Employees
Workers CompRetireesPlan to Retire?

  • Planning to Retire?

     

    Are you considering retirement? You’ve worked hard for years, and we appreciate your service, but now you may be ready to move into retirement—whatever that means for you. Maybe you have travel plans, are going to explore a new venture, or spend time with family -  no matter what you choose to do; we wish you happiness and health in your next chapter! 

     

    Thank you

     

     

    Download a helpful checklist here that highlights important steps to take and topics to consider as you move through the retirement process.

    BTF & BCSA MEMBERS - PLEASE BE ADVISED YOU MUST HAVE A 403B SET UP FOR ANY TERMINATION PAY TO BE DEPOSITED. THIS IS CONTRACTUAL.

     

    Please note the following contractual deadlines:

     

    1.  BTF 60-day notice - for retirement effective 6/24/23, your letter must be received in HR by 4/25/23

    2.  BCSA 90-day notice - for 6/24/23 retirement, your letter must be received by 3/26/23; for 8/26/23 retirement, your letter must be received by 5/28/23

    3.  PCTEA 30-day courtesy notice - for 6/24/23 retirement, letter received by 5/25/23; for 7/29/23 retirement, letter received by 6/30/23

     

    Once you have determined your official retirement date with the NYS Retirement System, you must notify Human Resources.  

    Use the electronic forms below or email your retirement notice letter, specifying your date of retirement: HRWageandSalary@buffaloschools.org.  Any further copies you send are informational only for other recipients.

     

    RETIREMENT FORMS

     

    For BCSA members

    Use this link to submit your retirement letter

     

     

     

    For BTF members

    Use this format if you have not made a final decision and your 58th birthday is approaching.

     

    Use this format when the decision is definite and you wish to apply for the Early Retirement Inactive and/or Termination Compensation

     

    Use this format if you are not eligible for the ERI or payments for accrued sick time but are eligible for retiree health insurance.

     

     

     

    For Civil Service/Classified Staff (BEST, L264, L409, PCTEA)

     

    Use this link to submit your retirement letter.

     

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    Next Steps

    1. Once your years of service (YOS) have been verified by the Wages and Salary office, a copy of your letter will be sent to the Benefits Office. A customized Retirement Packet will be mailed to you which will guide you through the necessary steps to establish retiree benefits. 
    2. Please use this Frequently Asked Questions document to learn more about:
      • Dental and Vision Benefits
      • Effective Date Timing
      • Flexible Spending Accounts
      • Life Insurance & Pre-Decease Dependents
      • Medicare Parts A&B
      • Waiver Program

     

    Please refer to the charts below for help in making these important decisions.

    Every union has different requirements to qualify for lifetime retiree health insurance.

     

    BCSA
    Yrs. Required Quarterly Contributions*

     

    17 Years - All with BBOE

    Administrators hired by the District after July 1, 2023, are not eligible for health insurance in retirement.

     

    Effective 07/01/2019

     

    Retiree contributions are the same percentage of the premium as when active.

    Employees hired after July 1, 2023, shall have the option, at their discretion, of purchasing a District Health Insurance Plan 

    by utilizing any early retirement incentive monies and the amount obtained by selling back up to 120 sick days

    at the ratio of 1 for 1 (1:1) to pay for district-sponsored group health insurance at 100% of the cost to the employee.
    Effective 9/20/17, when a member and/or their dependents, including spouses, becomes Medicare eligible, the individual must enroll in the Forever Blue Advantage Plan. If the retiree or a family member is not yet eligible, they remain in the existing plan. Contributions continue.

     

    BTF
    Yrs. Required Quarterly Contributions
     15 Years - All with BBOE

    (effective 7/1/18)

    Single:  $162.50

    Family:  $375.00

     

    Local 264 (Service Center and Cook Managers)
    Yrs. Required Quarterly Contributions*
    Hired Prior to 1/1/03: 15 Years (City & BMHA counts)


    Hired After1/1/03: 15 Years -  All with BBOE

    Cook Managers Hired after July 1, 2020, and Service Center employees hired after October 1, 2021, are not eligible for health insurance in retirement.

     

     

     

    Single:  $100.00

     

    Family: $175.00

    *When a member, and/or their dependents, including spouses, becomes Medicare eligible, the individual must enroll in the Forever Blue Advantage Plan.   

    Cook Manager retirees who retire on or before July 1, 2021, and Service Center retirees who retire on or before July 1, 2023 are not required to contribute toward the Forever Blue Advantage Plan. 

    Cook Manager retirees that retire after July 1, 2021 (who are eligible for retiree health care) and Service Center retirees that retire after July 1, 2023 (who are eligible for retiree health care)  will be required to contribute $200 per year per participant toward the Forever Blue Advantage Plan. 

    If the retiree or a family member is not yet eligible, they remain in the existing plan and the retiree will be responsible for the applicable contribution.

     

    Local 409
    Yrs. Required Quarterly Contributions
    17 Years 

    Hired Prior to 6/30/03 - 10 of 17 years with BBOE


    Hired After 6/30/03 - All 17 years with BBOE

     

    Single:  $125.00


    Family: $250.00

     

     

    PCTEA
    Yrs. Required Quarterly Contributions*

     

    Hired Prior to 7/1/98: 10 Years (City counts)


    Hired After 7/1/98: 15 Years (City counts)

     

    Newly hired employees hired into a position covered by the PCTEA contract for the first time after July 1, 2020, are not eligible for health insurance in retirement unless their immediate employment is from a bargaining unit associated with BPS or COB/Agency/Authority that has retiree benefits at their time of hire.

    Less than Grade 15
    Single:  $100.00
    Family: $175.00

    Grade 15 or Higher
    Single:  $150.00
    Family: $250.00

     

    Employees hired after July 1, 2020, shall have the option, at their discretion, of purchasing a District Health Insurance Plan

    by utilizing the amount obtained by cashing out all of his/her sick days at the ratio of 1 for 2 (1:2) to pay for District

    health insurance at 100% of the cost to the employee.

    *When a member becomes Medicare eligible, the individual must enroll in the Forever Blue Plan. 

    PCTEA members who retire on or before July 1, 2021 are not required to contribute toward the Forever Blue Advantage Plan. 

    PCTEA Member retirees that retire after July 1, 2021 (who are eligible for retiree health care) will be required to contribute $200 per year per participant toward the Forever Blue Advantage Plan. 

    If the retiree or a family member is not yet eligible, they remain in the existing plan and the retiree will be responsible for the applicable contribution.

     

    BEST

    Yrs. Required

    Quarterly Contributions*

    13 years of Active service with BBOE

     

     

    Newly hired employees hired into a position covered by the BEST contract for the first time after July 1, 2021, are not eligible for health insurance in retirement.

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Single:  $68.75

     

     

    Family: $137.50

    *When a member, and/or their dependents, including spouses, becomes Medicare eligible, the individual must enroll in the Medicare Advantage Plan. 

     

     If the retiree or a family member is not yet eligible, they remain in the existing plan and the retiree will be responsible for the applicable contribution.