Enrollment Steps

Phased Retirement Enrollment Steps

Complete the Phased Retirement Enrollment Documents with your Department Chair by January 31, 2024:

  1. Half-Time Work Plan (Word, PDF)
  2. Phased Retirement Application & Reemployment Agreement (Word, PDF)
  3. General Release (PDF)

Phased Retirement Enrollment Deadline: January 31, 2024
Phased Retirement Begin Date: July 1, 2024

Mandatory Retirement Plan Enrollment Steps

Once enrolled in the Phased Retirement Program, you will be scheduled to retire from your mandatory retirement plan (TSERS/ORP) on July 1, 2024. Complete the following steps based on your retirement plan.

Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System (TSERS)

  1. Reference the TSERS Retirement Handbook for details about the following:
    1. How Your Benefits are Calculated
    2. Your Benefit Payment Options
  2. Obtain a retirement estimate prior to completing your retirement application.
    1. Register and log-into ORBIT to use the estimator tool or call TSERS at 1-877-627-3287 to request Form 309-Estimating Your Service Retirement Benefits.
  3. Schedule an appointment with the UNC Charlotte Benefits Office at: benefits@charlotte.edu or 704-687-8134.
    1. The following items will be covered during the consultation:
      1. Retirement application
      2. Discussion of health insurance options/process, including review of the HMOnline-Instructions for Changing Retiree Health Coverage Through the State Health Plan Online
      3. Discussion of other benefits
    2. Bring the following items to your benefits meeting:
      1. voided check
      2. proof of birth for you and your beneficiary

Optional Retirement Program (ORP)

Under the Optional Retirement Plan, payouts are more flexible. You can choose from various payment methods: lump sums, graduated payments, or monthly payments.

However, in order to maintain your eligibility for State-paid retiree health insurance coverage, you must be receiving a monthly retirement benefit from a North Carolina Mandatory Retirement Plan and meet eligibility for retiree health coverage.

1. Contact your ORP representative for guidance on the process and best payout option based on your situation:

2. Schedule a benefits consultation through the UNC Charlotte Benefits Office at: benefits@uncc.edu or 704-687-8134.

  1. The following items will be covered during the consultation:
    1. Completion of the Optional Retirement Program of the University of North Carolina Acknowledgement of Participation (ORP-3) form under the forms section on the UNC System webpage at: https://myapps.northcarolina.edu/hr/benefits-leave/retirement/orp/
    2. Discussion of health insurance options/process, including review of the HMOnline-Instructions for Changing Retiree Health Coverage Through the State Health Plan Online
    3. Discussion of other benefits