Table of Contents
- Timely & Accurate Reporting
- Retiree Return-to-Work Allowance 2024
- Peak Retirement Season
- Contribution Benefit Cap
- LGERS Employer Contribution Rates
- Sending Member Documents to the Retirement Systems
- NC 401(k) & NC 457 Plans
- Employer and Member Webinars
- NC State Health Plan
Employee and Employer contributions are due via the monthly Contribution Summary Instructions (CSI) by 5:00 p.m. on the 5th business day of the month along with the Monthly ORBIT payroll report. If the 5th falls on a weekend, contributions are due the following business day by 5 p.m. This schedule has been updated to include 2024 dates and is located on our website.
myNCRetirement Tip: Create a calendar reminder so you meet the required deadlines.
Timely Reporting and Invoice Payments
To maintain correct information, it is important that you take time to correct errors in ORBIT. Please respond to your Employer Reporting Team representative promptly so that any issues can be addressed, and necessary adjustments can be processed as soon as possible. As a reminder, employers now have access to their monthly ORBIT Error Reports on our website:
- Log into ORBIT as an employer
- Under the REPORTING options, select “Report Viewer”
- Select the “Employer Reporting” report type
- Select the “Detail Records in Error by Agency and Report Month – Self Service” report
- Select the “Report Month” and “Report Year
- The “Exception Type” and “Source of Entry” are auto populated and cannot be changed
- Select the Export Type which is either “Adobe PDF” or “Excel”
After a six-month break in TSERS, or a one-month break in LGERS and return to work in a position that does not require membership in those systems, a retiree is subject to the earning restrictions below.
- 50% of your gross pre-retirement salary (excluding termination payments) or
- $40,980 (2024 amount)
Returning to work may have an impact on a retiree’s monthly benefit and health coverage, if applicable. It is important to understand and be aware of the limitations and the positions that are subject to the earnings allowance.
As a reminder, employers must report all re-hired retirees to the Retirement Systems Division each month. These re-hired retirees should be reported in ORBIT along with the rest of the ORBIT payroll report with the appropriate pay period, pay type, plan code, salary and all other applicable fields.
If the report is not received by the Retirement Systems Division within 90 days of the end of each month in which a retiree is re-employed, the Retirement Systems Division is required to charge a penalty of 10 percent of the compensation of the unreported, re-employed retiree during the months the employer did not report the reemployed retiree, with a minimum penalty of $25.
To avoid a potential penalty, we ask that employers timely report any known re-hired retirees who may be subject to the earnable allowance to the Retirement Systems Division through ORBIT.
For more information, visit the Return-to-Work webpage.
Do you have employees gearing up for retirement? Don’t wait until the last minute!
As a reminder, retirement processing is first-in, first out. We recommend applying as early as possible to ensure the application is processed for the member’s first retirement pay day. Retirement applications are accepted up to 120 days prior to the retirement date.
Retirement Online is the easiest and most efficient way to complete the application process. This can be found in ORBIT and the application is completed and confirmed online, including steps required by employers.
Contribution-Based Benefit Cap
If a member was first hired on or after January 1, 2015, the Retirement Systems Division will notify the member, providing a cost statement of the additional contribution required to pay for their benefit in excess of the cap, along with a deadline to submit. In some situations, the employer may offer to pay part or all of the required contributions. If the contribution is not paid, the member will be required to accept a benefit reduced to the benefit cap.
We recommend employers consider policies/procedures about paying or not paying the cost, so that they don’t inadvertently discriminate against some people by paying for others.
LGERS Employer Contribution Rates
The rates are posted publicly rather than mailing individual letters to every employer to improve efficiency and transparency and reduce costs.
View LGERS Employer Contribution Rates
The table is ordered by five-digit employer code but is also searchable (by employer name) within a browser, or by downloading the PDF and using “Edit”->”Find” in Adobe.
The specific rate(s) paid by each employing unit will include the “base rate” from the table above, and other adjustments that are specific to the unit.
TSERS Employer Contribution Rates
For TSERS employers, employer contribution rates effective July 1, 2024, will be the rates from Section 39.26.(c) of Session Law 2023-134 unless further adjusted by the legislature.
Do you need to send member documents to the Retirement Systems Division?
Employers should send all member Forms & records to MemberRecords@nctreasurer.com. This will ensure timely handling of important documents.
