Rehired retiree benefits eligibility

Rehired retirees who are ineligible for UC’s retiree health benefits, including those who elected to take a lump sum cashout of their UCRP benefits, are eligible for employee benefits based on existing eligibility rules for any employee (taking into account your job type, appointment percentage, and duration). You are not affected by the upcoming changes to the benefits eligibility policy.

Per longstanding UC policy, retirees who are rehired into a UCRP-eligible position are considered “reinstated employees” and must suspend their retirement and their retiree health benefits. Your eligibility for employee benefits will be based on your UCRP-eligible position; the upcoming changes to the benefits eligibility policy do not apply to you.

Job titles that are designated as “Without Salary,” such as “Emeritus WOS,” are categorically ineligible for faculty/staff benefits. If your only appointment is WOS, you won’t be offered faculty/staff benefits, and you may remain enrolled in retiree health benefits. The upcoming changes to the benefits eligibility policy do not apply to you.

Please note: The Without Salary (WOS) job type is defined in the UCPath system; it is not equivalent to a zero FTE (0%) appointment, as other job types may be appointed with zero FTE.

Assigning an FTE of 0% to a non-WOS job title does not exclude the position from faculty/staff benefits eligibility – see “Are Without Salary (WOS) appointments or appointments at 0% FTE affected?”

In accordance with federal regulations, UC will offer health insurance to rehired retirees who are rehired at any percentage of FTE (including 0%) within 6 months of separation and were benefit-eligible at the time of separation. If you meet eligibility criteria, you will be offered the Mid-level benefits package, with a 31-day Period of Initial Eligibility to choose and enroll in coverage.

Your enrollment in a UC retiree medical plan will be suspended. This is because Medicare enrollees who are eligible for employer-sponsored health insurance must have Medicare be the secondary payer for all medical claims, and Medicare is the primary payer for medical claims in UC-sponsored Medicare medical plans.

For additional medical coverage options, please see “How can a rehired retiree avoid having to switch medical plans?”

You may re-enroll in retiree medical coverage when your eligibility for faculty/staff benefits ends.

For more information, please refer to the frequently asked questions below.

In accordance with federal regulations, UC will offer health insurance to rehired retirees who are rehired at any percentage of FTE (including 0%) within 6 months of separation and were benefit-eligible at the time of separation. If you meet eligibility criteria, you will be offered the Mid-level benefits package, with a 31-day Period of Initial Eligibility to choose and enroll in coverage.

Medicare plans through Via Benefits are individual plans and are not subject to the same Medicare rules as UC’s employer-sponsored Medicare medical plans. So, if you live outside of California and are enrolled in medical coverage through the Medicare Coordinator Program administered by Via Benefits, you may decline enrollment in Faculty/Staff medical coverage and remain in the Medicare plan administered by Via Benefits. You will continue to receive the Health Reimbursement Account contribution.

If you enroll in Faculty/Staff medical coverage, the UC contribution to your Health Reimbursement Account administered by Via Benefits will be suspended.

For more information, please refer to the frequently asked questions below.

In accordance with federal regulations, UC will offer health insurance to rehired retirees who are rehired at any percentage of FTE (including 0%) within 6 months of separation and were benefit-eligible at the time of separation. If you meet eligibility criteria, you will be offered the Mid-level benefits package, with a 31-day Period of Initial Eligibility to choose and enroll in coverage.

Your retiree medical benefits will be suspended if you are offered faculty/staff benefits. This is to your advantage, since faculty/staff medical plan premiums are lower than premiums for non-Medicare retiree medical plans. You may re-enroll in retiree medical coverage when your eligibility for faculty/staff benefits ends.

For more information, please refer to the frequently asked questions below.

Retirees who are rehired or recalled more than six months after separation may remain in UC retiree medical benefits, as long as they work less than 43.75%.

Note that under federal rules, all employees, including rehired retirees, must have their benefits eligibility re-evaluated annually during what is referred to as a Standard Measurement Period, which typically extends from November to October each year. If you work more than 43.75% time (910 or more hours) during a Standard Measurement Period, you will become eligible for faculty/staff benefits as of the following February 1, and will be required to suspend your retiree medical benefits as of January 31. If you work less than 43.75% during the Standard Measurement Period, you will not be eligible for faculty/staff benefits and may remain in your retiree medical benefits.

For more information, please refer to the frequently asked questions below.

Retirees rehired prior to July 1, 2025, will have their benefits eligibility evaluated when their appointment is next renewed, extended or changed. Existing rehired retirees may maintain their current plan enrollments until their benefits eligibility is next evaluated. 

