Lay Employee Pension System

In 2009, the 76th General Convention of The Episcopal Church passed Resolution A138 and its associated Canon, establishing the Church-wide Lay Employee Pension System (LPS) and naming The Church Pension Fund (CPF) as administrator. Under this resolution, Episcopal employers subject to the authority of the Church are required to provide a pension to all lay employees scheduled to work a minimum of 1,000 hours annually.

There are two types of lay pension plans sponsored by CPF – the Episcopal Church Lay Employees’ Defined Contribution Retirement Plan (Lay DC Plan) and The Episcopal Church Lay Employees' Retirement Plan (Lay DB Plan).

• Employers determine which plan they wish to adopt.

The Lay DC Plan is a defined contribution plan. It is administered by Fidelity Investments.

• As a lay employee, you may participate in and contribute your own money to the plan regardless of whether you meet the eligibility requirements of General Convention Resolution 2009-A138.

• If you meet the eligibility requirements of General Convention Resolution 2009-A138, however, your employer is required to make a contribution to an account in your name based on a percentage of your compensation. In addition, your employer may match your contributions up to a pre-determined maximum.

  • - Generally, employers contribute 5% of your compensation and will also match your contribution up to 4% of your compensation.
• You can make a contribution to your account on a pre-tax, Roth, or after-tax basis. Pre-tax contributions reduce your current income for federal income tax purposes.
• Your contribution and earnings grow tax-deferred, and you pay taxes when you begin to withdraw from the account.
• When you retire, the value of your savings depends on how much was contributed to the account and investment performance.

For details on the plan, enrollment, and investment options, see Defined Contribution Plan.

The Lay DB Plan is a defined benefit plan and is administered by CPF.

• You may participate in the plan only if you meet the eligibility requirements of General Convention Resolution 2009-A138.

• Your employer contributes to the plan, but you may not.

• - Your employer contributes 9% of your eligible compensation.
• CPF manages the overall investment portfolio for the plan.
• At retirement, your benefit is based on a formula that includes how long you worked and how much you earned. It is not tied to investment performance.
• You must be vested in order to receive a retirement benefit.
• As a participant in the plan, you and your surviving beneficiaries may be eligible for additional benefits.

Participants in the Lay DB Plan who wish to save additional funds for retirement can contribute to the Retirement Savings Plan (RSVP), a 403(b) defined contribution plan.

For more information about the Lay DB Plan, including survivor’s benefits, see Defined Benefit Plan.