Important changes to the Retirement Process

**Please pass this information along to the staff and faculty in your department.**    

TO: Staff and Faculty

FR: Lisa Romero, Employee Services Manager, Human Resources

RE: Important changes to the Retirement Process

The UC Retirement Administration Service Center (RASC) is adjusting operations in response to the shelter in place orders. In accordance with this order, RASC representatives have transitioned to remote operations to ensure access to critical services.  During this time, however, they will  be unable to answer calls, as usual, and their ability to process physical mail will be severely limited. 

Faculty, staff or retirees who have an urgent question or service request should contact RASC by sending a secure message through their UC Retirement At Your Service (UCRAYS) account. Representatives will respond to secure messages as soon as possible.

 For members who plan to retire July 1, 2020 and expect to receive their first retirement benefit payment by August 1, the RASC must receive all pages of your signed election form and supporting documentation by May 15

Since the RASC will be unable to process mail during the stay-at-home period, please be sure to upload your documentation using UCRAYS. For those who do not meet the May 15 deadline, every effort will be made to pay the initial retirement benefit in August, according to our weekly payment schedule, with benefits retroactive to July 1.  

For how-to guides and resources to getting started on UCRAYS and taking care of essential tasks related to your retirement account, check out Getting help with UC Retirement At Your Service (UCRAYS).

Fidelity Services:

Fidelity takes the health and safety of our employees and our associates very seriously.  In response to the shelter in place orders,  Fidelity has suspended all in person one on one meetings and group workshops at client locations.  All one on one meetings will be by phone and/or zoom going forward. Below is the link to sign up for these appointments.

https://nb.fidelity.com/public/nb/default/fort

After providing your information and selecting University of California as your employer, please select UC Santa Barbara as your “preferred event location”. In section 3, select “Talk on the Phone With a Consultant” to access these appointments. Your UCSB Fidelity Representative will call you during your designated appointment time, please make sure to provide the best phone number to reach you in section 1.

If you have questions or concerns about the retirement process, please submit a ticket to HR/Service Now/Benefits Administration. (click on "Retirement Process Support"-option will be available as of Wednesday) and we will assist you as best we can.  

Thank you.