Retirees who are eligible for and enrolled in retiree health, have been rehired/recalled for longer than 6 months, and are appointed at less than 43.75% time will remain enrolled in retiree medical.

An existing rehired retiree (who is not a “reinstated employee” as defined above) may be determined eligible for faculty/staff benefits if:

• They were eligible for retiree health benefits upon retirement, AND
• They were eligible for employee benefits prior to retirement and it has been less than six months since they were rehired/recalled OR
• They were rehired/recalled at 43.75% or more

Following evaluation of benefits eligibility after an appointment change, a rehired retiree may qualify for employee benefits and be required to suspend retiree medical.

A rehired retiree hired prior to July 1, 2025, may contact UCPath if they want to move to a faculty/staff medical plan prospectively, provided they are eligible to do so.

For more information, please refer to the frequently asked questions below.

UC’s policies regarding medical insurance are being modified to provide rehired retirees access to meaningful, equitable benefits that comply with federal regulations.

Federal regulations require employers to offer employer-sponsored health insurance to employees if they are rehired at any percentage of FTE (including 0%) within 26 weeks (6 months) of separation and were benefit-eligible at the time of separation. Note that this requirement does not apply to those rehired into positions using a “without salary (WOS)” job title, such as emeritus without salary, because WOS job titles are ineligible for faculty/staff benefits under UC policy. Assigning an FTE of 0% to a non-WOS job title does not exclude the position from faculty/staff benefits eligibility (see Are Without Salary (WOS) appointments or appointments at 0% FTE affected?).

Medicare enrollees who are eligible for employer-sponsored health insurance must have Medicare be the secondary payer for all medical claims. Rehired retirees who are eligible for UC faculty/staff medical benefits cannot remain in UC-sponsored Medicare medical plans, because those plans are primary payers of claims.

Most rehired retirees who meet eligibility criteria for faculty/staff benefits will be offered the Mid-level benefits package, with a 31-day Period of Initial Eligibility to choose and enroll in coverage. Their enrollment in a retiree medical plan will be suspended.

See “Who is and is not affected by the policy changes?” and “If they are eligible for faculty/staff benefits, what benefits package will a rehired retiree be offered?” for more information.

The exception is rehired retirees who live outside of California and are enrolled in medical coverage through the Medicare Coordinator Program administered by Via Benefits.  When rehired, these individuals will have their benefits eligibility assessed like all other rehired retirees and will be offered the Mid-level benefits package if eligible. However, because their Medicare plans are individual plans and not employer-sponsored group health insurance, they are not subject to the secondary payer rule.  If the rehired retiree declines enrollment in Faculty/Staff medical coverage, they may remain in the Medicare plan administered by Via Benefits and will continue to receive the Health Reimbursement Account contribution. If they enroll in Faculty/Staff medical coverage, the UC contribution to their Health Reimbursement Account administered by Via Benefits will be suspended.

For the sake of equity, rehired retirees who are not eligible for Medicare are included in this policy. This is to their advantage, since faculty/staff medical plan premiums are lower than premiums for non-Medicare retiree medical plans.

The policy applies to all rehired staff retirees and recalled academic appointees (“rehired retirees”), whether or not they are eligible for Medicare, except:

• Rehired retirees who are ineligible for UC’s retiree health benefits, including those who elected to take a lump sum cash out of their UCRP benefits
• Reinstated employees (retirees who are rehired into a UCRP-eligible position and suspend retirement – their retiree health will be suspended and their eligibility for employee benefits will be based on their UCRP-eligible position)
• Rehired retirees who are ineligible for faculty/staff benefits, because they
• Are rehired at less than 43.75% and have been separated for greater than 26 weeks
• Are reappointed into a without salary job type (See Are Without Salary (WOS) appointments or appointments at 0% FTE affected?)
• Were ineligible for faculty/staff benefits prior to separation

Note that some rehired retirees may not be eligible for faculty/staff Benefits at the time of rehire but may later become eligible due to changes in their appointment or worked hours (see Will existing rehired retirees be affected, or only those hired after the July 1, 2025, effective date of the policy changes?).

The chart below illustrates how rehired retirees may be affected by the new policy.

This chart assumes that the retiree is rehired at less than 43.75% time per month in a non-WOS job type and is eligible for Retiree Health & Welfare Benefits. Note that this chart applies to initial benefits eligibility determination at time of policy implementation and for new hires thereafter; all rehired retirees are subject to ongoing review of benefits eligibility in accordance with federal requirements and UC’s benefits eligibility policies.

