To: Faculty and Staff
Fr: Ann Marie Musto, Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Human Resources Officer
Re: New Benefits Eligibility Rules for Rehired Retirees
There are important changes coming this year to UC’s rehired retiree benefits eligibility rules. Under the new rules, certain rehired staff retirees and recalled academic appointees will be required to suspend their UC retiree medical plan upon re-employment with UC should they return to UC employment within 26 weeks (6 months) of retirement. In such cases, retirees rehired or recalled July 1, 2025, or later, who meet eligibility criteria for medical benefits upon re-employment will be offered Mid-level faculty/staff coverage. These rehired retirees and recalled academic appointees who are offered Mid-level faculty/staff coverage will be provided a 31-day Period of Initial Eligibility (PIE) to enroll in their choice of faculty/staff medical plans.
The new rehired retiree eligibility rules apply to all rehired staff retirees and recalled academic appointees 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)
- Rehired retirees who are ineligible for faculty/staff benefits, including those who
·are rehired at less than 43.75% and have been separated for greater than 26 weeks; or
·were ineligible for faculty/staff benefits prior to separation; or
·are reappointed into a “Without Salary” job type
Retirees re-employed prior to July 1, 2025, will have their benefits eligibility evaluated by UCPath when their appointment is next renewed, extended or changed, after July 1, 2025.
Starting this Friday, March 14, 2025, Health & Welfare Benefits will launch a recurring live webinar for prospective and current retirees regarding the upcoming changes to UC’s benefits eligibility policy for rehired retirees. We strongly encourage you to attend if you are considering returning to UC employment as a rehired retiree within 26 weeks of your separation.
The webinar will be held the second Friday of each month from 10:00 – 11:30 am PT, starting March 14, 2025. Below, please find the Zoom link:
https://UCOP.zoom.us/j/
- Meeting ID: 928 8724 5452
Passcode: 095559
UC has additional resources to help you with questions you may have about returning to UC employment after retirement and the timing of that decision:
- For answers to common questions regarding the changes to policy and their impact on rehired retirees and recalled academics, see the FAQs for Current and Prospective Retirees.
- An article about the policy changes: New benefits eligibility rules for rehired retirees
- UCnet: Returning to Work After Retirement
- An updated Returning to UC Employment after Retirement fact sheet incorporating information about the policy changes
- FAQs for Current and Prospective Retirees for important steps to take when a UC retiree medical plan is suspended.
Faculty and Staff who are planning for retirement and are considering returning to UC employment within 26 weeks of their separation date are encouraged to contact Lisa Romero, Director of Employee Services, with questions concerning this policy.
More information about the impact of this policy change to retired faculty administering grants will be forthcoming soon. In the meantime, questions about without salary recall appointments for faculty can be directed to Academic Personnel at inquiry@ap.ucsb.edu.
For questions regarding retirement benefits, contact RASC at 1-800-888-8267, Monday–Friday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., PT, or visit rasc.