EMPAC endorses Dale Folwell for State Treasurer
The statewide leadership of SEANC’s political action committee, EMPAC, proudly endorses State Treasurer Dale Folwell for re-election in the 2020 General Election.
EMPAC endorsed Folwell in the 2016 election, and since his first day in office he has been a staunch advocate for state employees and retirees. He has always been willing to lend a collaborative ear to SEANC’s concerns involving the retirement system, State Health Plan and protecting the interests of our members. He has been willing to stand up to insurance companies, big healthcare and Wall Street.
“After years of bad decisions by our two previous treasurers, Treasurer Folwell has been a dream come true for state employees and retirees,” said EMPAC Statewide Chairman Mark Dearmon. “EMPAC is proud to endorse him. We all need to work hard to get him re-elected.”
When he took office, Folwell promised to cut unnecessary spending on Wall Street fees paid by the retirement system. He made good on that promise by cutting more than $500 million in fees from the plan in his first year.
Ridiculed by his opponents for his safe investing of the state pension plan, that conservative approach proved the right one this year as the economy faced its biggest threat since the Great Depression. While pension plans all over the country have been left reeling, North Carolina’s plan has gained more than 6.3% and now sits at a record $108.1 billion as of the second quarter of 2020.
“His conservative management of our retirement fund kept the plan from having significant losses when the economy tanked,” Dearmon said. “He has reduced some of the outrageous fees the pension plan was paying to Wall Street money managers and instituted a more conservative investment strategy. As a result, TSERS weathered the economic downturn much better than most pension funds.”
He put his career on the line for state employees and retirees in last year’s fight over the Clear Pricing Project, which would bring transparency and cost savings to the State Health Plan. The big health care machine showed its true colors by enacting a boycott rather than sign on to the much-needed reforms. Folwell was able to get more than 25,000 providers in the state to sign on to the plan, which ties reimbursement rates to Medicare rates.
We are confident he will continue to fight for working families in his next term as State Treasurer.
EMPAC Statewide Endorsements
Cheri Beasley* Chief Justice Supreme Court, Seat 1 Democrat
Mark Davis* Associate Justice Supreme Court, Seat 4 Democrat
Elaine Marshall* Secretary of State Democrat
Beth Wood* State Auditor Democrat Catherine Truitt Supt. of Public Instruction Republican
Steve Troxler* Commissioner of Agriculture Republican Mike Causey* Commissioner of Insurance Republican
Jessica Holmes Commissioner of Labor Democrat
Yvonne Lewis Holley Lieutenant Governor Democrat Roy Cooper * Governor Democrat
Dale Folwell* State Treasurer Republican
Deborah Ross* 2nd Congressional District Democrat
State Treasurer Folwell meets with SEANC state retirees in 2017.
SEANC is needed NOW more than ever
Hi SEANC family,
I sincerely hope this column finds you safe and healthy.
In March of this year, just a few weeks after I was hired as your Executive Director, the unimaginable became our reality. SEANC, along with the rest of the world, faced unprecedented circumstances as the COVID-19 pandemic swept the globe. Like most of the state’s workforce, our staff went home not knowing when they would return. SEANC directors sat down and made a detailed plan for employees to work productively and safely from their homes. Zoom meetings, group texts and conference calls became our day to day connection and took the place of our valuable in-person interactions. So much was uncertain, but one thing was crystal clear — SEANC’s role in the lives of our members was more critical than ever.
We were painfully aware that many state employees in essential positions were literally risking their lives every day for the state to keep running. And when members called SEANC asking for help, it wasn’t for more pay or better benefits. It was for policies, actions and equipment to keep them well and their families safe. So it was no surprise to me that our staff and SEANC leaders
rose to the challenge.
We created “SEANC Cares” — a team of fast-responding staffers, who served as a one-stop resource for members. Our membership and lobbying teams shifted modes to answer all the questions you sent in — and my goodness, there were a lot of questions!
