USFA members over the age of 55, should they wish, have the right to participate in a Reduced Appointment Retirement Plan (RARP), which is a way to work less than full time (between 80% and 50%) before retiring. A RARP must have a duration of 12 months and can be as long as 36 months. 

There are two significant changes to RARP provisions in the 2017-2022 Collective Agreement (Article 24.5). One is the time frame for providing notice that you would like a RARP. The other is new financial incentives to have a RARP of either 12 or 24 months duration, rather than 36 months. 

You now need to notify your Department Head, Dean and the Association, at least three months before your desired start date of a RARP, rather than at least six months. There is also now explicit language that allows the notice time frame to be less than three months, on mutual agreement. 

If your plans were for a 12-month RARP, you would be entitled to a financial incentive of 50% of your salary reduction as either a top up to your actual salary or as research funding. For example, if you decided to have a 12-month RARP at 50% of full time, your actual salary would be 50% of your full time salary and the financial incentive you would receive would be 50% of one-half of your full time salary. 

If your plans were for a 24-month RARP, in each year of your RARP, you would be entitled to a financial incentive of 20% of your salary reduction as either a top up to your actual salary or as research funding. For example, if you decided to have a 24-month RARP at 50% of full time, your actual salary would be 50% of your full time salary and the financial incentive you would receive would be 20% of one-half of your full time salary. 

RARP provisions that are not changing include the stipulations that your pension contributions are based on your full time salary and you are entitled to receive $3,500, in each year of your RARP, for research expenditures.

Assigned duties during a RARP “shall be based on a proportional reduction of previously assigned full-time duties”, unless you and the Employer agree upon something else. 

JCMA reviews every RARP. After JCMA’s review the reduced appointment and end date of the RARP are irrevocable and constitute notice of retirement. However, you may retire before the end of the RARP. 

If you would like to know more about RARP provisions, simply reply to this email and someone will contact you.