Fact Sheet: UCRP/CalPERS Reciprocity

UCRP/CalPERS
Reciprocity

One reward of working in public service is a pension—somethingthat’s increasingly hard to come by outside the public sector. If
you’re a member of both the University of California Retirement
Plan (UCRP) and the California Public Employees’ Retirement
System (CalPERS), you may become vested sooner or be able toretire with a higher benefit than if you were a member of justone plan.
To take advantage of these benefits, you’ll need to establish
reciprocity between the two plans. This fact sheet outlines how
reciprocity works, who is eligible and how to establish it.

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Eligibility, How Reciprocity Works

Eligibility

How Reciprocity Works

To be eligible for UCRP/CalPERS reciprocity, you must be an
active or inactive member of both retirement plans. A few otherconditions also apply:

UCRP/CalPERS reciprocity may benefit you by allowing you tocombine service credit and compensation from both plans.

• You begin employment with your new system (in a position
eligible for membership in UCRP or CalPERS) within 180 daysof leaving employment with the other system (in a position
eligible for membership in UCRP or CalPERS) and• You leave the required retirement plan accumulations (forexample, UCRP contributions and investment earnings) on
deposit with the former plan when you leave (but see tip
below for possible exceptions), and• You elect reciprocity by completing the “Election ofReciprocity” form attached to this factsheet, signing it,and sending it to the UCRetirement Administration ServiceCenter.
You’re not eligible for reciprocity if you are working for both UC
and a CalPERS-covered employer at the same time.
You must file separate retirement applications under both plans,selecting the same retirement date on both applications, forthe benefits of reciprocity to apply. See “How to establish
reciprocity” on page 6 for details.
At UC, the final determination of your eligibility for reciprocal benefits will be made when you apply for UCRP retirement
benefits. In addition, your eligibility for reciprocity will be determined by the retirement laws and plan provisions in effect when
you change employers and retirement plans.

2016 TIER MEMBERS
Pension Choice participants are UCRP members, and are therefore eligible for reciprocity if they meet all of the conditions
above. Savings Choice participants are not members of UCRP
and are therefore not eligible for reciprocity.

Tip:
If you withdrew your CalPERS accumulations and thenbecame a UCRP member, you may be able to redeposit yourCalPERS accumulations in order to reestablish (buy back)your CalPERS service credit and membership, and qualify forreciprocity. Contact CalPERS for more information. Only
active UCRP members can buy back prior UCRP service.

4Note that when you elect UCRP/CalPERS reciprocity, funds are
not transferred from one retirement system to the other; you’resubject to the membership requirements and rights of eachsystem. Here’s how reciprocity affects your UCRP benefits.

UCRP SERVICE CREDIT AND COMPENSATION
For periods of reciprocity:• Your CalPERS service credit will count toward the total service
credit you need to become vested in UCRP and eligible forretirement benefits. (Note, though, that CalPERS service
credit doesn’t count toward eligibility for UC retiree healthcoverage.)• If you earned more while a member of CalPERS than whilea member of UCRP, your CalPERS compensation may help
boost your UCRP benefit. That’s because your CalPERS
compensation can be used in determining your Highest
Average Plan Compensation (HAPC)*, which is one of thefactors in the formula used to calculate your UCRP retirement
benefit. Your HAPC is your highest average monthly fulltime equivalent compensation during 36 continuous monthsof employment as a UCRP member. If you are eligible forreciprocity, UC considers both your UCRP and CalPERS
compensation when determining your HAPC.
Tip:For help estimating your UCRP benefits, go to UC
Retirement At Your Service (UCRAYS) at
retirementatyourservice.ucop.edu. If you don’t have Internet
access, contact your Benefits Office for estimates. (If you’rean inactive UCRP member, you should request estimatesfrom the UC Retirement Administration Service Center at
800-888-8267.)* If you became a member of UCRP before July 1, 2013, and are eligible forreciprocity, another factor comes into play in determining your HAPC. If you
retire from UCRP as an inactive member, your HAPC may also be increased bycost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for the years after you earn service credit
and before you retire. Be aware, though, that COLAs will be added to yourHAPC only after you’ve stopped earning in both plans. (In other words, youaren’t eligible for UC retirement COLAs while working for a CalPERS employer.)
COLAs are applied July 1 of each year, so the gap between the time you
stopped working and your retirement must include July 1 for you to be eligible
for a COLA for that year.

