Welcome to the Willis, et al. v. Employees Retirement
System of Georgia, et al. Website
Settlement and Final Order and Judgment
On July 8, 2009, the Fulton County Superior Court entered its Final Order and Judgment approving the Settlement Agreement in this case. You may view and download these documents by clicking this links.
ERS's "90% Rule"
As provided in the Settlement Agreement, the Court has now made rulings on matters related to ERS's rule that restricts payments to ERS beneficiaries to amounts not exceeding 90% of retirees' highest monthly salaries.
The Court ruled in its May 17, 2010 Order that ERS has authority to apply the "90% rule" so as to limit payments to class members in this case. (You may view and download the May 17, 2010 Order by clicking the link). As a result, class members who are ERS option plan retirees, and whose normal benefits were already capped by the 90% rule, will not receive an increase in their benefits because of this case. Estates of such ERS option plan retirees also will not receive a payment from this case.
However, ERS, on the basis of the amounts that would have been payable in this case to these retirees and their Estates but for the cap of the 90% rule, has calculated increased benefits payable to certain beneficiaries who survived the retirees. Checks were previously mailed to certain of these beneficiaries. Checks payable to other beneficiaries were withheld pending court rulings. ERS has also informed the Court that, over time, it will pay proceeds resulting from the settlement of this case to those beneficiaries who outlive their ERS retirees affected by the 90% rule.
After notice to class members and a hearing on the issue, the Fulton County Superior Court, on September 8, 2010, entered an Order Approving Dismissal of Appeal from this Court's Ruling on the 90% Issue. Pursuant to this Order, a Dismissal of Notice of Appeal from this Court's Ruling on the 90% Issue was filed on October 12, 2010. You may access a copy of these documents by clicking on the links.
It is anticipated that checks payable to certain class members, which have been withheld pending court rulings on the "90% rule," will be mailed promptly.
How to Obtain More Information
If you need more information about the case, including whether you or an estate in which you have an interest has a claim to funds that have not yet been distributed in the case, you should get in touch with the Garden City Group, Inc. through one of the methods listed below. The period within which claims can be handled and resolved by the Garden City Group continues through August 17, 2013.
Contact Information
To GCG: Please insert the P.O. Box, phone number, and email addresses.
| United States Mail: | Employees Retirement System c/o The Garden City Group, Inc. P.O. Box 9307 Dublin, OH 43017-4261 |
| Phone: | 1 (800) 327-3664 Ext 5147 |
| Email: | Questions@ERSsuit.com |