Service Credit and Transfers

Retirement Service Credit

Retirement service credit is earned whenever a member of the retirement system is on pay status and receives "covered compensation" for an eligible appointment. Retirement service credit includes all time worked at the University of California in an eligible appointment. In general, an eligible appointment is at least 50 percent time for one year or longer. The maximum service credit a member can earn for one year of full-time work is one year. Part-time or variable-time work results in a proportionate amount of service credit; for example, a member who worked 50 percent time for one year receives a one-half year of retirement service credit. Service credit is not earned for overtime or other work outside the normal, regular appointment.
 

If you have questions about your Retirement Service Credit, please contact the Retirement Administration Service Center (RASC).

 

Employment Service Credit

UCPath credits employees with one month of employment service credit for each month (or four-week period) they work 50% or more of full-time (subject to personnel policies and bargaining contracts). Employment service can be earned through “Safe Harbor” appointments (such as floater, student or per diem) as well as through appointments that are eligible for full retirement benefits. Your UC Path account reflects your employment service credit. Additionally;

  • Periods of leave with pay, military leave, and leave without pay due to a work-incurred injury or illness are included when calculating the length of employment service.
  • Periods of leave without pay are not included when calculating the length of employment service.
  • If you are on pay status less than 50 percent time in a pay period, University Service credit is not earned for that pay period

Prior service months at a qualifying State Agency, CSU, or other UC campus can impact your vacation and sick time accruals as defined by PPSM-2.210 Absence from Work.

***Please note, Employment Service Credit is separate and distinct from Retirement Service Credit as listed above.

 

Prior UC Service 

If you have prior service with a UC location and had a break in service before coming to UC Merced, you must take action in order to ensure that your service credit is correct in the UCPath System:

Retirement Service Credit: To verify your total retirement service credit, sign on to UCRAY to view years of UCRP service credit. If you believe that your retirement service credit is incorrect, please contact the RASC.

Employment Service Credit: 

  • Sign on to UCPath
  • Go to Submit An Inquiry
  • Select Topic: Leave Balances
  • Select Category: Leave Balances Inquiry
  • Enter Subject: Service Month
  • Enter your Descriptions:
  • Click Add attachment (if necessary)
  • Click Submit

 

Prior State of California Service   

Employment service with the California State University system or the State of California may be eligible for crediting as employment service months. In UCPath click on “Accrual & Leaves Forms Prior State Service eForm” for step-by-step instructions on how to submit, update, or view your prior service.

For information on how service credit earned in CalPERS or CalSTRS may count towards vesting in UCRP, refer to the fact sheets Reciprocity with CalPERS or Concurrent retirement with CalSTRS; for more information.

 

For more information and FAQ's, please visit the UCNet Understanding Service Credit webpage.

 

Intercampus Transfers

Transfers between UC locations include transfers between UC Merced and any of the following UC locations:

  • UC Campuses, including Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, and Santa Cruz.
  • UC Laboratories, including Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Lawrence Livermore National Lab, and Los Alamos National Lab.

Retirement Service Credit
Retirement service credit automatically follows an employee transferring from one UC location to another. To verify your total retirement service credit, sign on to UCRAYS and view your current years of UCRP service credit. If you believe that your retirement service credit is incorrect, please contact the UC Retirement Administrative Service Center (RASC).

Employment Service Credit
Employment service credit will also follow an employee transferring from one UC location to another. When UC Merced learns that an employee is transferring from another campus, UCPath Center contacts the employee's former campus and requests employment service and benefits information to be included in the employee's file.

Benefits
When an employee transfers from one UC location to another, the benefits enrollment process is different than for new employees. For intercampus transfers within 120 days of leaving your previous location, you may not sign up for benefits online as your benefits will transfer from your former campus.

For the Retirement Savings Programs, the following applies:

  • Retirement Savings Programs: The UCPath Center coordinates with your prior UC location on your Maximum Annual Contribution. For restarting your payroll deductions into your 403(b) or 457(b) accounts, please contact Fidelity Retirement Services at 1-866-682-7787 and tell them that you are a UC transfer and need to "re-accept" or change your payroll deduction. 

Please note that going online may not be sufficient to restart your payroll deductions after a transfer.

See the Changing Jobs within the UC roadmap for more information.