UCRP DISABILITY

Working for both UC and other public institutions may allow you
to transfer accrued vacation and sick leave between employers,
under certain circumstances. The process works differently fromreciprocity; you don’t need to fill out the attached form in order
to be eligible.

• If you have established reciprocity with UCRP (or if you
are eligible for reciprocity) and you are eligible for CalPERS
disability retirement, you may be entitled to receive
retirement benefits from UCRP.

SICK LEAVE
If you leave State of California employment to work for UC, any
sick leave you’ve accrued with the state can be transferred to UC
as follows:

How Reciprocity WorksVACATION AND SICK LEAVE• If you become disabled after you have established reciprocity(or while you are eligible for reciprocity) with CalPERS,
contact CalPERS for information about benefits.

• If you’re separated from employment status less than 90
calendar days, all accrued sick leave from prior service can bereinstated with UC.
• If you’re separated from employment status 90 or morecalendar days but less than six months (180 days), up to 80
hours of accrued sick leave can be reinstated with UC.
• If you’re separated from employment status for six months(180 days) or more, accrued sick leave can’t be reinstatedwith UC.
VACATIONYour past service with the State of California, Hastings Collegeof the Law, the UC-Managed Department of Energy Laboratories
and California State University (and military leave from the sameinstitutions) can be added to your UC service for calculating yourvacation accrual rate. (At UC, your vacation is based on yourappointment, the number of hours you’re on pay status during
the pay period, and the number of years you have worked forUC.) Your service doesn’t need to be continuous to count.
For more information about qualifying vacation and sick leave
service, contact your Human Resources Office.

Got questions?
For UC questions, check out UCnet(ucnet.universityofcalifornia.edu). Or contact the UC
Retirement Administration Service Center at 800-888-8267
or your local Benefits Office.
For CalPERS questions, go to calpers.ca.gov,
call 888-225-7377 or write:
California Public Employees’ Retirement System
Member Services Division—Unit 841
P. O. Box 942704
Sacramento, CA 94229-2704

5How to Establish ReciprocityHow to Establish Reciprocity

Reciprocity doesn’t happen automatically. Each job change
between UCRP-covered employment and CalPERS-covered
employment is separate, and you need to establish reciprocity
separately with each system for each membership period. To
establish reciprocity with UCRP, you’ll need to complete theattached Election of Reciprocity form (UBEN 157) and send thesigned original to the UC Retirement Administration ServiceCenter. (See the form for details.)
As long as you remain eligible (see “Eligibility” on page 4 forguidelines), you may establish UCRP/CalPERS reciprocity at anytime. Please note that you must file separate retirement
applications under both plans, selecting the same retirement
date on both applications, for the benefits of reciprocity to apply.
The CalPERS reciprocity requirements and benefits may differ
from UC’s, so be sure to contact CalPERS before you submit
your UCRP reciprocity election form. To learn more, or toestablish reciprocity with CalPERS, contact them directly atcalpers.ca.gov or 888-225-7377.

