Definition of a University System of Georgia retiree/eligibility for retirement -
A. Effective November 1, 2002, to be eligible for retirement from the University System of Georgia, an employee must meet one of the following four conditions at the time of his/her separation from employment, regardless of the retirement plan elected by the employee:

1. An employee must have been employed by the University System of Georgia for the last 10 years in a regular, benefitted position and have attained age 60; or
2. An employee must have at least 25 total years of benefitted service established with a State of Georgia sponsored retirement plan, of which the last 5 years of employment must have been continuous and with the University System of Georgia. An early pension benefit penalty will apply to an individual who elects to participate in the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia, or in the Employees Retirement System, if he/she decides to retire with between 25 and 30 years of benefitted service, prior to attaining age 60; or 
3. An employee must have at least 30 total years of benefitted service established with a State of Georgia sponsored retirement plan, of which the last 5 years must have been continuous and with the University System; or
4. An employee must be deemed to be totally and permanently disabled, as documented through the receipt of disability benefits from Social Security or from the Teachers Retirement System of Georgia, following 9.5 years of continuous service to the University System in a regular, benefitted position.

B. An individual who has retired from another State of Georgia sponsored retirement plan may not count such retirement service toward meeting the eligibility criteria for retirement from the University System of Georgia (Revised 11/05/02).

Employment beyond retirement -
An individual, who has retired from the University System of Georgia and is receiving benefits from the Teachers Retirement System, the Employees Retirement System, or the Regent’s Retirement Plan, may be eligible for reemployment on a part-time basis, by the University System. Reemployed of USG retirees by the University System of Georgia must fall under the following conditions:

1. The reemployment of a University System of Georgia retiree must be approved by the hiring institution’s president. Institutions must submit a copy of their hiring and approval procedures to rehire USG retirees to the Office of Faculty Affairs;
2. A rehired retiree must have a minimum break of at least one month between the effective date of his/her retirement and the effective date of his/her reemployment;
3. The work commitment of a rehired retiree must be less than half-time; i.e., less than 49%;
4. The salary that is paid to a rehired retiree must be either:
   1. No more than 49% of the annual benefit-base compensation amount that he/she was earning at the time of his/her retirement, with consideration for the average merit increase percentages that have been applied since the employee retired, or;
   2. No more than 49% of the average compensation for the position into which the retiree is being hired based on the institution’s existing compensation plan, or, if not applicable, the average compensation of existing or previous incumbents; or;
   3. No more than 49% of a reasonable market competitive rate for the position into which the retiree is being rehired as determined by the institutional chief human resources officer; and
5. The salary that is paid to a rehired retiree must be consistent with his/her work commitment (BR Minutes, April 2002; November, 2007; October 2008).
   

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR TRS RETIREES: Although BOR policy allows a work commitment of "less than 50% time," TRS retirees cannot exceed 49% time without jeopardizing their retirement status and benefits.

A University budgetary unit requesting payment for services (payroll and/or non-payroll) to a person retired from the University System of Georgia must complete and attach the Payment to Individual Retired From the University System Form. (Revised 03/08/10)

Career employee - A University System of Georgia employee who is employed prior to November 1, 2002, and who has had a break in service, shall be eligible to retire as a career employee provided that on the date of his/her separation from employment:

1. He/she has attained age 60 and he/she has a minimum of 10 years of benefitted service established with a State of Georgia sponsored retirement plan. The last two years of employment with the University System of Georgia must have been served consecutively; or
2. He/she has a total of 25 years of benefitted service established with a State of Georgia sponsored retirement plan, regardless of age. The last two years of employment with the University System of Georgia must have been served consecutively.

A State of Georgia employee who became an employee of the University System of Georgia prior to November 1, 2002, and who remains as a current University System employee, shall be eligible to retire as a career employee provided that on the date of his/her separation from employment:

1. He/she has attained age 60 and he/she has a minimum of 10 years of continuous benefitted service established with a State of Georgia sponsored retirement plan. The last two years of employment with the University System of Georgia must have been served consecutively; or
2. He/she has a total of 25 years of benefitted service established with a State of Georgia sponsored retirement plan, regardless of age. The last two years of employment with the University System of Georgia must have been served consecutively.

A state employee who is employed by the University System of Georgia, a previous University System of Georgia employee who is rehired by the System, or a new hire of the University System of Georgia after October 31, 2002, shall not be entitled to career employee status and must otherwise meet the definition of a retiree as described above to be eligible for benefits continuation into retirement.

An individual, who has retired from another State of Georgia sponsored retirement plan, may not count such retirement service toward meeting the criteria for being a career employee. (Revised 11/05/02)

UGA procedures for retiree payments of health, dental, and life insurance - When employees retire from active service with the University of Georgia, they may continue to participate in the health, dental, and supplemental life insurance if they comply with the requirements as prescribed by the Board of Regents Policy Manual located at http://www.usg.edu/policymanual/. 

For employees who retire on or after November 1, 2011, electronic withdrawal of funds (auto debit) is the required method of payment for benefit premiums; i.e., the payment is electronically withdrawn from an account at a financial institution (e.g., bank) designated by the retiree to the employer, occurring on a specified date each month. This method avoids the need for monthly mailed bills from UGA and for paper checks to be transferred from the retiree to UGA and is in accordance with BOR policy 7.5.1.1 (http://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section7/policy/C460/#p7.5.1_banking) Required Electronic Transfer of Funds.

All retirees who are currently not participating in auto debit must enroll in auto debit by completing and submitting a Request for Bank Draft for Insurance Premiums form unless granted an exemption.

When auto debit is not possible, the University of Georgia will send a monthly bill to the retiree and require a paper check or money order to be received by UGA Accounts Receivable. If a participant is more than sixty (60) days delinquent from the date of the bill, collection procedures will be initiated to collect any outstanding balance, and if unsuccessful, benefits will be terminated.

• The retiree cannot open an account at an eligible financial institution
• The retiree (or Power Of Attorney (POA) for retiree) provides a written statement of lack of financial independence
• The retiree provides other documentation of hardship
• UGA becomes aware of  extreme circumstances for an individual

In the above case(s), the retiree (or legal designee) may request an exemption to UGA Human Resources. The associate vice president for HR has the sole authority to grant an exception.

Disabled employees insurance - Employees who become permanently and totally disabled and who have less than 9.5 years of continuous benefited service with the University System shall remain eligible for group health and life insurance benefits for a maximum of 12 consecutive months following the receipt of the required documentation of a disability. The University System shall continue to pay the employer portion of the cost of group insurance for disabled employees for this 12-month period.

Participation in the group healthcare plan may continue after the 12-month period under the provisions of the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986 ("COBRA"). University System participation in the cost shall cease. The terms and conditions of COBRA participation that are described in the University System of Georgia's healthcare summary plan documents shall apply.

Continued participation in the group life insurance program is not covered by the provisions of COBRA. Participation in the group life insurance program may continue after the 12-month period; however, University System participation in the cost shall cease.

Employees who are deemed to be permanently and totally disabled following 9.5 years of continuous benefited service with the University System shall remain eligible for group health and life insurance benefits. The University System shall continue to pay the employer portion of the cost of group insurance for these retirees (Section 802.0902 A.4).

Eligibility in the group plans will cease for reasons including, but not limited to, the following:

• Failure to remit premiums in a timely manner;
• A dependent child no longer meets the definition of a "qualified dependent" under the plan's provisions;
• The dependent becomes covered by another group health plan; and/or
• The plans cease to be offered to employees (BOR Minutes, August 2005).