M&P and Command Staff Retirement Incentive Program

The M&P and Command Staff Retirement Incentive Plan is a one-time, voluntary program that provides eligible employees with a healthcare supplement and two weeks of pay for every year of vesting service for a maximum of 40 weeks.

You may be eligible if you meet the following criteria:

• M&P staff: Are minimum age of 55 and age plus years of vesting service equal 75 or more by April 30, 2026, or are age 65 or older and have at least 5 years of vesting service by April 30, 2026*.
• Command staff: Are minimum age of 50 and age plus years of vesting service equal 70 or more by April 30, 2026.* 
  *Please note you cannot retire prior to your retirement eligibility date.
• Elect the M&P and Command Staff Retirement Incentive between November 1 – December 31, 2025

Eligible employees have been notified by email regarding the program.

If you have signed a phased retirement agreement but have not yet started, you are eligible to opt into the plan.

If you are currently in phased retirement with a retirement date that falls on or after February 1, 2026, and on or before April 30, 2026, you are eligible to opt in, and your retirement date will remain unchanged.

If you are currently in phased retirement and your retirement date is after April 30, 2026, it will be adjusted to April 30, 2026.

If you choose to transition to the Plan, your incentive payment will be reduced based on the benefits you receive during your phased retirement arrangement. This adjustment will not be reflected in the online retirement incentive estimator.

No. This program is entirely voluntary. We encourage you to review the information carefully and make the decision that is best for you.

The lump sum payment will be processed through payroll and paid to you no later than 30 days after the effective date of your retirement agreement.

The M&P Retirement Incentive Program provides two lump sum payments.

The first payment is the Retirement Incentive, which is equal to two weeks’ salary for each full year of vesting service, up to a maximum of 40 weeks. For this purpose, salary is defined as your base pay as of your termination date, excluding overtime, supplements, differentials, allowances, or other adjustments.

The second payment is the Retiree Health Supplement. The university recognizes that the cost of health care might be an obstacle to some employees who would like to take advantage of the Program. The cost of retiree health care is primarily based on two factors: whether or not you are eligible for Medicare, and how many people you cover. As a result, in addition to the Retirement Incentive, you will also receive a payment equal to your full years of vesting service times two, capped at 40, multiplied by a factor that is based whether you will be under or over age 65 as of your retirement date, and your medical plan coverage tier as of October 1, 2025.

Coverage Tier Elected in Employee Medical Plan as of Oct. 1, 2025

No, the determination of the retiree health supplement will be made based on two factors: your “coverage tier” as of Oct. 1, 2025, and whether or not you will be over age 65 as of your retirement date.

Your “coverage tier” determines which family members, if any, you choose to cover in the plan. So, unless you waived coverage in the university employee medical plan, your coverage tier is Employee Only, Employee + Spouse, Employee + Children, or Family.

Some employees choose to obtain health insurance from another source, such as their spouse’s employer, and opt out of the university health plan. Those employees are said to “waive” their university coverage.

The retiree health supplement is based on average premiums for the most popular retiree health plans offered by the university, and is further increased because the supplement, unlike your current employee health plan premium, is subject to income tax.

Retiree health costs vary significantly based on two factors: whether or not you are eligible for Medicare, and how many people you cover—so the supplement also varies based on these factors.

We are using age 65 to represent Medicare eligibility, since that’s the determining factor for the vast majority of our retirees.

Your “coverage tier” determines which family members, if any, you choose to cover in the plan. So, your coverage tier is Employee Only, Employee + Spouse, Employee + Children, or Family.

No. The retiree health supplement is a payment intended to help defray the cost of retiree medical care; it is not intended to offset any specific individual’s premium in any particular plan.

Yes, 100% of your accrued unused PTO will be paid out and 50% of your accrued unused sick time will be paid out in your final paycheck.

Your PTO and Sick time Payment may be eligible for deferral to your 403(b) or 457(b) with TIAA (amount not to exceed 75% of final eligible pay).

No, the payment is not eligible for employee or employer contributions to the 403(b).

Yes. The incentive as well as the health supplement and PTO and sick payouts are considered taxable income.

Employees who elect the M&P and Command Staff Retirement Incentive will be officially retired from the university. It is important to note that if you opt into the program, you will not be eligible to return to work at the university as a regular employee. Should a business unit have an operational need for you to potentially return, they must wait a minimum of 30 days before discussing this with you and processing a potential return to the university as a retiree casual.

To explore your options:

• Access the retirement estimator.
• Use the Yale Retirement Counseling Navigator to request rates, confirm eligibility, and register for the retirement session that is right for you.
• Additional support is available if you need help after attending these sessions.

The M&P and Command Staff Retirement Incentive election is available only during the designated retirement window (November 1 – December 31, 2025). Please review the materials as soon as possible, attend an information session, and connect with Employee Services at employee.services@yale.edu if you need additional support.

Eligible employees who wish to participate in the M&P and Command Staff Retirement Incentive Plan must submit a signed Incentive Plan Election Form during the election period.

Signed election forms must be received no earlier than November 1, 2025 and no later than December 31, 2025.

The Incentive Plan Election Form is available to eligible employees on this M&P and Command Staff Retirement Incentive webpage under Election documents.

You may revoke your election to retire in accordance with the terms of the Incentive Plan, but only if you do so within seven (7) days of signing the Incentive Plan Election Form.

To revoke your election, you must do so in writing by sending an email to employee.services@yale.edu. Use the subject line: “Revoke Incentive Plan Election.”

If you do not revoke your election within this 7-day period, you are agreeing to retire on the Planned Retirement Date that you select below, or on such other Retirement Date as may be specified by the University under the terms and conditions specified in the Incentive Plan. Please note that such other Retirement Date shall be no earlier than your Planned Retirement Date and no later than June 30, 2026.

The Incentive Plan does not involve an approval process. This means no eligible staff member will be denied the right to participate in the Incentive Plan, so long as they meet the eligibility criteria, they submit the required paperwork, and they retire, pursuant to the terms of the Incentive Plan. The University may specify a retirement date that is after the retirement date you selected and is on or before June 30, 2026. You will receive a notification from HR in mid-January 2026 that confirms your retirement date.

If you cannot find the email with the Incentive Plan Election Form to be electronically signed through DocuSign, please contact employee.services@yale.edu. Use the subject line: “Incentive Plan Election Form.”

If you do not wish to elect the incentive plan, and have not signed the Incentive Plan Election Form by December 31, 2025, you will not be participating in the Incentive Plan and will not be eligible for any of the benefits under the Incentive Plan.

If you still have questions after attending an information session, please contact Employee Services at employee.services@yale.edu or call 203-432-5552. Your Retirement Support Team will be happy to assist you.