With help from district members, SEANC Cares staff visited worksites to deliver hand sanitizer and snacks in a show of support.
While every workplace is vulnerable, our first big issue with COVID-19 presented itself quickly at prisons and the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) facilities. We took action and advocated for proper testing, protective gear and protocols to be put in place to keep these heroes as safe as possible where it was impossible to social distance on the job.
Working closely with State Treasurer, Dale Folwell, and with his leadership, a testing plan was created and testing for all prison employees was to be made available at work sites through the State Health Plan. The Department of Public Safety (DPS) ultimately decided to implement a less robust testing plan.
We have a strong advocate for employee safety at DHHS facilities, where Deputy Secretary, Kody Kinsley,
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Beth Dew, Managing Editor
SEANC accepts advertising material from companies and persons seeking to communicate with SEANC members. Acceptance of this advertising does not indicate SEANC approval or endorsement of any representation that the message, product or service is as represented by the advertiser. SEANC accepts no responsibility and shall not be liable for any use of or reliance on any such information, product or service. SEANC is a private entity and is under no obligation to carry advertisements of any nature, political or otherwise, that may be viewed as contrary to the interests of the association and its membership.
made it a priority to involve employees on decisions and work with SEANC on solutions. We were excited to present him with our first “Unsung Hero” award in July for his efforts.
The battle against the virus continues, and SEANC will continue our commitment to fight for safe working conditions.
We’re facing devastating challenges at our universities and community colleges as well. With students being pushed to online learning, coupled with presumed budget deficits, non-faculty personnel face furloughs and job cuts through no fault of their own. The state must ensure these hardworking employees, many of whom are already disproportionately affected by the virus, do not lose their paychecks and access to health care.
In addition, all state employees and retirees are facing uncertainty because of a projected budget shortfall of up to $4 billion. We’ve already seen furloughs implemented at the Department of Transportation (DOT) and will work tirelessly to prevent any in the future.
Everyone is striving for some sort of new normal, but it’s going to take time, and it’s going to take working together.
I have been at SEANC almost 20 years and I’ve always heard that SEANC is a family. The thing about families is that they show up for each other more than ever when times are tough. And that’s what SEANC has done and will continue to do during the battle with COVID-19.
Stay safe, family. And I look forward to seeing you soon.
Executive Director
Ardis Watkins
Pension plan GROWTH in adverse market reduces retirees’ worries
While the state and U.S. economies struggle amid regulatory restraints imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, North Carolina public service retirees can take comfort that their pension is fully funded and that retirement checks will continue to arrive on time.
Despite the market volatility that has weakened many other public pension plans, the N.C. Retirement Systems has shown remarkable resiliency. The plans were valued at an estimated $106.4 billion on July 31. That surpasses a record $105.6 billion certified value on Dec. 31, 2019.
Investment success during a market downturn isn’t a lucky coincidence. The Department of State Treasurer’s (DST) Investment Management Division worked hard to identify opportunities to strengthen and preserve the Retirement Systems under adverse conditions.
Many public pension funds took big hits because they had large unfunded liabilities that lured them to swing for the fences in risky investments that performed poorly during the market instability. North Carolina has one of the best funded pension plans in the nation, which has allowed it to follow a more conservative investment strategy for the past half century. The plan might not earn as much as other retirement systems during market highs, but it doesn’t lose near as much during downturns.
A critical piece of the pension plan’s success is the General Assembly’s continued full funding of its pension share. Lawmakers also enacted several bills supporting the Retirement Systems in the 2019 and 2020 sessions.
"As a state employee nearing retirement, a tremendous burden is lifted by knowing the state treasury is being managed in the right way."
Chris Collins of Chatham County
One piece of legislation I requested requires an actuary to stress test the Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System (TSERS) every five years. Last year, we voluntarily submitted the TSERS plan to a stress test and were advised it is a leader among states for potential to meet financial obligations during tough economic conditions. We are seeing that borne out now.
