Clarification Regarding Benefits and Retirement:
Please refer to page 2 of the NYSHIP Planning for Retirement booklet for the correct information on eligibility for retirement and qualifying for NYSHIP retiree health insurance. To verify eligibility, please reach out to the Benefits and Work/Life Balance Office. Please keep in mind that some requests may take longer to complete than others, dependent on the review required of an individual’s employment history.
If you do qualify for NYSHIP retiree health insurance and you are non-renewed, you have the option to submit a letter of retirement if you would like to retire and receive full retiree privileges but it is not necessary to retire in order to receive retiree health insurance.
Individuals that meet qualifications for NYSHIP retiree health insurance may still have the option to obtain NYSHIP retiree health insurance upon separation of service without submission of a formal letter of retirement,called a constructive retirement (page 3 of NYSHIP Planning for Retirement). To explore your options, you may reach out to the Benefits and Work/Life Balance Office for more information. If you choose to retire from public service and are considering a return to NYS employment with UB please review Working after Retirement to learn about the restrictions on post-retirement employment and consult Back to Work for New York State to learn how your NYSHIP coverage may be impacted.
It is strongly recommended that you coordinate with the Benefits and Work/Life Balance Office at ub-hr-benefits@buffalo.eduor 716-645-7777 before taking any formal steps towards retirement.
Adjunct Instructors currently enrolled in NYSHIP health will have additional deductions taken from their spring paychecks for coverage continuation into the summer. If you do not return in the fall and do not qualify for NYSHIP retiree health insurance, coverage will end at that time and COBRA will be offered as an option to continue coverage. An email announcement from Benefits and Work/Life Balance will be sent to enrollees providing further details regarding this process.
In Solidarity,
Ken Kern
Chapter President
UUP Buffalo Center