The City of Utica has two defined benefit pension plans.  The Utica Police and Fire Retirement System is an ACT 345 plan administered by a Board of Trustees consisting of the City Treasurer, representatives of each of the eligible employee groups, and two representatives appointed by the City Council.  All other employees eligible for a defined benefit pension are covered in one of four divisions within MERS (the Municipal Employee Retirement System of Michigan).  The four divisions are General, AFSCME, Police Dispatcher, and General & AFSCME.  

In December 2014, the POA and COA contracts were ratified, retroactive to July 1, 2013, reopening the ACT 345 police and fire pension plan. Officers hired after July 1, 2007 and participating in the defined contribution plan were permitted to apply for membership to the ACT345 plan and purchase their prior service credit.  Effective July 1, 2021, officers hired after July 1, 2007 are afforded a Deferred Compensation plan to supplement the defined benefit pension, with a mandatory employee contribution of 2% of base payroll and an employer contribution of 2% of base payroll.  Effective July 1, 2022, the contribution rates increase to 2.5% of base pay.

Effective July 1, 2013, the MERS AFSCME and MERS GENERAL divisions were closed to new hires.  A new division, General & AFSCME, was created for employees hired after June 30, 2013.

Effective January 1, 2021, administrators hired on or after January 1, 2021 were carved out of the MERS General & AFSCME division. A MERS Defined Contribution plan was created for these employees, with a 5% mandatory employee contribution and a 6% employer contribution.

The City of Utica provides Other Post Employment Benefits (OPEB), which consist of healthcare, vision and dental insurance.

The City of Utica did not report OPEB assets or liabilities prior to the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2010.

Effective June 30, 2020, the City adopted a new OPEB Funding Policy requiring the transfer of the Actuarially Determined Contribution, including both the normal and amortization components, as a per cent of payroll, to the OPEB Trust fund (MERS Retiree Heath Funding Vehicle). Prior to June 30, 2020, the City transferred quarterly the sum equal to the normal cost, as a per cent of payroll, of the retiree healthcare liability, as determined by the City's actuary.   Retiree healthcare premiums are paid from the City's operating funds as they are billed by the healthcare insurance provider.

The City implemented GASB Statements 74 and 75 for the OPEB Valuation dated June 30, 2017.

Effective January 1, 2021, the City eliminated the defined benefit retiree health care for the City Clerk, instead providing a health care savings program with a 2% mandatory employee contribution and a 2% employer contribution.

Effective July 1, 2021, the City eliminated the defined benefit retiree health care for employees hired on or after that date and subject to the Police Officers Labor Council collective bargaining agreement, instead providing a health care savings program with a 2% mandatory employee contribution and a 2% employer contribution.