Section 121.055, Florida Statutes, establishes the Senior Management Service Class and sets forth the criteria for participation.
Although the Class was first established February 1, 1987, through subsequent legislation the criteria and requirements have been
amended. Outlined below are the SMSC requirements for State and local agencies. Questions concerning the SMSC may be
directed, in writing, to the Division of Retirement, P.O. Box 9000, Tallahassee, FL 32315-9000, or by calling (850) 488-8837 or Toll
Free 1-877-377-3675
State Agency Senior Management Service Class (SMSC) requirements:
A position included in the SMSC requires the employee filling the position be a compulsory member in the SMSC, unless the
incumbent elects in writing within 90 days of employment to participate in the State’s Senior Management Optional Annuity Program.
The following State positions are included in the SMSC:
Effective 02-01-87: All Senior Management Service positions with a State Agency.
Effective 01-01-90: Executive Director of the Ethics Commission, Auditor General and up to nine managerial or policy making
positions within his office, all staff directors of Joint Committees of the Legislature, and up to 75 nonelective positions at the level of
Committee Staff Director or higher, or equivalent managerial or policymaking positions within the House of Representatives and
Senate as selected by the Speaker of the House of Representatives and President of the Senate, respectively.
Effective 01-01-91: Positions within the Executive Service of the State University System, University Presidents, and State Board of
Administration senior managers who have policymaking authority and are so determined by the Governor, Treasurer, and Comptroller.
Effective 01-01-94: State Courts Administrator, Deputy State Courts Administrator, Clerk of the Supreme Court, Marshal of the
Supreme Court, Justice Data Center Director, Executive Director of the Justice Administration Commission, Capital Collateral
Representative, Clerks of the District Courts of Appeals, Marshals of the District Courts of Appeals, and Trial Court Administrator in
each judicial circuit are compulsory positions in the SMSC.
Effective 01-01-94 Additional Designated Positions: The State Attorney and Public Defender in each judicial circuit may designate
positions in their offices to the SMSC provided:
a notice of intent to designate position(s) to the Class is published once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of
general circulation published in the county or counties affected:
and the full-time positions are nonelective, managerial or policymaking filled by employees who serve at pleasure of the
employer without civil service protection, head organizational units or have responsibility to effect or recommend personnel,
budget, expenditure, or policy decisions in their area of responsibility.
One nonelective full-time position may be designated for each State Attorney and Public Defender reporting to the Division of
Retirement. Offices with 200 or more filled regularly established positions may designate additional elective positions provided they
do not exceed 0.5 percent of the filled regularly established positions within the agency. A position designated to the SMSC shall not
be removed from the Class unless the duties and responsibilities of the position change substantially and the position no longer meets
the statutory requirements for SMSC participation or the position is abolished.
Local Agency Senior Management Service Class (SMSC) requirements:
A position included in the SMSC requires an employee filling the position to be a compulsory member of the SMSC, unless the
incumbent elects to participate in a local annuity program. An employee of a local agency may make this election at any time while
holding a position included in the SMSC. The following positions in local agencies are included in the SMSC:
Effective 01-01-90: Community College Presidents, appointed School Superintendents, County Managers/Administrators, and City
Managers/Administrators are compulsory positions in the SMSC.
Effective 01-01-94: Local agency employers may designate positions to the SMSC provided:
a notice of intent to designate positions to the Class is published once a week for two consecutive weeks in a newspaper of
general circulation published in the county or counties affected:
and the full-time positions are nonelective, managerial or policymaking filled by employees that are not subject to a continuing
contract who serve at the pleasure of the employer without civil service protection, and who head an organizational unit or
have responsibility to effect or recommend personnel, budget, expenditure, or policy decisions in their areas of responsibility.
Ten (10) nonelective full-time position may be designated for each local agency. Effective 06-17-98, local agencies with 100 or more
filled regularly established positions may designate additional nonelective positions provided they do not exceed 1 percent of the
filled regularly established positions within the agency. A position designated to the SMSC shall not be removed from the Class
unless the duties and responsibilities change substantially and the position no longer meets the statutory requirements for SMSC
participation or the position is abolished.
Rule 60S-1.0057, F.A.C.
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