NC 401(k) and NC 457 Plans’ Platform Migration
In early February, a series of enhancements were made to plan administration and data security after the NC 401(k) and NC 457 Plans (the Plans) migrated to a new recordkeeping platform at Empower.
Important reminders:
- Your Plan ID(s) changed post-migration to Empower, and you should now have a new Plan ID(s) from Empower.
- Payroll packet emails containing payroll guides were distributed to all authorized employer contacts. If you have questions about the updated payroll process, please contact your NC 401(k)/NC 457 Plans’ Retirement Education Counselor.
- Plan forms for participants are changing and the last day to use the current forms is March 8, 2024. Any outdated forms received after this date will not be accepted. The NC 401(k) and NC 457 Plans’ new forms will become available on the Plan Service Center (previously called the Plan Sponsor Center), Empower’s plan administration website.
- NC 401(k) and NC 457 Plans’ participants have been notified about the migration and how to access their accounts. All participants must re-register their accounts to access the new online experience.
Provisioning information:
If you are the designated individual to grant your colleagues Plan Service Center website access:
- After March 1, 2024, to do any of the following, please fill out the Contact Change and Plan Service Center Authorization forms:
o add a new user
o request website access
o change the level of access for an authorized user - You can contact your NC 401(k)/NC 457 Plans’ Retirement Education Counselor, email ncplans@empower.com, or call the Customer Service Center at 866-NCPlans (866-627-5267) to request the forms.
If you are an individual who needs Plan Service Center website access, and you are not the designated individual who grants:
- If you have not received login credentials to the Plan Service Center, this could be because the designated individual who was designed to grant you access did not successfully complete this task.
- Please email NCPlans@Empower.com for support.
Valuable migration resources:
- This page will continually be updated with the latest migration resources to help you stay informed and organized. It includes helpful videos and training webinars on payroll, withdrawals, and reporting.
- If you have any questions along the way, please contact your NC 401(k)/NC 457 Plans’ Retirement Education Counselor. Your dedicated counselor is available to answer questions and provide support.
Virtual and on-demand training options help you understand employer roles, responsibilities and assist employees with retirement related matters. Employer Training is available throughout the year.
There are ongoing retirement planning and information sessions are available for new members, mid-career and those nearing retirement. We encourage member participation so they can learn about their benefits and plan for their financial future.
Employer Webinars
My NCRetirement Employer Training Webinars
Empower Retirement Benefits Webinars
Member Webinars
Retirement Planning Webinars
Empower Retirement Benefits Webinars
'Understanding Your Medical Plan Options When You Become Medicare-Eligible' Webinars Under Way!
The State Health Plan’s (Plan) “Understanding Your Medical Plan Options When You Become Medicare-Eligible” 2024 webinar series is under way.
These popular, free webinars are designed for active members who will soon be 65, are already 65 or older, and retirees getting ready to turn 65. Each event lasts approximately 2 hours and will explain important information regarding Medicare, retirement health benefit options and offer the opportunity to ask questions. Encourage your employees in the above categories to register soon, as these events fill quickly.
Click here to register.
Stay Updated on State Health Plan News
The State Health Plan is changing its third-party administrator (TPA) from Blue Cross NC to Aetna effective Jan. 1, 2025. Plan members will be getting additional information soon, but in the meantime, the Plan’s website has information available for those that want to understand what this transition means.
It’s easy for employees to stay updated on the TPA transition and all Plan-related news on the Plan’s website, in the Plan’s monthly e-newsletter and on Facebook.
To ensure employees receive announcements and messages about this change they should:
- Make sure their correct mailing address, email address and phone number are in eBenefits, the Plan’s enrollment system. To access eBenefits, visit the Plan’s website at www.shpnc.org.
- Make sure their employer has the correct address, as well. If you have retirees, their personal information needs to be current in ORBIT and eBenefits as the two systems do not coordinate.
- Sign up for the Plan’s monthly e-newsletter, Member Focus, on the Plan’s website at www.shpnc.org.
- Follow the State Health Plan on Facebook! Visit Facebook.com/SHPNC.
New W-9? No need!
Retirement plans are not required to fill out the form (and are exempt), given the plans are not service providers and are not included as a reportable entity under the IRS rules for 1099 reporting.