SPRINGFIELD – Today, the Illinois Municipal League (IML) launched a free education platform for all local police (Article 3) and firefighter (Article 4) pension fund trustees. The platform, available online at iml.org/pensiontrustees, provides the statutorily-required training certification for all trustees.
The training program provides all required training for pension fund trustees. IML provides this training program at no charge to the trustee, the pension fund and the municipality. Upon completion of each training module, a certificate will be issued to the trustee to prove compliance with statutory training requirements.
“One of the core tenets of the Illinois Municipal League is to educate municipal officials in a cost effective manner,” said Decatur Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe, IML President. “Providing this training ensures all trustees are receiving the resources they need to successfully represent public safety personnel on local pension boards.”
“IML’s investment in this program will provide training at no cost to all pension trustees and will result in millions of dollars of savings that will stay in the pension funds—to pay pension benefits—instead of going to private entities that charge thousands of dollars per person for the same training,” said Brad Cole, IML Executive Director. “This makes it easier for the trustees, free for the boards, strengthens the funds and saves taxpayer dollars. It’s a win-win.”
The online curriculum includes educational seminars on the following topics:
Articles 3 and 4 Pension Disability Pension Overview
Duties and Ethical Obligations of a Pension Fund Fiduciary
Board Oversight of Cyber Risk: Before a Breach
Illinois Public Employee Disability Act and Public Safety Employee Benefits Act
Developments and Potential Changes in Federal and Illinois Labor and Employment Laws
Qualified Domestic Relations Order
Pension Plan Funding 101
Pension Plan Assumptions 101
Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act
Cyber Security Best Practices
Managing Generational Differences and Unconscious Bias in the Workplace
How to Identify, Address and Prevent Sexual Harassment and Discrimination
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This training program is provided completely online at no cost to the user and is available 24 hours a day through a partnership with Eastern Illinois University’s School of Extended Learning. The training program is available at iml.org/pensiontrustees. Questions about the program may be directed to IML by email at pensiontrustees@iml.org.