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  Implementation Q: How does an agency develop a Retirement Incentive Plan (RIP) for its employees? A: An agency must develop its RIP based upon the guidelines approved by the Budget and Control Board. All components of the approved guidelines serve as the minimum requirements for the agency's RIP. A sample plan is available through the OHR website to assist agencies in developing a RIP. Q: When an agency is consulting with the Office of Human Resources (OHR) to implement the RIP, what should the agency submit for review? A: Documentation to be submitted to OHR is as follows: Participation Eligibility Q: Who is eligible to participate in the RIP? A: According to the guidelines, the following employees are eligible to participate in the RIP: The guidelines exclude employees who are currently participating in the TERI program. In accordance with RIP guidelines, agency heads make the final decision concerning which employees are eligible to participate. Q: Can an agency require an employee to participate in the RIP? A: Participation in the RIP is voluntary. Reemployment After RIP Q: Can an employee return to an FTE position after participating in the agency's RIP? A: A participating employee cannot return to an FTE position with the agency for two years from the date of separation; however, a participating employee may be employed with another agency in an FTE position after a period of no less than 15 calendar days from separation. Q: Can an employee who participates in the RIP return to his former agency or another agency in State Government in a temporary, temporary grant or time-limited project position? A: An employee can return to a temporary, temporary grant, or time-limited project position. An employee retiring from State Government must wait for a period of no less than 15 calendar days before returning to employment with the State. Incentives Q: Is there a maximum amount of service credit that an agency can purchase for an employee participating in the RIP? A: The cost of service credit purchased may not exceed the employee's annual salary. Q: What kind of service credit may be purchased by an agency? A: An agency may purchase for an employee service credit with the South Carolina Retirement Systems (SCRS) for "qualified" or "non-qualified" service. Q: As a part of the RIP, can an agency pay to convert service credit earned under the South Carolina Retirement Systems (SCRS) to service credit in the Police Officers Retirement Systems (PORS)? A: An agency may allow in its RIP for the conversion of SCRS service credit to PORS service credit. An agency, however, may only pay the cost to convert up to five years of SCRS earned service credit to PORS service credit. The cost of conversion may not exceed the employee's annual salary. Q: Does an employee participating in the RIP forfeit all unused annual and sick leave? A: Upon separation a participating employee will receive payment for any unused annual leave balance as provided in the State Human Resources Regulations. Upon retirement from State Government, an employee is eligible to receive service credit for up to 90 days of unused sick leave; however, any remaining unused sick leave will be forfeited. Consideration to Participate Q: How much time must an agency allow an employee to consider participation in the RIP? A: In accordance with the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and the Older Workers' Benefit Protection Act, an employee must be offered 45 calendar days from the date the employee receives notification of the RIP to consider participation. An individual employee may waive the 45-day period. Q: Once the employee signs the RIP agreement and release, can the employee rescind the agreement and decide not to participate? A: In accordance with the Age Discrimination in Employment Act and the Older Workers' Benefit Protection Act, an employee has seven calendar days from the date of executing the agreement and release to rescind his decision to participate. An individual employee may not waive the seven-day period. FTE Deletion Q: Is the agency required to delete the FTE position after it has been vacated by an employee participating in the RIP? A: The agency is not required to delete the FTE position after the participating employee has vacated the position. Cost Savings Demonstration and Reporting Requirement Q: Within what time period must an agency demonstrate cost savings? A: The agency must be able to demonstrate an overall cost savings within two fiscal years beginning with the fiscal year in which the RIP was implemented. Q: What information should the agency provide to demonstrate cost savings? A: The Office of Human Resources has provided the Retirement Incentive Plan Reporting Forms to assist an agency in providing the necessary information. The forms are available on the OHR website. Q: Are there any reporting requirements after an agency implements the RIP? A: An agency is required to report the results of the RIP to the Budget and Control Board following the effective date of implementation. The Office of Human Resources has provided two forms to assist an agency in reporting the required information. Grievance Rights Q: Is the exclusion of an employee or classification from participation in the agency's RIP a grievable or appealable action? A: Exclusion from participation is not a grievable or appealable action. Agency heads make the final decision based on fair and objective criteria concerning which employees are eligible to participate in the RIP.
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