APP 5-01: Recall for Academic Appointees

Academic appointees who have retired from the university may be recalled to active service, for a term appointment.  Recall may be for teaching, research and/or administrative service.  A minimum 30-day break in service after the date of retirement is required before a recall appointment begins.  Recall appointments are approved for only one year at a time and are self-terminating.  In cases where an academic is engaged in a long-term research project with secure funding, multi-year appointments will be considered.  Recall appointments may not exceed a total of 43 percent time per month, inclusive of all recall appointments at any UC campus.

Individuals who retire from the following titles are ineligible for recall under this policy:

1. Clinical Professor-Volunteer series (see APM 279-20 regarding reappointment and non-renewal in this series);
2. Paid staff;
3. Senior Management Group without a concurrent academic appointment.

Recall appointments may not exceed a total of 43 percent time per month, inclusive of all recall appointments at any UC campus.

1. Teaching – Recalls for teaching must be established on a percentage basis.  The pay rate should match the salary and step at the time of retirement, range adjusted to the current scale.
2. Research – Recalls for research must be established on a percentage basis to ensure appropriate effort reporting.  The pay rate should match the salary and step at the time of retirement, range adjusted to the current scale.
3. Administration – Administrative recalls, as described in APM-240–241 and –246, for a term of one year or less subject to renewal on an annual basis, are established on a percentage basis.

1. Rate of Salary
   1. Academic appointees may be recalled to a compensated or a non-compensated appointment.  Compensated appointments should be percentage-based.  The maximum salary rate for recall appointments (teaching, research, or other non-administrative duties) is the individual’s annual base salary rate (including any off-scale) for the academic position held at the time of retirement, range adjusted forward.
2. Rate of Salary for Faculty Retired from a Health Sciences School
   1. For faculty who were appointed in a Health Sciences school at the time of their retirement, membership in the Health Sciences Compensation Plan (“HSCP”) as a recalled academic appointee is determined by the HSCP salary structure. Retired academic appointees recalled to base salary appointments, but not as members of the HSCP, are not eligible to receive additional compensation, but have no limitation on remuneration from outside professional activities. Base salary is defined as the faculty members’ base salary (HSCP Academic Programmatic Unit (“APU”) Salary Scale X and X’) at the time of retirement, range adjusted forward.
   2. Retired faculty members who are recalled at a salary rate greater than base salary (X, X’ plus Y and/or Z), regardless of percentage effort, are required to be members of the HSCP. As members of the HSCP, all of the terms and conditions of the HSCP apply.
   3. Patient care activities must be provided within the University setting, or as part of an approved affiliation agreement or professional service agreement. All clinical income is due to the Plan. In no case will Plan participants be allowed to retain income from patient care activities. All outside compensated professional activities must be reported annually.
3. NIH Funding Guidelines for School of Medicine:
   1. Faculty recalled for research, with NIH funding as the sole funding source, may be recalled at the capped NIH rate only.  If supplemental funding is available, the faculty member may supplement the NIH monthly capped rate up to the faculty’s X + X’ monthly recall rate.  Supplementation of NIH capped salaries may be made only from available non-federal or non-state funding sources.
4. NIH Funding Guidelines for General Campus:
   1. Faculty recalled for research, with NIH funding as the sole funding source, may be recalled at the capped NIH rate only.  If supplemental funding is available, the faculty member may supplement the NIH monthly capped rate up to the faculty member’s monthly recall rate.  Supplementation of NIH capped salaries may be made only from available non-federal or non-state funding sources.
5. There are two options for the retired members of the HSCP:
   1. The faculty can return as a recall faculty that is a member of the HSCP, and will be eligible for a X, X’, Y, and Z.  All policies that apply to HSCP members will apply, including the policies regarding billing and all outside income that must be reported.
   2. The faculty can return as a non-member of the comp plan.  Their salary will be at the X+X’ rate that was in place at the time of their retirement, and they will NOT be eligible for additional compensation (e.g., Y or Z components).
6. Salary Increases
   1. Recalled academic appointees are not eligible for merit or promotion salary increases

1. Academic Deans have approval authority for standard academic recall requests.
2. Any appointment in excess of 43 percent time per month, inclusive of all recall appointments at any UC campus (any Summer Session recall appointment), will require approval from Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost in accordance with University policy.

1. Recalled Academic
   1. Disclose all UC recall appointments to home department and any other appointing departments/campuses to ensure recall appointment does not exceed a total of 43 percent time per month, inclusive of all recall appointments at any UC campus.
   2. Contact the Benefits office if there is any question regarding the effect of the recall on retirement benefits.
   3. Acknowledge and sign UCI Academic Recall Appointment form.
2. Home Department
   1. Advise academic regarding recall process and assist with benefits issues/concerns.
   2. Verify academic’s recall status (check for other appointments).
   3. Complete and submit UCI Academic Recall Appointment form for Chair’s approval.
   4. Forward UCI Academic Recall Appointment form to Dean’s office for approval.
   5. Enter approved recall appointment in PPS after Dean’s signature or Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost approval signature for exceptional approvals.
   6. Review PAN to ensure payroll action reflects approved recall appointment.
3. Appointment Department (if not Home Department)
   1. For recalled faculty whose home department is not the one that is requesting the recall, the hiring department must notify the home department (via email or concurrence on recall request).
   2. Complete and submit UCI Academic Recall Appointment form for Chair’s approval.
   3. Forward UCI Academic Recall Appointment form to Dean’s office for approval.
   4. Enter approved recall appointment in PPS after Dean’s signature or Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost signature for exceptional approvals.
   5. Review PAN to ensure payroll action reflects approved recall appointment.
4. School Dean’s Office
   1. Provide policy and procedure guidance to departments.
   2. Obtain dean’s signature on the UCI Academic recall Appointment form.
   3. Send a copy of completed form to Office of Academic Personnel.  If it requires exceptional approval, forward the original to the Office of Academic Personnel for Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost approval.
   4. Ensure appointment is entered in PPS and review PAN to ensure payroll action reflects approved recall appointment.
5. Office of Academic Personnel
   1. Provide policy and procedure guidance to Schools.
   2. Post audit recall appointments and PPS entries.
   3. For exceptional approval, Office of Academic Personnel will obtain Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost signature and return to Dean’s office after approval.

1. Pre-Retirement Recall Agreements
   1. Campus administrators may only make a pre-retirement recall agreement with academic appointees age 60 or older and who have five years of service credit (“UCRP normal retirement age”).  Campus administrators may not discuss recall appointments with academic appointees who have not reached the UCRP normal retirement age.
   2. Such an agreement may provide for a recall term of up to three academic years, with the possibility of annual renewal thereafter.
2. Length of Recall Appointments
   1. Recall appointments are term appointments for a specific period of time and expire on the end date with no further notice required.
   2. Recall appointments are normally one year or less.
3. Early Termination
   1. If the terms and conditions of the recall agreement are no longer applicable, the University may terminate a recall contract prior to the specified end date with a minimum of 30 days notice, or pay-in-lieu of notice for those who are compensated

1. Faculty who are recalled for Summer Session might have their teaching and/or research appointment affected during the academic year.
2. Summer Session will continue to be paid as a flat rate amount.
3. Compensation for Summer Session will require approval from Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost in accordance with University policy.

If a department proposes to recall an academic who retired from another UC campus, the department should notify the home campus of the proposed appointment and obtain the necessary information.  Coordination between campuses is imperative to ensure that the recall appointment does not exceed a total of 43 percent time per month, inclusive of all recall appointments at any UC campus.

Due to planned changes to UC’s eligibility policy regarding health and welfare benefits for rehired staff retirees and recalled academic appointees (per APM – 205) enrolled in UC retiree medical plans, UC will require certain rehired retirees and recalled academic appointees to change their medical plan upon re-employment with UC. Faculty  who are planning for retirement are encouraged to contact their department to ensure individualized support and resources are provided to plan for both pre-retirement and post-retirement activities.

Retirees rehired or recalled July 1, 2025, or later, who meet eligibility criteria for medical benefits upon re-employment, will have their UC retiree medical plan suspended and be offered Mid-level faculty/staff coverage (rather than Core). Rehired retirees and recalled academic appointees who are offered Mid-level faculty/staff coverage will be provided a 31-day Period of Initial Eligibility (PIE) to enroll in their choice of faculty/staff medical plans. For an explanation of Mid-level faculty/staff coverage see FAQ 9 of the FAQs for Current and Prospective Retirees.

The policy changes apply to all rehired staff retirees and recalled academic appointees (“rehired retirees”), whether or not they are eligible for Medicare, except:

• Rehired retirees who are ineligible for UC’s retiree health benefits, including those who elected to take a lump sum cash out of their UCRP benefits
• Reinstated employees (retirees who are rehired into a UCRP-eligible position and suspend retirement)
• Rehired retirees who are ineligible for faculty/staff benefits, including those who
• are rehired at less than 43.75% and have been separated for greater than 26 weeks; or
• were ineligible for faculty/staff benefits prior to separation; or
• are reappointed into a without salary job type
  • Please note: A Without Salary (WOS) job type is defined in UCPath, for this purpose, by having a job code with “WOS” in the job title description (e.g., Emeritus WOS). A zero FTE (0%) appointment is not equivalent to a WOS job code for this purpose. Having a WOS pay group assignment is not equivalent to having a WOS job code for this purpose. Only WOS job codes are, by definition, ineligible for Faculty/Staff benefits. Zero FTE appointments in non-WOS job codes and appointments within the WOS pay group are subject to the terms of the rehired retiree benefits eligibility policy.

Retirees re-employed prior to July 1, 2025, will have their benefits eligibility evaluated by UCPath when their appointment is next renewed, extended or changed, after July 1, 2025.

Note that some rehired retirees may not be eligible for Faculty/Staff Benefits at the time of rehire but may later become eligible due to changes in their appointment or worked hours (see FAQ 7 of the FAQS for Current and Prospective Retirees).

• Rehired retirees who are offered a UC faculty/staff medical plan will not have the option to remain enrolled in a UC retiree medical plan. Enrollment in a UC retiree medical plan will be suspended.
• See the FAQs for Current and Prospective Retirees for important steps to take when a UC retiree medical plan is suspended.

• Recalled academic appointees and rehired retirees are free to accept or decline the offer of faculty/staff coverage (see FAQ 10 of the FAQs for Current and Prospective Retirees). If they wish to enroll, they will be able to choose from any available faculty/staff medical plan for which they are eligible (for example, if in a UC Medicare plan, they are not limited to the partner plan of their Medicare plan).

• Upon future loss of eligibility for faculty/staff benefits (due to termination of employment or failure to meet the federally mandated average weekly hours of service during the annual measurement period), rehired retirees may re-enroll in the medical plan of their choice under the UC retiree health program.

• Recall appointments are limited to a total of 43 percent time per month, inclusive of all recall appointments (see APM – 205). Recall academic appointees should also consider the earnings received through all UC appointments from any UC location, including service paid through additional or one-time payments (e.g., honorarium) and the potential impact to the annual eligibility determination. See FAQ 8 ofthe FAQs for Current and Prospective Retireesfor more information regarding the impacts of reported hours in the annual eligibility determination.

UC has resources to help you with questions you may have about returning to UC employment after retirement and the timing of that decision:

For answers to common questions regarding the changes to policy and their impact to rehired retirees and recalled academics, see the FAQs for Current and Prospective Retirees.

For questions regarding retirement benefits, contact RASC at 1-800-888-8267, Monday–Friday, 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., PT, or visit rasc.universityofcalifornia.edu to schedule an appointment with a retirement counselor.