Higher Ed Retirees


	CLICK TO VIEW INFORMATION FOR: New Hires \| Rehires \| Dual Employment \| Agency Transfers \| Transfers Between Classified & Unclassified Within Same Agency \| Reemployed Retirees New Employees State statutes require that each State of Connecticut employee be covered by a retirement system. This is a mandatory requirement. If you are employed in a position statutorily defined as a state teacher or a professional staff member in higher education you may elect membership in the State Employees Retirement System (SERS) Tier III retirement plan, the SERS Hybrid Plan, the Alternate Retirement Program (ARP), or, if eligible, the Teachers Retirement System (TRS) within 60 days of your employment. This is a one-time, irrevocable election. If you do not make an election within the 60 day period you will automatically become a member of SERS Tier III. No change to an employee's retirement plan membership is permitted after initial election or following 60 day default. However, if you elect SERS Hybrid Plan or ARP membership and are subsequently employed in a position not eligible for SERS Hybrid Plan or ARP participation, you must be enrolled in SERS Tier III. Click here to view the State of Connecticut Plan Comparison Chart. The chart provides a side by side comparison of key features of the four retirement plans. *Classified employees automatically become members of SERS Tier III.
	Tier III Hybrid Plan Alternate Retirement Program (ARP) State Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) This is a defined benefit plan qualified under section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. The employee contribution to this plan is 2% of your salary and contributions are made on a pre- tax basis. Should you meet the requirements for receipt of a retirement benefit under this plan, the benefit you receive will be calculated based on a formula which uses the number of years you participated in the plan and the average of your five highest years' salary. Under the Tier III plan, retirement credit may be granted for some prior employment service, including military service and municipal employment. Restrictions apply. Plan Summary This is a defined benefit plan with a "cash out" option qualified under section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. The employee contribution to this plan is 5% of your salary and contributions are made on a pre-tax basis. At the time of retirement you will have the option of receiving a retirement benefit calculated based on a formula which uses the number of years you participated in the plan and the average of your five highest years' salary or in lieu of such benefit a one-time lump sum payment with a five percent employer match and four percent interest. Under the Hybrid Plan, retirement credit may be granted for some prior employment service, including military service and municipal employment. Restrictions apply. See the SERS Hybrid Plan Summary Plan Description for more details. Plan Summary This is a defined contribution plan qualified under section 401(a) of the Internal Revenue Code. An ARP member's benefit is based upon their contributions to the plan and investment earnings. The employee contribution to the plan is 5% of your salary and is made on a pre-tax basis; the State of Connecticut contributes an amount equal to 8% of your salary. Plan contributions are invested at the direction of the member in investment funds available under the plan. ING is the State's administrator for ARP. Plan Document www.ctdcp.com This is a defined benefit plan. If your employment as a part-time employee is concurrent with employment as a public school teacher, you may elect to have your earnings treated as earnings subject to the Teachers' Retirement System. The employee contribution is 7.25% of your salary and is made on a pre-tax basis. Earnings during summer employment do not apply. See plan summary for more details. TRS plan summary information is available on the Teachers Retirement Board's website at http://www.ct.gov/trb/site/default.asp
	To enroll in the appropriate retirement plan, please see your agency's Human Resources Officer to complete a Form CO-931h, "Designation of Retirement System-Tier-Plan-Beneficiary For Higher Education Employment Only". Employees who are eligible to and wish to waive membership in a retirement system must also complete a Form CO-931h, "Designation of Retirement System-Tier-Plan-Beneficiary For Higher Education Employment Only".

Employees With Prior Connecticut State Service (Rehires)

If you had prior Connecticut state service you must rejoin the retirement plan (SERS Tier I, Tier II, Tier IIA, or Tier III, SERS Hybrid Plan, ARP or TRS) to which you were previously assigned unless:

you have experienced a permanent break in service; you are hired in a position in which you are not eligible for participation in your prior retirement plan; or
you are hired in a position which affords you the opportunity to elect participation in a retirement plan not previously available to you. If you had prior state service as part-time faculty and you elected to waive membership in a retirement plan, you are ineligible for retirement plan membership during any subsequent part-time faculty employment.