That stability is crucial to meeting our obligation of providing $543 million in monthly pension checks to more than 320,000 retired state and local government employees. And the plan’s durability is important to the 662,000 current and former employees who have contributed to the retirement system but are not yet collecting pension checks.
Ask Chris Collins of Chatham County, who said he’s not surprised the pension plan “has done remarkably well in these tough market conditions.”
“My expectations of the retirement system are that the public servants who are elected and put into the positions of managing it, that they strive to make sure the people that have worked so hard over their careers get what they were promised when they signed up to serve the citizens of North Carolina,”
Collins told us. “As a state employee nearing retirement, a tremendous burden is lifted by knowing the state treasury is being managed in the right way.”
That’s why we work hard to prevent and detect waste, fraud and abuse. We closely monitor to ensure pension spiking practices don’t result in undeserved overpayments that require everyone in the system to pay for special favors to a few.
At DST we count pennies and paperclips to keep unnecessary government spending in check. We’ve cut fees to Wall Street investment managers and others by about $312 million since 2017, with savings projected to reach $350 million through December. Total pension administration costs $23 per active member, compared to $98 for our peer institutions. Our administration costs have remained steady from 2013 through 2019, while peer systems’ costs rose 1.2% each of those seven years.
We are in the check delivery business and take that role seriously. Every dollar we save is a dollar that helps to preserve the pension plan for those who teach, protect and otherwise serve their fellow North Carolinians.
State Treasurer Dale R. Folwell, CPA
2020 EMPAC
N.C. House Candidates
ENDORSEMENTS
N.C.
Senate Candidates
SCHOLARSHIP
The SEANC Scholarship Foundation and SEANC districts across the state announced they are awarding $141,000 in scholarships; $48,000 of that is being given out by the statewide SEANC Scholarship Foundation to 47 deserving students. The five categories of statewide scholarships include:
$500 scholarship awarded to SEANC members.
$500 scholarship to attend a community college, technical school or trade school. MEMBERONLY
TWO-YEAR
$500 scholarship to attend a community college, technical school or trade school.
FOUR-YEAR
$1,000 scholarship to attend a four-year college or university.
FOUR-YEAR FINANCIAL
$1,500 scholarship to attend a four-year college or university.
THREE WAYS TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION
3. DIRECTLY TO FOUNDATION . You may also make a contribution directly to the SEANC Scholarship Foundation. Please make checks payable to the SEANC Scholarship Foundation.
Donations to the SEANC Scholarship Foundation are tax deductible.
Two-Year Merit ($500)
Four-Year Merit
Alice
Nicole
Four-Year
Alexys
Oluwabunkola
RETIREE FOCUS
SEANC awards scholarships to members’
grandchildren
The following SEANC members’ grandchildren were awarded $500 scholarships to assist their accredited college or university expenses. The awards were given by the SEANC Retiree Council.
Non-Medicare and Medicare Retiree Health Plan Changes for 2021
Big changes are coming to Medicare Advantage plans through the State Health Plan next year. Open enrollment is set for Oct. 15-31, and SEANC has put together the information below to help our retirees navigate the process.
You may be required to take action in order to maintain the same tier of benefits with the transition. Please use the information below as a guide, and email us at seanccares@seanc.org if you have questions.
Medicare UHC Base Plan or UHC Enhanced Plan (Current Plan)
• You will default to the Humana Base Plan in 2021 if no action is taken
• ACTION REQUIRED to move to the Humana Enhanced Plan or the BCBCNC 70/30 Plan
All non-Medicare retiree members currently covered under Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina (BCBSNC) will remain insured by BCBSNC.
