This law section states that unless there are specific exceptions, the definitions provided in that chapter are used to understand and interpret the rules in this part of the education code.

'Actuarial equivalent' is a term used to describe a pension or benefit that is expected to have the same financial value at present as the one it is replacing. This calculation is done using interest rates and life expectancy data, both of which are suggested by an actuary and approved by the board as part of a plan change.

An actuary is someone who is skilled in the technical and mathematical areas of insurance and pensions. This person is chosen by the board to provide specialized actuarial services as needed.

The term "additional earnings credit" refers to the extra amount added to both employee and employer accounts. This amount is determined as a percentage by the board and added on a particular date through a plan amendment for a specified year.

This section defines 'Annuitant Reserve' as a special account created by the board to ensure monthly payments to retirees under the Cash Balance Benefit Program, which is a part of the State Teachers’ Retirement Fund.

This section of the law defines who can be an "annuity beneficiary," meaning the person or trust set to receive payments after the participant dies. It details what qualifies as a trust for this purpose. A trust must be irrevocable and meet specific federal requirements, specifically those related to Medicaid and IRS criteria. The trust must benefit only one person primarily, with any others being considered secondary beneficiaries. The designated beneficiary is recognized for determining their eligibility for benefits.

This section defines "basis of employment" as the amount of time a school expects an employee to work during the school year.

The term "beneficiary" refers to anyone the plan participant has named to receive death benefits, or who is otherwise legally entitled to receive them, under the retirement or death benefit plan.

This section simply explains that when the law refers to the "Board," it's talking specifically about the Teachers' Retirement Board.

The Cash Balance Benefit Program is a specific retirement benefit plan mentioned in the State Teachers’ Retirement Law.

This law defines what a 'class of employees' means. It includes groups of workers doing similar jobs, in the same programs, or with other work-related similarities. Even a single person can be a 'class of employees' if they are the only one doing their specific job. Additionally, a board can overrule an employer's decision about who is considered a 'class of employees.' This law has been in effect since July 1, 1996.

This law defines what activities count as 'creditable service' for certain educational professionals in California. It applies to work done for various employers like K-12 schools, community colleges, and charter schools. Activities include teaching, counseling, curriculum planning, health services, and more. Superintendents and community college leaders also qualify in some cases. Additionally, services related to the instructional program are included. The board overseeing this has the final say on what counts as creditable service.

In this section, 'death benefit' refers to the money or benefits given to someone, like a family member, after the person who was part of a specific program or plan dies.

This section defines the "Defined Benefit Program" as a specific retirement plan for state teachers in California, outlined in Part 13 starting with Section 22000.

This section defines a "disability benefit" as a payment made for a permanent and total disability. The amount you receive includes the balances from your employee and employer accounts up to the date your disability starts. Specific payment guidelines are outlined in Sections 26905, 26906, or 26906.5.

This law section defines the term 'disability date' as the day when a participant, who has applied for and been approved for disability benefits due to a total and permanent disability, starts receiving those benefits.

In this context, an "employee" is someone hired to provide services that are considered creditable, meaning they count towards certain service requirements or benefits.

In this section, an 'employee account' is defined as a type of account where a participant's contributions and the interest or additional earnings from those contributions are stored, as part of the Cash Balance Benefit Program.

This section defines the 'Employee contribution rate' as the share of an employee's salary that the employer deducts for contributions to the Cash Balance Benefit Program.

This section defines "employee contribution" as the money taken out of a worker’s paycheck by their employer as part of their participation in the Cash Balance Benefit Program.

This law defines 'Employer' as school districts, community college districts, or county education offices that choose to offer certain benefits to employees doing qualifying work. It specifically excludes the state from being considered an 'Employer' under this part.

This law section defines an 'employer account' as a type of account set up for a participant, where contributions made by the employer, along with any interest and additional earnings, are recorded under the Cash Balance Benefit Program.

The 'employer contribution rate' is the percentage of an employee's salary that an employer pays into the Cash Balance Benefit Program for each participating employee.

This law section defines 'employer contribution' as the money that an employer puts into the Cash Balance Benefit Program on behalf of an employee.

This law defines the terms 'employed' or 'employment' specifically as being hired to do work that qualifies for the benefits of the Cash Balance Benefit Program.

This law section explains that 'full time equivalent' refers to how many days or hours a person working part-time would need to work in a school year to match the workload of a full-time employee in the same job.

