the governing body of the employer determine, by resolution, that the position of a governing body member qualifies for IMRF participation before a governing body official in the position begins participation. (See paragraph 6.60 D. Relating to Participation by Elected Officials in IMRF, and Form 6.64, Exhibit 6FF .)
Effective January 1, 2018, all new governing body members must meet the 1,000 hour standard.
Download and Print Form 6.64, A Resolution Relating to Participation by Elected Officials in the Illinois Municipal Retirement Fund.
If the elected position no longer qualifies for participation, the governing body should pass a resolution to terminate participation of the position. See Form 6.64T, Exhibit HH located in Section 6.
Governing body positions are defined as follows:
Municipality |
Position |
Considered Part |
City |
Mayor
City Council Members |
Yes
Yes |
Villages and Incorporated Towns |
Village President
Board of Trustees |
Yes
Yes |
Municipalities with Commission Form of Government |
Mayor
Commissioners |
Yes
Yes |
Townships |
Supervisor
Township Board |
Yes
Yes |
Counties* |
County board members
County board chairman- elected by the board
County board chairman- elected at large |
Yes
Yes
No |
Counties* with Executive Form of Government |
County Executive
County board members |
No
Yes |
*Please note: County board members elected after 8/26/2016 can no longer participate in IMRF regardless of the hourly standard.
All Other Elected Positions
All other elected positions not part of an employer's governing body are not required to be certified by resolution of the governing body as of May 17, 2019. Non-governing body elected positions are certified by submission of Form 6.21 (Election to Participate for Qualifying Position). Form 6.21 is certified by the signature of the person holding the elected position and the employer's IMRF Authorized Agent.
In order to receive service credit for service rendered in a non-governing body elected position prior to May 17, 2019, the governing body must have passed a valid 6.64 resolution which was valid for the period of time for which the service credit is sought.