For more information, see “Will existing rehired retirees be affected, or only those hired after the effective date of the policy changes?” and “If a rehired retiree is required to change to faculty/staff benefits, when can they change back to a retiree medical plan?”

Job titles that are designated as Without Salary, such as Emeritus WOS, are categorically ineligible for faculty/staff benefits and are not required to be offered benefits upon appointment[1]. The policy changes will not affect retirees hired into “WOS” job titles.

However, appointments into positions at 0% (zero percent) FTE, that are not “WOS” job titles, are subject to the new policy.  A retiree rehired at 0% FTE into an academic position within 26 weeks of separation, who was employee benefit-eligible at the time of separation and is eligible for retiree health coverage, would be offered Mid-level faculty/staff benefits and be required to suspend UC retiree medical coverage.

All rehired retirees will have their benefits eligibility evaluated. If you are rehired or recalled July 1, 2025, or later, your benefits eligibility will be assessed at the time of hire.

Retirees rehired prior to July 1, 2025, will have their benefits eligibility evaluated when their appointment is next renewed, extended or changed. Existing rehired retirees may maintain their current plan enrollments until their benefits eligibility is next evaluated.  Following evaluation of benefits eligibility after an appointment change, a rehired retiree may qualify for employee benefits and be required to suspend retiree medical. However, rehired retirees who have been re-employed for longer than 6 months and are appointed at less than 43.75% time can remain enrolled in retiree medical.

Note that under federal rules, all employees, including rehired retirees, must have their benefits eligibility re-evaluated annually. A rehired retiree who works more than 43.75% time (910 or more hours) during a Standard Measurement Period, which typically extends from November to October each year, will become eligible for faculty/staff benefits as of the following February 1, and will be required to suspend Retiree Health enrollment as of January 31. Conversely, a rehired retiree will not be eligible for faculty/staff benefits if they work less than 43.75% during the Standard Measurement Period. See “If a rehired retiree is required to change to faculty/staff benefits, when can they change back to a retiree medical plan?”

A rehired retiree hired prior to July 1, 2025, may contact UCPath if they want to move to a faculty/staff medical plan prospectively, provided they are eligible to do so.

Rehired retirees who are enrolled in a medical plan offered under UC’s retiree health program will have their retiree medical plan suspended if they qualify for faculty/staff benefits. (See “How do the policy changes affect eligibility for retiree and faculty/staff benefits?” regarding out-of-state retirees in the Medicare Coordinator Program.) They may re-enroll in retiree medical coverage when their eligibility for faculty/staff benefits ends.

If a rehired retiree enrolls in a faculty/staff medical plan, there will be no gap in coverage during the transition in coverage. See “If a retiree is offered and accepts faculty/staff benefits upon rehire, on what date do faculty/staff benefits begin, and when does retiree health coverage end?”

The policy revisions affect medical insurance plans. No other benefit plans are directly affected by these changes.

Rehired retirees may remain in all non-medical plans offered under the Retiree Benefits program, including dental and vision. In addition, rehired retirees offered faculty/staff benefits may enroll in any plans for which they are eligible, if the plans do not duplicate the retiree’s coverage under the retiree benefits program (including legal insurance and accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D)).

As a reminder, retiree vision and AD&D premiums are paid directly to the carrier and not deducted from the pension check. If a rehired retiree prefers to enroll in those benefits through the faculty/staff program (where premiums will be deducted from the paycheck), they will need to contact the carrier(s) to cancel their retiree enrollment and direct premium payments. However, note that vision coverage is not available in the Mid-level faculty/staff benefits package that most rehired retirees will be offered.

The changes in benefits eligibility policy do not affect employment policy.  However, we will take this opportunity to remind retirees and hiring managers that if the rehired retiree is under Normal Retirement Age (as defined by federal law and UCRP policy 2.42), then UC must demonstrate a bona fide separation prior to the retiree returning to work. 

If you’re a retiree thinking about returning to work, you may consider taking the following steps:

• Meet with a RASC retirement counselor to learn about the potential implications of rehire/recall on benefits, Required Minimum Distributions, pension payments, etc.
• If you’re offered a job and decide to accept, make sure to complete and return the necessary forms (such as your offer letter and 1039 form).
• If you’re offered faculty/staff benefits and decide to accept, look for information about your benefits choices and complete your enrollment in UCPath within 31 days of hire[2].
• If your retiree medical coverage is suspended or you terminate a plan under Via Benefits, watch for a postal mail notice from RASC and determine if you want to terminate Medicare Part B.  If so, follow the step-by-step instructions in the notice from RASC, which includes the Medicare form that will need to be completed and submitted to the Social Security Administration.

