Proposed Policy on Re-employment of Retired Employees

Berkeley Lab is beginning the formal review and employee comment period for the proposed policy on re-employment of UC retired employees. The policy governs the re-employment of all former UC employees who have separated from University or Laboratory employment and elected monthly retirement income or a lump-sum cash-out from the University of California Retirement Plan (UCRP), and who are rehired by the University or the Laboratory.

The policy was developed to ensure compliance with Internal Revenue Service restrictions, and to address the University’s interest in ensuring the appropriate operation of a public retirement plan and clarifying the applicable rules, approval authorities, and reporting requirements in the re-employment of retired employees.

The policy imposes the following conditions on re-employment of retired employees:

• Re-employment based on urgent and special circumstances.
• Break in service of at least 30 days, but preferably 90 days before being re-employed as a rehired retiree.
• Appointment percentage not to exceed 43% effort (17 hours/week).
• Appointment duration not to exceed 12 months.
• Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO) and Laboratory Director or designee approvals are required for re-employment of rehired retirees.

Currently, the policy is scheduled to be in effect on January 1, 2009. Implementation guidelines and grandfathering rules will be provided from the UC Office of the President at that time. Until the implementation guidelines have been published, the Laboratory will not be able to answer questions regarding individual circumstances.

Go here to see the proposed RPM policy. This policy applies to non-represented employees only. Represented employees should contact their union representative or consult their collective bargaining agreement. To comment on this change, contact [email protected] by Nov. 23.