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Guidance for Assisting Members

As an employer who interfaces with the ASRS and members, it’s important to understand which processes are your responsibility and when you should point people to us for further assistance. To help clarify, here is an overview of some of the most important employer responsibilities. 

Enrolling Employees: Frequently Encountered Issues

One common error that frequently occurs during the enrollment process of new employees is with members who already have an existing ASRS account and need to enroll with their new employer. They often log into their account first, then attempt to complete enrollment. Note that the instructions do not advise these employees to log in first. The employee should simply click on the "First Time Registering?" link that is located at the bottom of the login screen. Logging into an existing account will bypass the enrollment process.

2022 Employer Conference Details

The Employer Relations Team is excited to host the annual ASRS Employer Conference starting on September 7, 2022, via Google Meet. Based on feedback received from the 2021 Employer Conference, ASRS is trying something different this year: virtual conference days that last from 8:00 a.m to 3:00 p.m. that include breakout sessions on topics relevant to your responsibilities. 

Re-Retirees & Ending Payroll Verification Forms

While most retirees who return to work directly with an ASRS employer wait to do so until they can both work and continue to receive their retirement benefit, there are those who choose to or must suspend their benefit and become contributing members again. When they decide to resume receiving a retirement benefit again, they have to re-retire so their benefit can include the additional service they accrued in their recent employment. 

"Can I Control How My Contributions Are Invested?"

We receive plenty of questions pertaining to ASRS contributions. Most of these questions center on members' desires to manage how their contributions are invested or wanting to contribute a different amount – whether less or more.

The Importance of Correct Pay Types

When completing online contribution reporting, whether it be web-based or file upload, it is important to use the correct pay types when reporting contributions. Understanding and applying the correct pay type helps the ASRS not only identify what compensation should and shouldn’t be included in the calculation of an employee’s pension benefit, it reduces the delay in processing that can result from having to get clarification from the employer.

The 65+ Membership Waiver: Important, Time-Sensitive!

New employees of ASRS employers may be eligible to waive participation in the ASRS, but only if they meet certain criteria.

Reminders for Hiring ASRS Retirees

If an employee is new to your organization, it is important to do some research in order to determine their ASRS eligibility or status. This helps you verify whether the employee is brand new to ASRS, an established member, or a Return to Work (RTW) retiree with ASRS.

NEW: Employer Town Halls

Please keep an eye out for targeted emails and announcements on the Employers webpage for our next outreach endeavor, branded as Employer Town Halls. Much like advisor hours in college, the Employer Relations Team will schedule some dedicated time to be available to their assigned employers. Our liaisons will invite their designated employers to join them in a Google Meet to express any concerns, ask questions and make suggestions for how we can improve our service delivery.

Basics for Employers: A Review

For the first time in two years, the Employer Relations Team presented the ASRS Basics for Employers presentations live. The last two years brought about unprecedented challenges to how we conduct business. The ASRS had to quickly adapt from in-person group meetings to virtual and recorded sessions, and until this May, offered our Basics training exclusively through a series of recorded videos.

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