A rehired retiree can avoid switching medical plans if they:

• Are rehired more than 6 months from separation at less than 43.75%. The retiree can then remain in a UC retiree medical plan after returning to work at UC.
  • Ex: Separate June 29, retire July 1, enroll in a UC retiree medical plan upon retirement, and return to UC employment January 2 of the following year.

• Are rehired the day after they lose active employee coverage. The retiree can then stay in faculty/staff benefits with no gap in coverage.
  • Ex: Separate June 29, retire July 1 with faculty/staff coverage through July, and return to UC employment on August 1 with faculty/staff benefits eligibility.

• Enroll in a UC non-Medicare retiree medical plan for up to 5 months prior to rehire. The retiree can then transfer to the employee version of the plan when they return to UC employment and become eligible for faculty/staff benefits.
  • Ex: Separate June 29, retire July 1 with faculty/staff coverage for July, enroll in a retiree non-Medicare medical plan (UC Care, Blue & Gold, Kaiser or CORE) for August – October, return to UC employment November 1 with faculty/staff benefits eligibility and transfer to the employee version of the medical plan.
  • Retirees should evaluate this option carefully to determine if the benefits of staying in the same medical plan and delaying enrollment in Medicare outweigh the risks. The premium of a UC non-Medicare plan is typically higher than a Medicare plan[3]. Retirees may also be subject to Medicare and UC late enrollment penalties if there is a delay in the rehire process and they do not become eligible for faculty/staff benefits within the Medicare Special Enrollment Period.
• Suspend UC retiree medical benefits when electing retirement, and enroll in non-UC Medicare coverage.

• Continue Faculty/Staff coverage under COBRA until rehired. This option allows the retiree to continue in the same medical plan. However:
  • It is expensive (COBRA premium = UC contribution + employee premium + 2% administrative fee).
  • The retiree risks Medicare late enrollment penalties if there is a delay in the rehire process and the retiree does not become eligible for faculty/staff benefits within the Medicare Special Enrollment Period.

• Obtain medical coverage through a spouse or domestic partner. Please note that a rehired retiree cannot be covered as a dependent through a spouse or partner’s UC retiree medical benefits.

Rehired retirees who are enrolled in a medical plan offered under the Retiree Health & Welfare Benefits program will be offered the Mid-level Benefits package if they qualify for the faculty/staff benefits program[4]. For equity, rehired retirees not eligible for Medicare are included in this policy, which is to their advantage since employee medical plan premiums are lower than non-Medicare retiree medical plan premiums.

Mid-level benefits include:

• Medical: Your choice of UC Blue & Gold HMO, Kaiser HMO, UC Care, Health Savings Plan or CORE
• Accident, Critical Illness and Hospital Indemnity plans
• Life Insurance: Core Life, Supplemental Life, Expanded Dependent Life and AD&D
• Disability: Basic, Voluntary Short-Term and Voluntary Long-Term Disability
• Legal Insurance
• Health Flexible Spending Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• Identity Theft Protection
• Auto and Homeowner/Renter Insurance

Note that dental and vision insurance are not included in the Mid-level benefits package. Rehired retirees may continue enrollment in dental and vision coverage through the retiree benefits program.

Retirees rehired into a 0% FTE appointment with no pay will receive the UC contribution to medical, identity theft protection and Core life insurance plans. They are not eligible for Supplemental or Expanded Dependent Life insurance, because those benefits are based on an employee’s pay.  Employees without earnings are also not eligible for any of the Disability plans, as those are designed to replace income that is lost due to disability.

Consistent with current policy, rehired retirees who are ineligible for the retiree benefits program or elected a lump sum cash out will be offered the Core benefits package if they qualify for the faculty/staff benefits program.

Reinstated employees (retirees hired into a UCRP-eligible position) will be offered the benefits package that corresponds to their rehire appointment.

Faculty/staff benefits are effective as of the date of hire. Retiree health coverage will end the last day of the month in which the rehired retiree becomes eligible for faculty/staff benefits. This may result in a brief period of overlapping coverage, during which the rehired retiree should use the faculty/staff medical plan as their primary coverage to avoid Medicare denying claims.

