Michigan § 45.554a - Annual certification that certain employee-related conditions satisfied; failure to make certification; withholding distributions to county road agency; website; definitions.

(1) Beginning September 30, 2014, each county road agency shall annually certify to the department that it satisfies 1 of the following conditions with respect to transportation employees:

(a) The county road agency has developed and publicized a transportation employee compensation plan that the county road agency intends to implement with any new, modified, or extended contract or employment agreements for transportation employees not covered under contract or employment agreement. The transportation employee compensation plan that each county road agency plans to achieve must be posted on a publicly accessible internet site and must be submitted to the department. Subject to section 22a, at a minimum, the transportation employee compensation plan must include all of the following:

(i) New transportation employee hires who are eligible for retirement plans are placed on retirement plans that cap annual employer contributions at 10% of base salary for transportation employees who are eligible for social security benefits. For transportation employees who are not eligible for social security benefits, the annual employer contribution is capped at 16.2% of base salary.

(ii) For defined benefit pension plans, a maximum multiplier of 1.5% for all transportation employees who are eligible for social security benefits, except, if postemployment health care is not provided, the maximum multiplier is 2.25%. For all transportation employees who are not eligible for social security benefits, a maximum multiplier of 2.25%, except, if postemployment health care is not provided, the maximum multiplier is 3.0%. This subparagraph does not apply to years of service accrued before September 30, 2013, or to contracts entered into before September 30, 2013.

(iii) For defined benefit pension plans, final average compensation for all transportation employees is calculated using a minimum of 3 years of compensation and must not include more than a total of 240 hours of paid leave. Overtime hours must not be used in computing the final average compensation for a transportation employee. This subparagraph does not apply to years of service accrued before September 30, 2013, or to contracts entered into before September 30, 2013.

(iv) Health care premium costs for new transportation employee hires must include a minimum transportation employee share of 20%; or, an employer's share of the local health care plan costs must be cost competitive with the new state preferred provider organization health plan, on a per-transportation-employee basis.

(b) The county road agency complies with 1 of the following:

(i) A county road agency that offers medical benefits to its transportation employees or elected public officials shall certify to the department by September 30, 2014 that it is in compliance with the publicly funded health insurance contribution act, 2011 PA 152, MCL 15.561 to 15.569. For purposes of this subparagraph, dental and vision coverages are not considered medical benefits. The department shall develop a certification process and method for county road agencies to follow.

(ii) A county road agency that does not offer medical benefits to its transportation employees or elected public officials shall certify to the department by September 30, 2014 that it does not offer medical benefits to its transportation employees or elected public officials. For purposes of this subparagraph, dental and vision coverages are not considered medical benefits. The department shall develop a certification process and method for county road agencies to follow.

(2) If a county road agency does not make the certification required under subsection (1), the department may withhold all or a part of the distributions to the county road agency from the Michigan transportation fund under 1951 PA 51, MCL 247.651 to 247.675. A withholding under this subsection must continue for the period of noncompliance with subsection (1) by the county road agency.

(3) A county road agency shall maintain a searchable website accessible by the public at no cost that includes, but is not limited to, all of the following:

(a) Current fiscal year budget.

(b) The number of active transportation employees of the county road agency by job classification and wage rate.

(c) A financial performance dashboard that contains information on revenues, expenditures, and unfunded liabilities. The county road agency may link to financial information provided by the Michigan transportation asset management council.

(d) The names and contact information for the governing body of the county road agency.

(e) A copy of the certification required by subsection (1).

(4) A county road agency may develop and operate its own website to provide the information required under subsection (3), or the county road agency may reference this state's central transparency website as the source for the information required under subsection (3). If a county road agency does not have a website, the county road agency may post the information required under subsection (3) on the website for the county within which the county road agency is located or on the website of a statewide road association of which the county road agency is a member.

(5) As used in this section:

(a) "County road agency" means a county road commission in a county that adopts an optional unified form of county government under this act. In addition, if a board of county road commissioners of a county is dissolved as provided in section 6 of chapter IV of 1909 PA 283, MCL 224.6, county road commission includes the county board of commissioners of that county.

(b) "Department" means the state transportation department.

(c) "Transportation employee" means an employee paid in whole or in part through revenues distributed under sections 12 to 13 of 1951 PA 51, MCL 247.662 to 247.663, or an employee who is engaged primarily in work funded through revenues distributed under sections 12 to 13 of 1951 PA 51, MCL 247.662 to 247.663.