Retiree Work Opportunites program (RWO)

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Hiring Managers - Frequently Asked Questions:

What positions are appropriate for UC retirees?

Can the RWO site be used for hiring UC students, other UC employees, or individuals outside UC, who are interested in temporary work opportunities?

Are there any limitations, in terms of salary, hours, and benefits, regarding hiring a UC retiree?

Are the hiring processes any different for a retiree who has taken a lump sum cashout and is no longer a UCRS member?

How do I post a work opportunity?

How do I identify and select a retiree?

How are employment documents handled?

How do retirees report their hours and get paid?

Is there a cost for using this service?

Who can I contact, if I have questions?

What positions are appropriate for UC retirees?
This program’s purpose is to help you fill short-term, temporary positions. These could also be one-time “special projects” work opportunities. This program is not meant to be used to fill ongoing career positions.

Because the individuals applying for these work opportunities typically are receiving retiree benefits, the positions they accept must not exceed 900 hours in a 12-month rolling time period or their benefits may be adversely impacted. If the retiree (or their dependent) is enrolled in Medicare-coordinated retiree benefits, they will need to be in a BELI 5 appointment to avoid adversely impacting their retiree benefits

You should consult with the campus Employment Services representative, Helen Park, helenp@berkeley.edu, (510) 642-1621, or your departmental personnel representative, if you have any questions about how to classify the position or if you have any other concerns about Employment policies and procedures.

Contact Emily Ladner, ladner@berkeley.edu, (510) 642-1122, in the Benefits department if you have Benefits questions related to appointments and BELI classifications.

If the retiree or a dependent of the retiree participates in Medicare, please contact Shirley Silveira, sas@berkeley.edu, (510) 643-7547

Can the RWO site be used for hiring UC students, other UC employees, or individuals outside UC who are interested in temporary work opportunities? The RWO site cannot be used for hiring UC students, other active UC employees, or external job applicants. It is a self-service option for connecting with retirees of the UC Berkeley campus, Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory, or UC Office of the President about work opportunities.

Are there any limitations, in terms of salary, hours, and benefits, regarding hiring a UC retiree? Salary: There is no unique job classification or salary range for retiree hiring. When making salary decisions, use the typical range for the position title and classification and the same criteria as you would for any other qualified candidate for that position.

Hours: Managers have authority to make limited hires up to 900 hours in a 12-month rolling timeframe. If the temporary staffing need is likely to exceed that limit, either a full recruitment must be conducted using the normal eRecruit process, or a waiver of recruitment must be obtained from OHR/Employment Services. For more information, see Guide to Managing Human Resources - Chapter 1 Employment.

Benefits: Retirees usually are receiving various retiree benefits from UCRS. All retiree hires must complete Form UBEN 1039, UCRP Waiver and Release, as part of their employment documentation on or before their first day of work. That document informs them of their rights, and how re-employment will affect their benefits. The document can be obtained from your departmental benefits representative. Descriptive information is found in the “Returning to UC Employment – Facts Sheet.”

Once an individual has retired, that individual should not return to work at UC until after she receives her first retirement payment (or lump sum cashout), generally 90 days after the termination date. In any case, she may not return to work sooner than 30 days after her termination date, even if she has received the first retirement payment or lump sum cashout.

Retirees seeking re-employment with UC must clearly understand the impacts on their retiree benefits, make important decisions, and sign documents related to their benefits and/or retirement plan distributions. You should be familiar with these issues and able to explain them to the hiring candidate.

To help you understand these issues, refer to Returning to Work after Retirement on the UC Office of the President website. Also, you’ll find additional resources and UC Berkeley forms by clicking on the Resource Links button at the left hand side of this page. If you have additional questions contact the UC Berkeley Benefits representative, Shirley Silveira, at sas@berkeley.edu, (510) 643-7547.

Are the hiring processes any different for a retiree who has taken a lump sum cashout and is no longer a UCRS member? If the individual received a lumpsum cashout and is no longer a member of the UC Retirement System, the hiring process can be handled the same as for any limited term hire.

How do I post a work opportunity?
You’ll first need to have the following information:

A paragraph describing the proposed work or project
Understanding of the “required” and “desired” skills and experience needed
Hours, possible salary range, and duration of the assignment
Name of a contact person/department
If the job is new to the department, have a compensation analyst from Human Resources review the proposed classification and salary before posting the position
Click on the Work Opportunities button at the left hand side of the Home Page. The instructions will walk you through how to post the work opportunity.
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How do I identify and select a retiree? This website has two functions to assist you in selecting candidates.

Self-service posting – Allows you to post a position yourself and have retirees contact you directly. Retirees can browse all postings, just as you can.
Search the Retirees list – Allows you to browse the list of interested retiree applicants for their specific skills and experience, availability, and contact information, and then contact those candidates of interest to you.

You should contact the retirees directly and interview them in the same manner as you would any other applicant. The Employment Services representative, Helen Park, helenp@berkeley.edu (510) 642-1621, can assist you with any questions about employment policies and procedures.

Please Note: Neither the Retirement Center nor Employment Services screens the resumes/profiles posted on this website. It is the responsibility of the hiring department to check references, educational credentials or certifications, etc, for candidates of interest.

How are employment documents handled?
Employment documentation is handled in accordance with your department’s typical procedures for processing hiring packages. For retiree hires, you must also include Form UBEN 1039, UCRP Waiver and Release. Please refer to the “Returning to UC Employment – Facts Sheet”, for more detailed information on the use and necessity of this form, which must be completed before the first day of work. Your departmental benefits representative can provide you with the form.

How do retirees report their hours and get paid?
Retirees report their hours and are paid via the same procedures as any other temporary employee in your department.

Is there a cost for using this service?
There are no charges for the use of this website.

Who can I contact, if I have questions?

Website Log-In Problems: Support@iCohere.com
Retirement Center : Gloria Parra, (510) 643-4663, projects@berkeley.edu, for questions about the RWO program and communications about the RWO site.
Employment Services: Helen Park, (510) 642-1013, helenp@berkeley.edu, for questions on job classifications, employment policies, and hiring practices.
Benefits: Emily Ladner, (510) 642-1122, ladner@berkeley.edu, for benefits questions related to appointments and BELI classifications, or Shirley Silveira, (510) 643-7547, sas@berkeley.edu, for benefits questions related to retiree benefits or Medicare.