Section 65606 - Compensation of Supervisors(a) Supervisors may receive as compensation an amount established by ordinance not in excess of the following: Township Population | Annual Maximum Compensation |
Not more than 4,999 | $3,145 |
5,000 to 9,999 | $4,190 |
10,000 to 14,999 | $5,450 |
15,000 to 24,999 | $6,915 |
25,000 to 34,999 | $7,335 |
35,000 or more | $8,385 |
Salaries are payable monthly or quarterly for the duties imposed by this act. The population is determined by the latest official census figures, except that no township shall be required to reduce the salary of a supervisor as a result of a decrease in population. The compensation of supervisors, when employed as roadmasters, laborers, secretary, treasurer, assistant secretary, assistant treasurer or in any employe capacity not otherwise prohibited by this or any other act, shall be determined by the board of auditors, at an hourly, daily, weekly, semi-monthly or monthly basis, which shall be comparable to compensation paid in the locality for similar services. The board of supervisors may establish a mileage allowance, under the act of July 20, 1979 (P.L. 156, No. 51), referred to as the Uniform Mileage Fee Law, to be paid to officers and employes for the use of a personal vehicle when required and actually used for authorized township business. No supervisor may receive compensation as an employe for attending a meeting of the board of supervisors. Supervisors may continue to be compensated under prior law until such time as an ordinance is enacted under this act. Any change in salary, compensation or emoluments of the elected office becomes effective at the beginning of the next term of the supervisor. A decision by the township to pay, in whole or in part, to include supervisors not employed by the township in insurance plans, as authorized in subsection (c), shall not be implemented with regard to any nonemployee supervisor until the beginning of the next term of that supervisor.
(a.1) Notwithstanding subsection (a), the board of supervisors may provide that a supervisor shall receive compensation on a per-meeting basis based on attendance of supervisors. Total annual compensation may not exceed the amounts specified in subsection (a). Compensation shall only be payable for duly advertised public meetings in which a supervisor participated, except compensation is not payable if a supervisor is absent from a meeting and the absence is not excused. Excused absence from a meeting shall be determined by the board of supervisors and shall include, but not be limited to, an emergency or illness of the supervisor or the supervisor's immediate family as well as family or business travel. The board of supervisors may require documentation to support an excused absence.(a.2) If the board of supervisors determines that a supervisor shall receive compensation on a per-meeting basis under subsection (a.1), the determination must be made by ordinance.(b) Any benefit provided to or for the benefit of a supervisor employed by the township in any employe capacity under this act in the form of inclusion in a pension plan paid for in whole or in part by the township is compensation within the meaning of this act to the extent that benefit is paid for by the township and is determined by the board of auditors; however: (1) Supervisors are eligible for inclusion in township pension plans only if they are employed by the township in any employe capacity under this act. In order to be eligible for inclusion in the plans, supervisor-employes must meet the same requirements as other employes of the township who are eligible to participate in a pension plan. Pension plans shall not improperly discriminate in favor of a supervisor-employe.(2) Once given, auditor approval for inclusion of supervisor-employes shall not be rescinded in any subsequent years as long as the pension plan remains in effect and the supervisors remain employed by the township and continue to meet the same requirements as other employes of the township who are eligible to participate in a pension plan; nor shall the auditors act in any way that disqualifies the pension plan under Federal law.(3) No change in the nature or rate of the contributions of a defined contribution plan and no change in the benefit formula of a defined benefit plan shall be initiated by the board of supervisors with respect to a supervisor-employe without auditor approval.(4) A pension or annuity contract made by a township between January 1, 1959, and March 31, 1985, that includes or provides for benefits for supervisor-employes or retired supervisor-employes at township expense is not void or unlawful solely because the inclusion of supervisor-employes or retired supervisor-employes was not previously approved by the township auditors. No penalty, assessment, surcharge, forfeiture or disciplinary action of any kind may occur as a result of that participation by supervisor-employes.(5) All premium, contribution or similar payments made by a township on pension or annuity contracts on behalf of supervisor-employes between January 1, 1959, and March 31, 1985, which would have been proper but for the absence of auditor approval are hereby approved. Any benefits payable to any supervisor-employe or his beneficiaries on account of any premium, contribution or similar payments made by a township during that period shall continue. Any premium, contribution or similar payments made by a township after March 31, 1985, requires auditor approval under this subsection.