This section provides the answers to questions often asked by new and seasoned board members. This is a good resource to check first when you have a question. You will find information on stipends, reimbursement, travel, agendas, equipment, mileage, and more.

1. Who is eligible for stipends?
Board members who are County employees do not receive stipends. Board members who are not active County employees and who have been appointed by the Board of Supervisors or elected by the retirees (the 4th, 5th, 6th, 8th, and 9th members of both Boards and the alternate retired member of the Board of Retirement) will receive a stipend.

2. How much is the stipend?
$100 per meeting. The maximum number of meetings you may attend a month is five, for a maximum of $500 a month.

Effective January 1, 2008, eligible Board of Retirement members will be compensated for the review of disability cases at the rate of $100 per day (prorated for less than eight hours worked in a single day) up to a maximum of 32 hours in any single month. (12-17-07)

3. What counts as a meeting?
Regular Board Meetings, Special Board Meetings, Joint Board Meetings, LACERA-sponsored Board Off-Site Meetings, and Board Committee Meetings. Attendance at Board-approved conferences and seminars do not count as a meeting, nor do meetings with investment managers or other vendors that take place outside of a committee or Board meeting.

4. When are stipends paid?
On the 15th of the month.

5. How are stipends treated for tax purposes?
Board members who are eligible to receive a stipend are required to complete a W-4 form. Stipends are taxed as regular income. (12-29-08)

6. Whom do I call if I have questions about my stipend?
Contact your Board Secretary, Liz Duran (BOR) or Alicia Loza (BOI).

Please inform the Board Secretary, the Board Chair, or the CEO prior to the meeting so your absence can be noted as an approved absence. If you are an appointed member, your attendance record is reported quarterly to the Executive Office of the Board of Supervisors.
NOTE: The attendance of all Board members is a matter of public record that must be disclosed to anyone upon request.

2. What should I do if I need to leave a meeting before adjournment?
Please inform the Board Chair prior to the convening of the meeting. This allows the Chair to rearrange agenda items to cover action items first, in the event there are potential issues related to maintaining a quorum.

1. To what extent can Board Members discuss LACERA business outside of official Board meetings?
The Ralph M. Brown Act prohibits a majority of Board Members from discussing LACERA business when not present at a Board meeting. Underlying the Brown Act is the public policy that government business, including the deliberation of issues, should take place at a public meeting. A series of telephone calls or emails can result in a violation if a majority of Board Members are ultimately involved. If, as a result of internal discussions, a majority of Board Members reach a consensus as to how to vote at a meeting, a crime has been committed for which the participants could be prosecuted. (12/06)

Travel by personal automobile from one’s home to LACERA when traveling for LACERA business

Travel to and from Board meetings, committee meetings, and individual meetings with investment managers or other vendors to discuss LACERA business

Trips to the Hall of Administration to meet with the Board of Supervisors when related to LACERA business

Trips to meetings for the purpose of explaining or discussing LACERA business

Trips to attend conferences and seminars located within Los Angeles County

2. How frequently should I submit mileage claims?
Monthly

3. What is the mileage reimbursement rate, and what form should I use?
Use the Mileage Reimbursement Form, which includes the current reimbursement rate. (Other travel-related information and forms can be viewed on the Board Travel web page.) (12-29-08)

4. How long does it take to get reimbursed?
Generally, reimbursement should take approximately two business days. However, the process may take longer, depending on accuracy and completeness of the reimbursement request.

5. Am I covered by LACERA insurance when I'm using my vehicle on LACERA business?
Yes, provided that you contact LACERA’s Director of Risk Management, Cynthia Guider at 626-564-2327 and provide your driver’s license information.

1. How do Board members receive the training they need to perform their duties?
Board Handbook
Board Resources web site
Board Orientation Presentation
Periodicals
Off-Site Meetings
Attendance at Educational Conferences and Seminars

2. Where can I get a copy of the Board Handbook?
Click here to view the Board Handbook. You may request a copy from your Board Secretary, Liz Duran (BOR) or Alicia Loza (BOI).

3. Do we have off-site Board meetings?
Yes. Off-site meetings are held at a location within Los Angeles County, but at a site other than LACERA headquarters. These are official, posted meetings of the Boards that are used for in-depth review of benefits, administration, and investments. Generally, the agendas for these meetings do not include action items. A three-day off-site meeting, including both Boards and LACERA management, usually occurs in January.

4. What conferences or educational seminars may I attend?
Board members may attend any conference in Los Angeles County if the incurred costs will be limited to mileage and parking. Other conferences must be approved by the appropriate Board. Click here to see the pre-approved conferences.

5. How do I submit a conference for Board approval?
Advise your Board Secretary, Liz Duran (BOR) or Alicia Loza (BOI), that you would like a conference or seminar placed on the agenda for approval. Agenda requests must be received by noon on the Wednesday preceding the meeting.

6. How many conferences may a Board Member attend?
Every Board member may attend seven conferences per year, ten if the member serves on both Boards.
NOTE: Attendance at meetings, conferences, and courses sponsored by SACRS and CalAPRS, conferences of CII, and conferences fully-funded by the Board Member do not count as one of the seven or ten conferences. (12/06)

7. May Board members travel to conferences that are held outside of the United States?
Yes; however, travel to an international destination is limited to one trip within a 12-month period and requires board approval. (12/06)

8. Who goes to a conference when the conference invitation limits the number of attendees?
If the conference invitation limits the number of attendees, then a priority list is used to determine who can go. Senior Board members have priority over new Board members.