If you had prior state service as part-time faculty and elected to waive membership in a retirement plan but are subsequently rehired in a full-time position, you will be treated as a new employee and offered the retirement plan election options appropriate to your current position.

If you are rehired after a permanent break in service, you will be treated as a new employee and offered the retirement plan election options appropriate to your present position. A "permanent break in service" occurs when an employee who was not vested separates from state service and the elapsed time between their separation and their date of reemployment exceeds the greater of five years or the duration of prior service.

Employees whose only prior service consists of public school teaching and who are not currently receiving a retirement benefit from the Teachers Retirement System should be treated as new hires for retirement plan selection purposes.

Please see your agency's Human Resources Officer to complete a Form CO-931h, "Designation of Retirement System-Tier-Plan-Beneficiary For Higher Education Employment Only".

Dual Employment

If you work for another state agency and currently participate in SERS Tier I, Tier II, Tier IIA, or Tier III, SERS Hybrid Plan, ARP or TRS, you are not entitled to change retirement plan participation as a result of accepting supplemental employment and must remain in the retirement plan to which you were assigned at the time of commencing any dual employment.

Employees with full-time positions during which they are members of the TRS who are dually employed in a part-time position not includable in TRS are ineligible for retirement plan membership during such part-time service.

Employees with full-time positions during which they are members of the ARP or SERS Hybrid Plan who are dually employed in a part-time position not eligible for ARP or SERS Hybrid Plan membership are ineligible for retirement plan membership during such part-time service.

State Judges who accept part-time positions with a state college or university are not eligible to participate in a retirement plan during this secondary, part-time employment.

Please see your agency's Human Resources Officer to complete a Form CO-931h, "Designation of Retirement System-Tier-Plan-Beneficiary For Higher Education Employment Only".

Transfers Between Agencies

If you transfer from a non-higher education agency to a state college or university unclassified position for the first time, you are eligible to change your retirement plan membership from SERS Tier I, Tier II, Tier IIA or Tier III to the SERS Hybrid Plan, ARP or, if eligible, TRS as of the date of your transfer. There is no window period associated with a transfer of retirement plan membership based on a change in an employee's work location.

If you are a member of ARP or the SERS Hybrid Plan and transfer from a state college or university to a non-higher education agency, you must be enrolled in the appropriate SERS tier as of the date of your transfer.

Please see your agency's Human Resources Officer to complete a Form CO-931h, "Designation of Retirement System-Tier-Plan-Beneficiary For Higher Education Employment Only".

Transfers Between Classified and Unclassified Service within the Same Agency

If you transfer from a classified position in a state college or university to an unclassified position for the first time, you are eligible to change your retirement plan membership from SERS to the SERS Hybrid Plan, ARP or, if eligible, TRS as of the date of your transfer. There is no window period associated with a transfer of retirement plan membership based on a change in an employee's position.

If you are a member of ARP or the SERS Hybrid Plan and transfer from an unclassified position in a state college or university to a classified position, you must be enrolled in the appropriate SERS tier as of the date of the change in your position.

Please see your agency's Human Resources Officer to complete a Form CO-931h, "Designation of Retirement System-Tier-Plan-Beneficiary For Higher Education Employment Only".

Reemployed Retirees

If you are a temporarily reemployed retired SERS or ARP member, you may work a maximum of 120 days in a calendar year without engaging the pension suspension provisions of SERS; if you are temporarily reemployed in a state teaching position, you may work up to 45.97% of a full-time teaching schedule without engaging the pension suspension provisions of SERS.

SERS or ARP retirees reemployed in part-time faculty positions are not eligible to rejoin SERS or ARP and are subject to the 120 day/45.97% of a full-time teaching schedule maximum.

Please see your agency's Human Resources Officer to complete a Form CO-1208, "Temporary Post Retirement Reemployment".

If you are a retired TRS member, your continued employment in a teaching position is subject to the statutory provisions of the TRS and you are not eligible for membership in SERS or ARP. You must complete a Form CO-931h, "Designation of Retirement System-Tier-Plan-Beneficiary", on which your status is indicated as ineligible for retirement plan membership. A copy of your completed TRS Post Retirement Employment Form should be attached to the CO-931h form. Please see the Teachers Retirement Board website at the following link for further information: http://www.ct.gov/trb/site/default.asp