Mason v. RETIREMENT BD. CITY & COUNTY SF

Appellants in this action are individuals who are classified as “miscellaneous employees” under three retirement plans set forth in the charter of the City and County of San Francisco. They and labor organizations representing some of them filed lawsuits challenging the methodology used by the Retirement Board of the City and County of San Francisco to calculate their retirement benefits. The trial court granted summary judgment to the board, ruling it had determined appellants’ benefits correctly. Appellants contend the trial court misinterpreted San Francisco’s charter and related city ordinances. We disagree and will affirm the judgment in favor of the board.

I. FACTUAL AND PROCEDURAL BACKGROUND

San Francisco, like many public employers, offers its employees a pension plan. The plan is structured as a defined benefit plan under which San Francisco promises to pay retiring employees a certain sum of money each month for life. The precise amount is determined by a formula that takes into account the number of years the employee worked, his or her age at retirement, and the employee’s “average final compensation.” Under this formula, “average final compensation” is…