Here's What's New!

With summer on the horizon, now is a great time to take advantage of the many Member Education learning opportunities. 

Please take a moment to share the following information with your team members, especially those who may be within five years of retirement.

The road to retirement is an exciting journey and the ASRS is here to help you at every turn. Cruise on over to our Member Education page where you can: 

It’s just about that time of year again!  Our annual Employer Conferences are just around the corner. The Conference will be held at locations throughout the state - Click Here to find a time and date most convenient for you.

ASRS employers often host benefit fairs where employees can learn about the various benefits that may be available to them. The ASRS is often asked to participate and we’re happy to do so.  Employers who would like the ASRS to participate in such events, or come to meet with groups of employees directly, can contact Employer Relations or Member Services. 

Legislation*

The 2018 legislative session adjourned on May 4, 2018.  During this session, the legislature passed two ASRS-initiated bills that impact the agency.  

HB2034 allows the Governor the flexibility to designate any state agency as the State Social Security Administrator, which is charged with reviewing and maintaining § 218 agreements regarding Social Security withholding for all public employers in Arizona.   

The Employer Manual is getting a makeover!  The ASRS relies on its participating employer partners to provide information essential for the efficient operation of the retirement plan.  The Employer Manual is designed to support you with your day-to-day responsibilities related to ASRS membership and provide valuable background material to assist with the many processes involved, including:

In the last Employer Update we notified employers that new online functionality is coming to the secure website in late August 2018.  Here are some details about the new functionality and how it will affect employer responsibilities.

Three new application roles will be added to the secure employer website effective August 29, 2018.

PDA and Term Pay Specialist 

Recently, the ASRS emailed employers letting them know that the new administrative rule on compensation will expire mid-June (click here to read the initial notice). Employers were advised to operate as if the rule never existed and follow the previously established written guidance from the ASRS, by continuing to remit contributions on non-accountable allowances and mandatory payouts of accrued leave that are not due to termination.

In 2017, ASRS notified employers by newsletter, website, and employer meetings that a new administrative rule (A.A.C. R2-8-902) would become effective January 1, 2018, to codify what is considered compensation for ASRS purposes in support of statute A.R.S. § 38-711 (7). ASRS then received and listened to feedback and suggestions from its employer community.

It’s Retirement Season: Make Sure You’re Ready

A comment we’ve frequently heard from our members when they are ready to begin the retirement process is that they wish they’d known more and started preparing sooner. Don’t let that be you! Whether it’s three years down the road, or six months, there are steps to take right now to make sure you’re ready for your retirement.

Three Years Before Retirement