When am I considered to be a retiree?

Although you may retire at any time, official retirement from the University is accorded only if you are 62 years of age or older. When you retire from the University, you may continue to participate in selected benefits, programs, and services.

When can I make a change in my benefits?

Eligible employees are provided an opportunity annually during Open Enrollment to enroll or make changes in elections for the medical, vision, dental, flexible spending account, and life insurance plans.

The choice made during open enrollment -- to change elections or make no change in elections-- remains in force for the entire plan year unless there is a Change in Family Status consistent with regulations.

To request a change during the Plan Year, a Certification of Change in Family Status form must be submitted for review within 60 days following the event which prompted the request. For coverage changes to be effective the first of any month, the necessary forms must be signed and received prior to the beginning of that month. (Exceptions may be made within the first 10 business days of a month if the change is related to birth or death.)

Qualified Change in Family Status examples include marriage, birth, divorce, change in spouse's employment and/or benefits, and spouse's open enrollment period.

What is SFO (sick-family obligation) and when is it appropriate to use this time?

Sick-family obligation time may be used only for health reasons and for family care obligations and other conditions which have bearing on physical and mental welfare, including paternity leaves.

Does the University grant bereavement leave?

Regular full-time staff employees are eligible for a paid leave of five working days in the event of a miscarriage or stillborn birth, or the death of a spouse, registered domestic partner, child, step-child, son-in-law, daughter-in-law, parent, step-parent, brother, sister, grandparent, grandchild, mother-in-law, father-in-law, or parent of registered domestic partner. You are eligible for one day of paid leave to attend the funeral of a aunt, uncle, niece, nephew, cousin, brother-in-law or sister-in-law, or sister or brother of a registered domestic partner.

Regular part-time staff employees will receive pay for bereavement leave prorated to the staff employee's percent of effort worked.

Bereavement leave associated with funeral services must be taken within seven calendar days of the death. Any remaining part of bereavement leave necessary to settle family issues associated with the death may be taken at a later time.

What is the Pitt-Flex coverage period?
July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005.

Is it possible to take a loan from my retirement funds in the case of a sudden financial emergency?

Effective July 1, 1996, participants in TIAA-CREF Retirements Annuities (RAs) and Group Retirement Annuities (GRAs) can take out loans using their vested Basic Plan accumulations as collateral.

Vanguard participants can access the loan provision by transferring the necessary amount to CREF. (Those who split their accumulations between Vanguard and TIAA-CREF can increase their loan maximums by transferring additional amounts from Vanguard to CREF.) Loan requests are then processed in the usual way.

If you are enrolled in a supplemental retirement annuity (SRA), you can take out a loan from your SRA accumulations.

Contact the Pitt-Bradford HR Office for details.