Retirement Code

The Retirement Code indicates to which, if any, retirement plan the employee will be a member.

PPS derives the Retirement Code based on the employee's appointment attributes, student status and units and citizenship. If you need to correct a retirement code, refer to Correcting the Retirement/FICA Codes.

There are three codes that are currently available:

  1. N - Not a member of any retirement plan
  2. H - Defined Contribution Plan (DCP Safe-Harbor) Safe Harbor is a provision under the Social Security Act
  3. U - University of California Retirement Plan (UCRP)-1976 Tier
    / W - University of California Retirement Plan (UCRP) - 2013 Tier (hired on or after July 1, 2013)
Code Description
N Not a member of any retirement plan
  • Registered UC Undergraduate and Graduate Students
    • Students who are not already UCRP members, carrying a course load equal to ½ time or more, and appointed at less than 80% for whole current month
    • Each Summer Session evaluated separately
  • F-1 or J-1 non-resident alien visa holder under the Hours Eligibility Rules threshold
    • With appointments less than 50%
    • With appointments less than one year
    • With Visiting or Regents titles
    • All Student Appointees not already UCRP members
H Defined Contribution Plan (DCP Safe Harbor)
  • Excludes all F-1 and J-1 non-resident alien visa holders
  • Non-student employees with appointments that are
    • less than 50% time or less than one year
    • under the Hours Eligibility Rules threshold
  • Rehired Retirees who have accepted the UCRP Waiver
  • Post MDs, Per Diem Nurses, UNEX Instructors, Summer Session Instructors, and Contract Employees paid by agreement
  • Postdoctoral Scholars
  • Visiting or Regent Title appointees
  • Contract Employees with appointments that are
    • less than 50% time or less than one year
    • under the Hours Eligibility Rules threshold
  • Employees with only Without Salary Appointments (including Emeritus)
  • Registered UC Undergraduate and Graduate Students
    • Students who are not already UCRP members and either carrying a course load equal to less than ½-time or appointed at 80% time or more for any portion of current month
    • Each Summer Session evaluated separately
U / W University of California Retirement Plan (UCRP)
  • Employees in non-student academic and staff titles appointed at 50% time or more for at least one year (including employees who are on F-1, J-1, or H-1B visas)
  • Contract Employees with appointments of 50% time or more for at least one year
  • Employees in non-student academic and staff titles appointed at 50% time or more for a definite period of less than one year where the end date is due to visa (work permit end date) or funding restrictions, and that the intention is the appointment will be extended at 50% time or more for a total period of at least one year. This must be stated in writing, by the department, at the time of appointment.
  • Employees who reach the appropriate Hours Eligibility Threshold
    • Excluding students accruing eligible hours.

Once an employee is coded with a Retirement code of U, the employee will remain coded a U until there is a break in service, regardless of any changes to the employee's personal or employment data.

*Those employees hired on or after 7/1/13 in the 2013 UCRP Post-Employment Benefits Tier.