News - About LABF

2015 Trustee Election Results

An election for active employee trustee was held at the Fund’s offices on Thursday, October 15th. Trustees Roa and Hamburger, comprising the Election Committee, declared James “Jim” Joiner (Department of Water Management) the winner. Mr. Joiner’s 3-year term will begin December 1, 2015. The vote totals were as follows: James M. Joiner – 168 votes Frank Earullo – 64 votes Joseph Rinella – 19 votes David Torres – 18 votes Shawn McCormick-Mahon – 8 votes Michael E. Sullivan – 6 votes

2016 Retiree Healthcare Open Enrollment

The City of Chicago is offering open enrollment for retirees to change their healthcare plan effective January 1, 2016. Please review your packet in addition to the website www.chicagoretireebenefits.org for researching your healthcare options. The deadline for enrolling in a different health care plan has been extended to October 20th.

What the Public Act 98-0641 Ruling Means For You

On June 9, 2014, the Illinois Governor signed Senate Bill 1922 into law. Senate Bill 1922, which became Public Act 98-0641, made several changes to pension benefits beginning January 1, 2015. Namely, the Act called for reductions in future automatic annual increases in annuity (commonly referred to as the “COLA”) and required increased pension contributions from active employees in exchange for additional funding from the City of Chicago and other safeguards that would have put the LABF on a

Court Finds Public Act 98-0641 Unconstitutional

On July 24, 2015, the Circuit Court of Cook County issued a ruling regarding Public Act 98-0641, the statute which provided for actuarially-based funding and modified pension benefits for participants and retirees of the LABF. The Act was declared unconstitutional and void in its entirety. The Court held the statute unconstitutional because it violated the Pension Benefits Clause in the Constitution of the State of Illinois. Click here to view the Court's opinion.