Returning to work at UC after retirement

PPSM 2.325 — Reemployment of UC Retired Employees Into Senior Management Group and Staff Positions

APM 205 — Recall of Academic Appointees PDF

If you or your family members are covered by Medicare and you become eligible for employee medical coverage, including Core, because of your rehire appointment, federal law requires that Medicare no longer be your primary insurance. To comply with this federal regulation, you are required to either:

• Suspend your retiree medical insurance and enroll as an employee, with Medicare as the secondary insurance, or
• Opt out of all UC-sponsored medical coverage (both employee and retiree) and have Medicare coverage only.

If you are eligible for employee medical insurance, your local Benefits Office will advise you on enrolling as an employee, and your retiree medical insurance will be suspended. Your premium will be paid from your employee earnings and, in most cases, your premium will increase. You must retain your Medicare Part B enrollment and pay the premium, even though Medicare is the secondary payer. If you are receiving any Medicare Part B reimbursement, it will stop.

If you are not eligible for employee medical benefits as a result of your reemployment, your retiree medical benefits continue and Medicare remains the primary payer.

All retirees receiving UCRP monthly retirement income who return to work at UC in staff or senior management positions are required to sign the UCRP Reemployed Retiree Notification Form, which is available from your local Benefits Office. The form documents your employment status and whether you are required to suspend your monthly retirement benefit. 

Retirees returning in a career academic appointment must send written notification to the UC Retirement Administration Service Center to suspend their retirement income.

Those who took a lump sum cashout are not required to sign the Notification Form.

For more information, see the Returning to UC Employment after Retirement Fact SheetPDF.

Retirees who return to UC service may begin or resume making voluntary pretax salary deferrals to the 403(b) or 457(b) Plans, up to the IRS maximums. Visit myUCretirement.com or call Fidelity at 866-682-7787 to enroll. 

Retirees who were rehired prior to January 1, 2009, are subject to the Rehired Retiree guidelines in place prior to implementation of the current policy until their appointment end date or a there is a change to their current appointment, whichever occurs first.

Individuals with indefinite end dates to their current appointments are subject to the Rehired Retiree guidelines in place prior to implementation of the current policy until their current appointment ends or there is a change to their current appointment, whichever occurs first.