By authority of the Regents, University of California Human Resources,
located in Oakland, administers all benefit plans in accordance withapplicable plan documents and regulations, custodial agreements,
University of California Group Insurance Regulations for Faculty and Staff,
group insurance contracts, and state and federal laws. No person
is authorized to provide benefits information not contained in thesesource documents, and information not contained in these source
documents cannot be relied upon as having been authorized by theRegents. Source documents are available for inspection upon request(800-888-8267). What is written here does not constitute a guaranteeof plan coverage or benefits—particular rules and eligibility requirements
must be met before benefits can be received. The University of California
intends to continue the benefits described here indefinitely; however,the benefits of all employees, retirees, and plan beneficiaries are subject
to change or termination at the time of contract renewal or at any othertime by the University or other governing authorities. The University also
reserves the right to determine new premiums, employer contributions andmonthly costs at any time. Health and welfare benefits are not accrued
or vested benefit entitlements. UC’s contribution toward the monthly
cost of the coverage is determined by UC and may change or stop
altogether, and may be affected by the state of California’s annual
budget appropriation. If you belong to an exclusively represented
bargaining unit, some of your benefits may differ from the ones described
here. For more information, employees should contact their HumanResources Office and retirees should call the UC Retirement Administration Service Center (800-888-8267).
In conformance with applicable law and University policy, the University
is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Please send inquiries
regarding the University’s affirmative action and equal opportunity
policies for staff to Systemwide AA/EEO Policy Coordinator, Universityof California, Office of the President, 1111 Franklin Street, Oakland,
CA 94607, and for faculty to the Office of Academic Personnel andPrograms, University of California Office of the President,
1111 Franklin Street, Oakland, CA 94607.

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UCRP and the California Public Employees’ Retirement System(CalPERS) provide reciprocal benefits to ensure continuity ofretirement benefits for members who transfer between the tworetirement plans under certain circumstances. Please note thatthe reciprocal agreement applies to UCRP benefits only; it does
not apply to eligibility for health coverage after retirement.
Complete this form if you want to elect reciprocity between
UCRP and CalPERS. To be eligible for reciprocity, you must:• be an active or inactive member of both retirement systems,• begin employment in a position eligible for membership in
UCRP or CalPERS within 180 days of leaving employment in aposition eligible for membership in the other plan, and• leave (or have left or redeposited, if eligible) retirement plan
contributions (if any) on deposit with the former system.
Please photocopy this form for your records and send thesigned original to UC Retirement Administration ServiceCenter.

PERSONAL INFORMATIONName (Last, First, Middle Initial)

Social Security Number

Mailing Address (Number, Street)

Birthdate

Daytime Phone((City, State, ZIP, Country))

Check the box if permanent address change

EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION
I elect reciprocity because I am transferring (or have transferred) from employment covered by UCRP to employment covered by CalPERS.
ORI elect reciprocity because I am transferring (or have transferred) from employment covered by CalPERS to employment covered by UCRP.
UC Employment Location

Start Date

Separation Date

State (CalPERS) Employment Location

Start Date

Separation Date

Member’s Signature (must be an original)

See Reverse for Privacy Notications

Send completed form to:
UC RASC—Research Unit
P.O. Box 24570
Oakland, CA 94623-1570
RETN: Pending(R4/22)

Date

UBEN 157 Election of Reciprocity

UBEN 157 Election of Reciprocity

UBEN 157 Election of Reciprocity

PRIVACY NOTIFICATIONSSTATEThe State of California Information Practices Act of 1977
(effective July 1, 1978) requires the University to provide thefollowing information to individuals who are asked to supply
information about themselves.
The principal purpose for requesting information on this form,
including your Social Security number, is to verify your identity,
and/or for benefits administration, and/or for federal and state
income tax reporting. University policy and state and federal
statutes authorize the maintenance of this information.
Furnishing all information requested on this form is mandatory.
Failure to provide such information will delay or may even preventcompletion of the action for which the form is being filled out.
Information furnished on this form may be transmitted to thefederal and state governments when required by law.
Individuals have the right to review their own records inaccordance with University personnel policy and collective
bargaining agreements. Information on applicable policies
and agreements can be obtained from campus or Office of thePresident Staff and Academic Personnel Offices.
The official responsible for maintaining the information
contained on this form is the Vice President—University ofCalifornia Human Resources, 1111 Franklin Street, Oakland, CA94607-5200.
FEDERAL
Pursuant to the Federal Privacy Act of 1974, you are hereby
notified that disclosure of your Social Security number ismandatory. The University’s record keeping system wasestablished prior to January 1, 1975 under the authority of
the Regents of the University of California under Article IX,
Section 9 of the California Constitution. The principal uses ofyour Social Security number shall be for state tax and federal
income tax (under Internal Revenue Code sections 6011, 6051
and 6059) reporting, and/or for benefits administration, and/orto verify your identity.

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