This section simply defines the term 'Fund' as the Teachers’ Retirement Fund.

This law section explains that there is a special reserve account, called the 'Gain and Loss Reserve,' set up to make sure there is enough money to pay interest to employees and employers for their cash balance accounts when investments don't earn enough. It's also used to help fund monthly payments to retirees if needed.

This law defines the "minimum interest rate" as the yearly interest rate set by the board for the Cash Balance Benefit Program. It's determined through a change in the plan and must follow federal laws and regulations.

The term "participant" refers to someone involved in the Cash Balance Benefit Program in certain ways: either by having worked in a way that qualifies for this program, by having their contributions recorded under this program, by receiving a retirement income due to their qualifying work, or by not yet meeting specific criteria under another related section.

This law defines who is considered a new participant in the Cash Balance Benefit Program under the 2013 pension reform law. It specifies that anyone beginning employment on or after January 1, 2013, and not covered by key retirement systems before 2013, is subject to the reform. If someone was already part of specified retirement systems by the end of 2012, and worked in such a system within six months before joining the Cash Balance Benefit Program, they aren't considered new participants under this reform.

A 'pay period' is the timeframe an employer decides for calculating and issuing employee paychecks, and it can't be longer than 31 days.

This section simply defines the term "Plan" as referring to the State Teachers’ Retirement Plan.

This section defines "plan year" as the time period used for keeping records of the Cash Balance Benefit Program, which could be based on the calendar year, policy year, or fiscal year. The governing board is responsible for deciding what the plan year will be through a plan amendment.

This section simply defines the term "public employer" as being the same as defined in another law under Section 7522.04 of the Government Code.

This law specifies what qualifies as 'retired participant activities' for someone retired from service in the California public school system. These activities can be jobs where the retiree works as an employee for a school, a third party, or as an independent contractor. However, if a retiree works for a third party, their work doesn't count as 'retired participant activities' under certain conditions: if the job is temporary (24 months or less), the third party isn't part of a California pension system, and the job isn't typically done by school employees.

This law specifies that 'retirement' involves two main steps: ending your job and meeting all the necessary requirements to start receiving retirement benefits from the Cash Balance Benefit Program.

This law explains what a “retirement benefit” means for a participant when they retire. It's the total amount that is paid out based on the participant’s own contributions (employee account) and the contributions from their employer (employer account) up to the retirement date. This benefit is given according to certain specific sections (26806, 26807, or 26807.5) that outline how it should be paid.

The term "retirement date" refers to the day when someone starts receiving their retirement benefits after applying for them from the plan mentioned in this part.

This law defines what counts as "salary" for certain employee benefits programs. Salary includes cash payments from an employer for work that's covered under these programs, money paid as part of an agreed-upon salary schedule or contract, compensation during approved absences, and certain contributions and deductions like retirement plans. It doesn't include things like payments for non-qualifying service, fringe benefits, reimbursement of expenses, or severance pay. If someone tries to report salary incorrectly, they could face legal consequences. This rule has been in effect since July 1996 but doesn't apply to those under the California Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013.

This section defines what counts as 'salary' for people involved with the California Public Employees’ Pension Reform Act of 2013 under the Cash Balance Benefit Program. It specifies that salary includes regular payments, approved absences, and certain deductions. However, it does not include one-time payments, expenses, bonuses, or money for non-work time. There is a cap on how much salary counts for pension purposes, adjusted annually for cost-of-living changes. If someone reports salary incorrectly, they could face legal charges for fraud. Salary is considered paid if it's given to employees under a publicly available contract meeting specific conditions.

This law defines who is considered a 'spouse' for the purpose of benefits and beneficiary designations. Basically, your spouse is the person you are married to at the time you file for benefits or when you pass away. It also states that registered domestic partners are treated the same as spouses under these circumstances, except in specific exclusions noted in other sections.

This law section defines what is meant by 'System’s headquarters office' as the permanent headquarters office building established according to a specific section of the law.

The term 'termination benefit' refers to the total money someone receives when they leave a job, which includes funds from both their own account and the employer's account, as outlined in Chapter 13 (starting with Section 27200).

This section defines 'total and permanent disability' as a physical or mental condition that stops someone from doing their job for at least a year. This must be something a doctor can confirm.

This law defines "trustee service" as the responsibilities carried out by someone who is a part of the leadership team of an organization or employer.

An 'unfunded actuarial obligation' is simply a deficit, or negative balance, in what's called the Gain and Loss Reserve.