(6) If a supervisor-employe personally contributed toward a township-sponsored pension plan or annuity that is not approved by the township auditors or not approved by this act, he shall receive a refund of his total contributions thereto plus any interest accumulated thereon. In lieu of a refund of contributions plus accumulated interest, a supervisor-employe who personally contributed toward a pension or annuity plan in which he participated may elect to purchase that portion of his pension or annuity funded by the township. A qualified actuary, who shall report his determination under the act of December 18, 1984 (P.L. 1005, No. 205), known as the "Municipal Pension Plan Funding Standard and Recovery Act," shall determine the amount the supervisor-employe shall pay to purchase the township-funded portion of the annuity or pension.(7) Supervisors who are not employes of the township are not eligible for participation in any pension or annuity contract paid in whole or in part by the township. No supervisor who was not an employe of the township but was included in a township-paid pension or annuity plan made by a township between January 1, 1959, and March 31, 1985, is subject to any penalty, assessment, surcharge, forfeiture or disciplinary action. Any residual interest, value, refund of premium or benefits payable on or after March 31, 1985, arising out of the township-paid interest of a supervisor who was not an employe is the exclusive property of the township.(c) In addition to the compensation authorized under this section, supervisors while in office or while in the employ of the township may be eligible for inclusion in township-paid insurance plans, as follows: (1) Supervisors, whether or not they are employed by the township, and their dependents are eligible for inclusion in group life, health, hospitalization, medical service and accident insurance plans paid in whole or in part by the township. Supervisors and their dependents who are over sixty-five years of age are eligible for inclusion in supplemental Medicare insurance coverage paid, in whole or in part, by the township. Their inclusion in those plans does not require auditor approval, but does require submission of a letter requesting participation at a regularly scheduled meeting of the board of supervisors before commencing participation. The insurance shall be uniformly applicable to those covered and shall not give eligibility preference to or improperly discriminate in favor of supervisors. No policy of group life insurance shall contain any provision for a cash surrender value, loan value or any other benefit beyond the face amount of insurance. The policy may contain a provision that when the insurance ceases because of termination of employment or term of office, the person is entitled to have issued to him by the insurer, without evidence of insurability, an individual policy of insurance on any form customarily issued by the insurer at the age and for the amount applied for if the amount is not in excess of the amount of life insurance which ceases because of the termination and the application for the individual policy is made and first premium is paid to the insurer within thirty-one days after termination.(2) Any life, health, hospitalization, medical service or accident insurance coverage contract made by a township between January 1, 1959, and March 31, 1985, that includes or provides coverage for supervisors not employed by the township is not void or unlawful because inclusion of those supervisors was subsequently found to be without lawful authority. No penalty, assessment, surcharge, forfeiture or disciplinary action may occur as a result of participation by those supervisors. Insurance benefits paid or payable to insureds or their beneficiaries arising out of or on account of deaths, injuries, accidents or illnesses occurring before March 30, 1988, are the property of the insureds or their beneficiaries.(3) All payments made by a township on any group life, health, hospitalization, medical service or accident insurance coverage contracts on behalf of supervisors who were not employes between January 1, 1959, and March 31, 1985, which would have been proper but for the absence of auditor approval are hereby approved. Any benefits payable to any supervisor or his beneficiaries on account of those payments during that time shall continue.(4) The township may deduct from any compensation payable to a supervisor such part of any insurance premium or charge which is payable by the supervisor within the terms of the particular township's insurance plan.(5) The township may pay the cost, in whole or in part, of supplemental Medicare insurance coverage for supervisors and employes who are over sixty-five years of age.Amended by P.L. (number not assigned at time of publication) 2024 No. 94,§ 1, eff. 12/2/2024.1933, May 1, P.L. 103, No. 69, § 606, added 1995, Nov. 9, P.L. 350, No. 60, § 1, imd. effective. Amended 2012, Feb. 14, P.L. 180, No. 14, § 1, effective in 60 days [April 16, 2012].