Non-Medicare BCBSNC 80/20 Plan or BCBSNC 70/30 Plan (Current Plan)
• You will default or remain in the BCBSNC 70/30 plan if no action is taken
Medicare BCBSNC 70/30 Plan (Current Plan)
• You may remain in the BCBSNC 70/30 plan in 2021 if no action is taken
• ACTION REQUIRED to move to the Humana Plans
HOW TO TAKE ACTION
• Go to www.shpnc.org/ebenefits during Open Enrollment (Oct. 15-31, 2020) and select your healthcare plan
• Review the 2021 healthcare plans now before Open Enrollment www.shpnc.org/2021-benefit-information
• Review your options of supplemental policies by viewing the SEANC Insurance Guide at www.seanc.org/insuranceguide All Medicare retiree members currently covered under UnitedHealthcare will be moved to Humana for the 2021 benefit year, which begins Jan. 1, 2021.
• ACTION REQUIRED to remain or move to the BSBSNC 80/20 plan
Mason Herman Hudson Western Carolina University grandson of District 7 member Ralph Kincaid
Braxton Nowell Leland UNC Chapel Hill grandson of District 62 member Esther Smith
Reagan Wallace Iron Station Western Carolina University granddaughter of District 1 member James Wallace
Danielle Richmond Pinehurst UNC Chapel Hill granddaughter of District 20 member Mary Roukema
Alexys Oliver Red Springs UNC Pembroke granddaughter of District 20 member Clara Oliver
Megan Cribb Nakina Southeastern Community College granddaughter of District 23 member Sue Faulk
Caleb Turner Garner UNC Charlotte grandson of District 44 member Carolyn Turner
Bryce Parker Charlotte Howard University grandson of District 42 member Marilyn Suitt
Brianna Miles Edenton East Carolina University granddaughter of District 68 member Derrick Wadsworth
Kiyelle Brown Greensboro UNC Greensboro granddaughter of District 59 member Shirley Perry
MEMBERS IN ACTION
The Emerging Leaders Council recently presented donation checks to the Ronald McDonald House and
District 16 members delivered snacks to Davidson Correctional on Aug. 11 and welcomed longtime SEANC advocate Danny Baker as the new warden.
District 44 members dropped off snacks and signs on Aug. 19 at the Capital Police Headquarters in Raleigh.
SEANC made deliveries of snacks and signs at the Department of Administration (District 44) and the Departments of Social Services in Hertford, Bertie and Martin Counties (District 63).
District 16 members delivered treats to personnel at Forsyth Correctional on Aug. 13.
District 64 Chair Latina Shelley poses with Olivia Sutton, Lead Counselor at Pitt Community College (PPC) in Greenville. SEANC District 64 made a monetary contribution to the PCC Food Bank to assist PCC students in need of food.
the SECU Family House.
J. Iverson Riddle Developmental Center Volunteer Services Director Alicia Wilson of District 7 placed signs with District 7 Chair Henry Belada in Morganton on June 19.
District 25 Chairman James Holman, a member of the UNC Employee Forum and the UNC Staff Assembly, worked with Employee Forum Chair Shayna Hill and Black Caucus Chair Dawna Jones to donate 500 face shields on Aug. 20 to ensure that the staff is properly protected.
State employees are good people. But even good people make mistakes mistakes that violate your rights as a career employee, discriminate against you, or cost you a promotion or job.
I’ve practiced law for over 20 years, including 10 years as a Wake County district court judge. I’ve got the experience you need to guide you through your personnel case.
If you have a grievance, disciplinary appeal, or any state employment matter, call (919) 624-5171 or email me at jennifer@jenniferknoxlaw.com
District 65 members participated in Street Clean-Up on Aug. 1. Pictured is Kiana Price, Phyllis Hart and District 65 Chair Cynthia Hart.
SEANC and District 59 members delivered more than 1,300 treat bags and signs to Cherry Hospital in Goldsboro to show our appreciation for the staff's hard work during the pandemic.
District 38 members delivered more than 800 goodie bags to workers at offices around Raleigh in August.
