HR Update; March 6, 2009
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In this Edition
- New Reemployment of UC Retired Employees Policy
- Update on Postdoc Unionization and Negotiations
- UC Required to Provide COBRA Premium Assistance
- UC Retirement Readiness Education Programs
New Reemployment of UC Retired Employees Policy
Effective January 1, 2009, a new policy has been implemented that governs the reemployment of all former UC employees (Senior Management Group (SMG) members, staff personnel, and academic appointees) who have separated from University employment and elected monthly retirement income or a lump sum cashout from the University of California Retirement Plan (UCRP), and who are rehired into SMG or staff positions.
The Policy on Reemployment of UC Retired Employees into Senior Management Group and Staff Positions is applicable to the reemployment of retired employees with underlying faculty appointments who are rehired into SMG or staff positions; however, it does not modify, amend, or suspend any rights or privileges connected with the underlying faculty appointments. Retirees who were hired on or before December 31, 2008 and have subsequently continued employment will continue under the former policy Guidelines for Rehire of UC Retirees until their appointments end or there is a change in their current appointment.
While the new policy is in effect, there are still outstanding implementation issues and questions to be decided. Issues that are still being addressed include:
- For current rehired retirees without an appointment end date, will there be a fixed date when the new policy will be applied?
- Process for requesting extensions of current rehired retirees needed
- Application of new policy impact to retirees who accepted lump sum cash out
- Process required to proceed with new requests to rehire a retiree
At this time no action is necessary for currently employed rehired retirees. If you have an immediate need to rehire a retired employee or want to change the status of a current retired retiree, please direct any questions to Frank Tastevin, Manager, Recruitment and Workforce Planning, Campus Human Resources at 476- 2703 or .
Update on Postdoc Unionization and Negotiations
On November 3, 2008, the University recognized the United Auto Workers (UAW) as the exclusive representative of UC’s Postdoctoral Scholars in specified title codes for the purposes of collective bargaining with respect to wages, hours and terms and conditions of employment. This recognition followed the Public Employment Relations Board’s (PERB’s) October 30, 2008, certification that the UAW had gathered a sufficient number of cards from Postdoctoral Scholars to evidence majority support for exclusive representation status.
The University and the UAW began negotiations on February 5, 2009 and are scheduled to meet again on March 9, 2009. In the meantime, the University has received an array of questions from administrators, PIs and postdoctoral scholars. Many of the questions touch upon terms and conditions of employment and can only be addressed by the parties in the negotiations process. Some of the questions are addressed in the FAQs.
For more information, visit At Your Service or you can contact Guy Zuzovsky, Labor & Employee Relations, at , Chris Des Jarlais, Graduate Division, at , or PRO/UAW at (415) 538-0844.
UC Required to Provide COBRA Premium Assistance
The Stimulus Package signed by President Obama on February 17 requires the University to implement a COBRA premium assistance program for any COBRA-eligible individual who was involuntarily terminated from the University’s employment from September 1, 2008 through December 31, 2009. The COBRA premium assistance rules require that UC:
- Subsidize 65 percent of the COBRA premium paid by qualified beneficiaries beginning March 1, 2009
- Send notices to COBRA-eligible individuals by April 18, 2009
- File reports with the IRS to claim an offset against payroll taxes for the premium assistance UC provides
Our colleagues at the Office of The President are pulling together a workgroup to identify the tasks that need to be completed in response to this new law. They expect that most of the work of identifying eligible individuals, sending notices and adjusting premiums can occur at either Office of the President or at our health plans (who currently administer the COBRA billing/tracking process for UC); they will also work with OP Payroll Coordination to identify procedures for offsetting payroll taxes. We will keep you updated as plans are put in place
View a summary compiled by Hewitt Associates LLC, one of the benefits consulting firms for the University.
UC Retirement Readiness Education Programs
Are you ready for retirement? Start to plan now-it’s never too early.
Please pass this on to your colleagues, circulate invitations, post the actual scheduled workshops happening near your location, or otherwise re-broadcast these weekly reminders about our valuable (FREE) education programs for faculty and staff. Bring your lunch; your questions; your spouse/partner.
- UC Retirement Plan (UCRP)-UC’s Defined Benefit Plan
- “The Features of UCRP”
- February 19, Laurel Heights, LHts - 376, 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.
- Refer to these schedules for details and future workshops
- The Future of UCRP
- UC Retirement Savings Plans-the 403(b), 457(b) and DC Plans
- “Enrolling in Your UC Retirement Savings Program”
- Coming soon again
- “Determining Your Right Investment Strategy”
- Coming soon again
- “Achieving a Sound Retirement”
- March 12, SFGH, Carr Auditorium, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
- March 18, Parnassus, N – 217, 9 a.m. – 10 a.m.
- “Accessing Your Account on Fidelity’s NetBenefits Website”
- March 12, SFGH, Carr Auditorium, 2:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.
- Refer to these schedules for details and future workshops
- What? Can’t wait for the next scheduled workshop?
- Arrange to have these workshops at a meeting in your department
- Click here for more details
- Focus on Your Future!
Usually there can be at least one (or more) workshop(s) per week scheduled at various UCSF locations around town. For more details and listings for upcoming scheduled presentations, please refer to our Workshops and Presentations Schedules menus found at our local UCSF HR/Benefits website.
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