For example, a retiree is rehired on September 1, 2025. The hire is entered into UCPath by the employee’s department on September 3, 2025. Eligibility for faculty/staff benefits will begin on September 1, 2025. Retiree insurance will be suspended as of September 31, 2025. The rehired retiree should use the faculty/staff medical plan starting September 1, 2025.

Yes, a rehired retiree can decline the offer of coverage under the faculty/staff benefits program. However, the rehired retiree will have their enrollment in the medical plan under the retiree benefits program suspended until their eligibility for faculty/staff benefits ends.

Medicare-eligible rehired retirees who decline the offer of coverage under the faculty/staff benefits program may choose to enroll in Original Medicare (also known as Fee-For-Service Medicare, or Medicare Parts A and B) and/or enroll in other non-UC Medicare coverage, such as a commercial individual Medicare plan (e.g., a Medicare Supplement or Medicare Advantage/Medicare Part C plan).  Regardless of the rehired retiree’s Medicare decision, rehired retirees will be required to unassign Medicare from UC.

The retiree will have a 31-day Period of Initial Eligibility (PIE), beginning on the date of the PIE-triggering event, during which they may choose any medical plan for which they are eligible.

To enroll in faculty/staff benefits, rehired retirees must log in to UCPath to choose their plans and complete the election process. They may choose to enroll in additional benefits not available under the retiree benefits program, such as a health flexible spending account, life and/or disability insurance, and other coverage.

Rehired retirees returning to a retiree medical plan must contact RASC to complete the necessary forms to enroll, including, if applicable, paperwork required by Medicare for enrollment in a UC Medicare medical plan.

Yes, qualifying life events such as marriage, divorce, the addition of a new dependent child, or an involuntary loss of coverage may provide the opportunity to enroll in benefits under a Period of Initial Enrollment.

The rehired retiree must contact UCPath and complete the necessary enrollment steps within 31 days of the qualifying life event.

Qualifying life events do not provide the opportunity to change medical coverage from the faculty/staff benefit program to retiree benefits, or vice versa.

Rehired retirees will have their faculty/staff benefits terminated and have the opportunity to return to retiree medical coverage (if eligible) when they meet either of the conditions below:

• The rehired retiree’s employment ends or the retiree’s only remaining position is in a WOS job title. Coverage ends on the last day of the month following the month in which employment ends.

• The rehired retiree fails to meet the required Average Weekly Hours of Service (AWHS) threshold during an annual Standard Measurement Period (SMP), which is typically November 1 – October 31 (dates may vary for biweekly-paid employees).

For reference, the average weekly hours of work necessary to retain employee benefits eligibility are:

• 17.5 hours for career, limited, contract and most academic appointees — equivalent to working 910 hours in an SMP
• 30 hours for per diem, by agreement and certain other academic appointees[5]

If the AWHS threshold is not met, the rehired retiree’s coverage under faculty/staff benefits will terminate the month following the end of the rehired retiree’s “stability period,” typically January 31 of the new plan year.

See Group Insurance Regulations Part II, Section 1.A for details. 

Note that certain types of work done in addition to your appointed position, such as teaching for an additional set payment amount, teaching during Summer Session or for University Extension, conducting a lecture for which you receive an honorarium, or doing other types of paid work outside of your appointment, may be counted towards the AWHS.  Consult with your department prior to accepting additional work to be sure you understand the implications of doing so on your benefits eligibility.

Employee contributions to faculty/staff medical premiums can be found in ALEX, UC’s virtual benefits counselor, or on UCnet.

Premiums for faculty/staff medical plans are based on the employee’s salary.  UC has four salary bands to determine medical plan premiums. Note that salary bands are based on the full-time equivalent of the salary on January 1 of the prior year (e.g., the salary band for premium paid in 2025 is based on the employee’s 100% time salary as of January 1, 2024, regardless of the percentage of time the employee is appointed). If the retiree is rehired at a lower full-time equivalent salary than they received prior to retirement, which puts them in a lower salary band, the premium is adjusted accordingly. If the retiree is rehired at a higher salary, the following rule applies:

• If there are 120 days or more between separation and rehire, the salary band is based on the new (rehire) salary rate.
• If there are fewer than 120 days between separation and rehire, the salary band on record at the time of separation is used.

The following chart shows the premium payment method for faculty/staff and retiree benefits for which rehired retirees may be eligible:

If the amount of pay is not sufficient to cover benefits premium deductions, the rehired retiree will need to contact UCPath to make arrangements to pay the balance of premiums to UCPath directly.  If payment arrangements are not made with UCPath, unpaid premium balances will result in the cancellation of coverage. This cancellation of coverage does not allow the rehired retiree to return to a retiree medical plan.

