New policy brings consistency to hiring of retirees

A new University of Colorado policy consistently enforces rules for retirees who return to CU as staff members.

The policy – APS 5054, “Hiring Working Retirees Into Staff Positions” – ensures all CU campuses follow the same employee management process and holds returning retired workers to the same standards. It fosters an environment where veteran employees with expertise can maximize their time training new staff, and expands career-advancement opportunities for staff members in general.

The policy re-enforces current work-limit maximums by requiring returning retirees to:

1. Work only the number of days that their contracts allow. In most cases, this will be 110 days each calendar year. Another group of 50 returned CU retirees — 10 on each CU campus and system administration offices — are granted special approval to work a maximum of 140 days a year.
2. Work for no more than a nine-month or 12-month period, or another defined and approved project timespan.
3. Fully understand their benefits eligibility, based on whether they are a member of the Public Employees’ Retirement Association (PERA) or the University Retirement Plans.
4. Enter working hours in My.Leave or another department-required time-entry system.
5. Forgo accrual of sick or vacation leave. (If you are a retiree who has returned to work at CU in a classified staff position, talk to your manager about whether this section of the policy applies to you.) With the exception of some classified staff, as of Jan. 1, 2014, all retirees who have returned to work in a temporary staff position — regardless of when they returned to CU — cannot accrue leave. Retirees will forfeit any accrued sick leave that is not used by June 30, 2014. Retirees will receive a payout before this deadline for any remaining vacation balance on June 30, 2014.

How to use APS 5054
If you’ve returned to CU after retiring, or plan to do so, here is how the policy will affect you as of Jan. 1, 2014: