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1. What are the retirement plans that UC offers new employees?
• Staff employees and Librarians - Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS)
• Faculty - State Teachers Retirement System (STRS)
• If staff or faculty/librarian is 100% FTE, then they will also have the option to choose to have either a state retirement plan or Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP)
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2. Who are the ARP providers UC offers and how do I contact them?
AIG VALIC: 1-800-892-5558 x89020
AXA: 1-800-551-2423
Great American Life Insurance Company (Brecek & Young): 1-800-789-6771 x11811
ING: 1-800-451-4702
Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (Dougherty & Assoc): 1-513-745-7007
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company: 1-800-492-3553 x1144
Nationwide Life Insurance Company (Horan Securities): 1-800-544-8306
TIAA-CREF: 1-877-277-6446
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3. What are the contribution rates for the various retirement plans?
OPERS Contribution Rate
OPERS Retirement Plans (other than Law and Public Safety employees)
– Employee 10.00%
– Employer 14.00%
OPERS Retirement Plans (Law and Public Safety employees)
– Employee 10.10%
– Employer 17.63%
STRS Contribution Rate
STRS Retirement Plans
– Employee 10.00%
– Employer 14.00% (Defined Benefit & Combined Plans)
ARP Contribution Rates
– Employee
OPERS (other than law enforcement or public safety) 10.00%
OPERS (law enforcement/public safety) 10.10%
STRS 10.00%
– Employer
OPERS (other than law enforcement or public safety) 13.23%
OPERS (law enforcement/public safety) 13.23%
STRS 10.50%
NOTE: If you elect the ARP and are STRS eligible, the University will also contribute 3.50% to STRS as required by state law. If you elect the ARP and are OPERS or OPERS LE eligible, the University will also contribute .77% to OPERS or OPERS LE as required by state law. This contribution is to fund past service liabilities.
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4. Can an employee fax or email their Retirement Election form to Human Resources in order to meet their deadline date?
No, the original document must be mailed or brought in person to the HRSC, Mail Location 0039. The Retirement Election form must be received by the deadline date.
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5. I am going to retire and I have questions about OPERS, STRS or other retirement plans.
Please contact the Human Resources Service Center to discuss your plans for retirement. HRSC staff can answer many of your questions or direct you to the retirement plan for more detailed information. The phone number is (513) 556-6381.
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6. I am a staff, librarian or student employee. How can I get a refund of my OPERS contributions?
You must be terminated in order to be eligible for a refund. The OPERS number is 800-222-7377 or log on to the OPERS webite at www.opers.org or http://www.uc.edu/hr/forms/default.html#Q-R. You must complete a refund form in order to initiate a refund of your OPERS contributions and not be working for the University for at least 90 days.
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7. What is the phone number to OPERS/STRS?
OPERS: 1-800-222-7377
STRS: 1-888-227-7877
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8. I used to work for UC and would like to purchase or redeposit service time from OPERS/STRS. How do I go about doing this?
Contact OPERS/STRS to request the appropriate form. Please submit your request and completed form in writing (via email) to Linda Beck at Linda.Beck@uc.edu. Be sure to include as much information as possible – such as SSN, date of hire and date of termination (mo/day/yr), Job title(s), any other names used when working for UC (for example, maiden name and phone number). The request will likely take 90 days to research, verify and complete. The completed form will be sent directly to OPERS/STRS.
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9. I have a deduction on my check for OPERS. What is OPERS?
Employees of Ohio public colleges and universities do not participate in the federal Social Security system other than contributions to Medicare. Instead, non-faculty and librarian employees contribute to the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) or the Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP). From your initial date of hire, you are assigned to the OPERS. You can elect to change your participation from OPERS to the ARP if you are a full-time (100% FTE) employee within 120 days of your date of hire or the change to 100% FTE.
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