Yes, unless the rehired retiree opts out of the TIP (Tax savings on Insurance Premiums) program.

A rehired retiree appointed at 0% FTE who receives no pay but is eligible for and enrolls in faculty/staff benefits will need to request direct billing of premiums from UCPath.  

Direct billing does not happen automatically. To enroll in direct billing, the rehired retiree needs to contact UCPath by phone at (855) 982-7284, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by signing into your account and submitting a request online (if not familiar with how to use the “Ask UCPath” function, please call UCPath for assistance).

Yes, if a rehired retiree’s UC Medicare plan is terminated, they should notify the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). Visit medicare.gov or call 1-800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227).

Specifically, if the retiree was enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan or a Medicare Prescription Drug Plan (Part D), the retiree should contact CMS to update their enrollment status. They will also need to contact CMS if they decline faculty/staff benefits and want to enroll in an individual (non-UC) Medicare plan.

If you need assistance contacting CMS or completing Medicare forms, please contact RASC (see resources at the end of this document).

When a member enrolls in a faculty/staff medical plan and continues to participate in Medicare Part B, Medicare will become the secondary payer to the primary medical plan. In this scenario, the member is responsible for paying their own Medicare Part B premiums, in addition to premiums associated with their faculty/staff medical plan.

If the member opts to terminate their Medicare Part B coverage while remaining enrolled in the faculty/staff medical plan, they will not face penalties from Social Security. This allows the individual the flexibility to re-enroll in Medicare Part B when their faculty/staff benefits end, without incurring the typical late enrollment penalties.

In some cases, an individual may have Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage separate from their medical plan. If so, they may want to consider cancelling that plan if they enroll in faculty/staff benefits, since all faculty/staff medical plans include prescription drug coverage.

Given these options, it is crucial for the member to carefully assess the full spectrum of costs, including premiums for medical coverage, Medicare Part B (and D if applicable) premiums, and any potential out-of-pocket expenses (such as deductibles, copayments, or coinsurance). This will enable them to make an informed decision that best aligns with their health care needs and financial situation. Retirement counselors in RASC and UC locations’ Health Care Facilitators can provide guidance.

To enroll or re-enroll in Medicare Part B (and D, if necessary) after faculty/staff benefits eligibility ends, contact RASC or your local Health Care Facilitator.

If a retiree is rehired into a position that is not UCRP-eligible and becomes eligible for faculty/staff medical coverage, enrollment in and any deduction for retiree medical coverage and Medicare Part B reimbursement (if applicable) will cease. While enrolled in faculty/staff benefits, the rehired retiree’s contribution to medical coverage will be deducted from their paycheck rather than their pension check. This is the only impact of the change on a rehired retiree’s pension payments.

Note that UC’s staff and academic personnel rules generally limit a rehired retiree to 43% time in a 12-month period, which would prevent them from becoming UCRP-eligible. 

If a retiree is rehired into a position that is UCRP-eligible (50% or more for 12 months or more), a rehired retiree’s pension payments must be suspended effective the date they return to work. Prior to accepting an appointment, they should discuss with RASC the implications of employment on their UCRP membership and pension payment. If not initially hired into a position that qualifies for UCRP, a rehired retiree can re-establish UCRP eligibility if they work at UC over 1,000 hours in a 12-month period (or 750 hours if a lecturer) and must suspend their pension if their employment at UC continues.

Rehired retirees are eligible to contribute to any of the voluntary retirement plans in the UC’s Retirement Savings Program (RSP), including the 403(b), 457(b) and after-tax Defined Contribution Plan. In addition, most rehired retirees will be required to contribute 7.5% of earnings to the DC Plan Safe Harbor on a pretax basis.

Rehired retirees who are subject to distribute a minimum amount from their retirement savings plans each year under Required Minimum Distribution (RMD) rules will continue to receive RMDs annually once they have begun, even if they are rehired at UC.

If RMDs have not yet begun at the time of rehire, being employed as of the date UC reports employee data to Fidelity may delay the start of RMDs. Fidelity typically processes employment data to determine RMDs in early December of each year.  Prospective retirees are advised to consult retirement counselors in RASC to discuss how the timing of retirement and rehire may affect RMDs.

Questions regarding RMDs for the Retirement Savings Program (403(b), 457(b) and DC plans) should be directed to Fidelity at 1-800-558-9182. Questions regarding RMDs for UCRP and CAP accounts should be directed to RASC at 1-800-888-8267.