Understanding Your Responsibilities: Elected & Appointed Officials

Your Record of Activities

Understanding Your Responsibilities: Elected & Appointed Officials

Some elected or appointed officials participate in a time-keeping system that either shows hours worked (for hourly employees) or tracks accruals and attests that, other than time charged to accruals, full hours were worked (for full-time employees). But, if you don’t, determining the number of days you’ve worked requires a different process. As of January 1, 2016, when you begin a new or subsequent term of office, you are required to complete a three-month record of activities (ROA). Your employer uses this ROA to determine the average number of days per month that you work.

Your ROA must contain a daily detail of hours worked and duties performed that are directly related to the elected or appointed position. It must include the start and end time of each activity performed. You can include duties performed outside normal business hours as long as they are work-related. See examples of Work-Related and Non-Work-Related Activities. You must sign your ROA to attest to its accuracy. Your employer must exclude any activity that is not work-related from your ROA.

Here is a sample ROA.

You should extend your ROA, beyond three months, by the amount of time used for vacations, illness, holidays or other absences during the three-month period, so that a full three months of active working days are reflected on the ROA. For example, if you take a 2-week vacation, your ROA should be three months and two weeks long.

Failure to complete an ROA will result in the suspension of membership benefits, including Member Annual Statements, tier reinstatement, requests for previous service credit, accrual of additional service credit, benefit estimates and pension benefits.

Due Dates for Your ROA

You must complete your ROA within 150 days of the start of any new or subsequent term or appointment. Once you’ve completed your ROA, it’s also your responsibility to submit a signed copy to the secretary or clerk of your governing board within 30 days.

Visit the Due Dates for Your ROA page for examples.

Updating Your ROA

If, after submitting your ROA, you decide it is not representative of the hours you generally work, you may track your time for another three months and submit a new ROA. In fact, you should revisit your ROA periodically — especially if your duties and hours change. It’s your responsibility to make sure that your ROA continues to accurately reflect the hours you work.

An ROA can be valid for up to eight years. If you start a new term or appointment in the same elected or appointed position, and you feel that a previous three-month ROA still represents your responsibilities and hours, you may certify that in writing. Instead of a new ROA, complete a Recertification of the Record of Activities (RS2419) form and submit it to your governing board within 180 days of beginning a subsequent term.

Please note: The legislative clerk or secretary must retain ROAs and any subsequent recertifications for at least 30 years and provide full and complete copies to the Office of the State Comptroller upon request.

 


(Rev. 9/19)