9. What periodicals do Board members receive?
Most Board members have subscriptions to Pensions & Investments and the Wall Street Journal. Other relevant periodicals include Plan Sponsor and Institutional Investor.
NOTE: If you want to subscribe to a relevant periodical, please contact your Board Secretary, Liz Duran (BOR) or Alicia Loza (BOI).

1. Who makes the travel arrangements for Board members?
The Board Secretary, Liz Duran (BOR) or Alicia Loza (BOI), will make all travel arrangements, unless you prefer to do it yourself.

2. How much notice do I need to give if I am thinking of attending a conference or seminar?
If the trip involves air transportation, we encourage you to let us know at least 25 days prior to the departure date so that we can obtain lower airfares.

3. What happens if I need to cancel a trip?
Notify the Board Secretary, Liz Duran (BOR) or Alicia Loza (BOI), as soon as possible in order to avoid cancellation penalties. The LACERA Travel Policy requires Board members to reimburse LACERA for any cancellation penalties unless the cancellation was for good cause such as health, family emergency, work, or weather.

4. May I request a travel advance?
LACERA will pre-pay conference registration fees, lodging, and airfare. Other travel advances are not allowable per the LACERA Travel Policy.

5. What kind of transportation can I use for LACERA business travel?
If your destination is within 100 miles of your residence, LACERA would expect you to use the common carrier – car or public transportation such as bus, train, or subway. If the destination is more than 100 miles away, Board members usually travel by air.

6. What if the trip is more than 100 miles away and I prefer to drive?
You may drive and be reimbursed mileage. Lodging and meals are reimbursed to the same extent they would be if you traveled by air.

7. What if I prefer not to travel by plane even though this would be considered the “common carrier?”
If you choose to travel by bus or train, the cost of the transportation will be reimbursed up to the amount that would be incurred for the common carrier.

8. What about Saturday “stay-overs?”
In the past, airfare was sometimes less expensive if the trip included staying at the destination on Saturday night. If this situation should occur, LACERA will reimburse the additional expenses related to including Saturday in the trip, as long as the extra expenses plus airfare do not exceed the airfare that would be paid without the Saturday stay-over. The airfare differential should be documented on the travel expense claim. (12-29-08)

Administrative Travel: This travel is linked to participation in committees or serving as an officer of SACRS or CalAPRS. For example, you are a member of the SACRS program committee and you travel to Sacramento to attend a committee meeting. Reimbursable expenses related to this type of trip include transportation costs, lodging, meals, local ground transportation, and parking.

Educational Travel: This travel is associated with attendance at approved seminars or conferences. Travel expenses including transportation, lodging, meals, local ground transportation, and parking are reimbursable.

2. How do I claim reimbursement for travel expenses?
Immediately following completion of your trip, a travel expense form must be completed with all original, itemized receipts attached. You can obtain the form from the Board Secretary or the Board Secretary will be happy to assist you in completing the form. All expenses with the exception of porterage should be substantiated with receipts. If LACERA has pre-paid airfare and/or lodging expenses, you should still obtain receipts.
Meal expenses can be claimed in two ways, by per diem or by actual expenditure to a maximum of $100 per day, substantiated by receipts. Prior to the trip, the Board Secretary will provide you with the per diem amount that can be claimed for the trip. (Per diem amounts are set by the IRS and vary by location). (12-29-08)

3. How frequently should I submit travel claims?
We prefer that you submit a claim immediately after a completed trip. The IRS will force us to treat the reimbursement as taxable compensation if the claim is submitted more than three (3) months after the travel expenses have been incurred.

4. How long does it take to receive reimbursement once my claim has been submitted?
Generally, reimbursement should take approximately two (2) business days. However, the process may take longer, depending on the accuracy and completeness of the reimbursement request.

2. How do I get my mail?
You are always welcome to pick up your mail whenever you visit LACERA. The Board Secretaries store your mail on tables in the work room adjacent to their work stations on the 8th floor. The accumulated mail is sent to you every Friday.

3. How do I respond to correspondence?
Board Bylaws specify that correspondence will be forwarded to the appropriate staff member for response. Board members may not save correspondence on LACERA letterhead without specific Board authorization. (12/06)

2. When can I expect my Agenda?
You should receive your Agenda and any related information at least three (3) business days before a meeting.

2. Who has access to my contact information?
Your address and phone numbers are provided to your fellow Board members and to LACERA staff who have a business need to know this information, such as the Board Secretary. Some Board members ask us to release only business addresses and phone numbers. We will honor such requests.

3. What happens if someone wants to contact me at the LACERA number?
The Board Secretaries will take a message and phone you to determine how you want the call to be handled. If you are not available, they will leave you a voice message, email, or fax the message, as you prefer.

1. What will LACERA provide to assist me in fulfilling my Board duties?
Computer Equipment: desktop or laptop with a printer and/or fax machine
Data line for internet access and fax transmissions
Office Supplies such as printer paper, fax paper, printer and fax cartridges
Internet Service Provider: dial-up or high-speed
Luggage Carrier for handling agendas (usually provided for Board of Retirement members)
Business Cards
Secure File Storage Containers
Telephone Card