ROADMAP R EHI RE M E N T
YO U A R E HER E
GETTING STA RTED
ONBOARDING
PAY & B ENEFITS
REHIREMENT
RetireRehire A Program of
G ET T ING STA RTED Why is ESI my new employer? ESI was selected by your district’s governing board to be the third-party vendor to provide a win-win solution for you and your district. Your district retains an experienced individual, and you benefit financially by bringing home your pension and ESI paycheck while remaining in the same position at your district.
return-to-work rules, so much of your experience with us is based on their policy. At a minimum, you will work with us for a year in order to satisfy the ASRS requirements. Some district’s policies allow you to return directly to the district after the year, and some districts keep you as an ESI employee for all subsequent years after retirement.
Do I have to pay ESI a fee?
Why can’t I continue to work for my district right after I retire?
No! The district pays ESI a small fee to administer the program.
You have the option to work for your district immediately following retirement. However, you would be limited by the ASRS 20/20 provision of not working more than 20 hours per week for 20 or more weeks in a fiscal year. Working for ESI (a non-ASRS employer) gives you peace of mind and flexibility to work full-time, since the 20/20 provision does not apply and the number of days will not be limited.
How do I know if I’m eligible to participate in the program?
How long do I work for ESI? It depends. The RetireRehire program is an employment collaboration between ESI and your recommending district. We allow each district to design their own
Start by contacting your district’s HR department. They will confirm your eligibility and provide you with next steps to start the path to retirement, which includes contacting ASRS and notifying the district of your intent to retire. We’d also suggest that you review the “Retirement Tool” on the ASRS website to review their rules and statutes. Once you secure a retirement date through ASRS, call us and we will walk you through the steps to become an ESI employee. We recommend starting the onboarding process with ESI 1-2 months prior to your retirement date.
ON BOA RDING What information will ESI need in order to hire me? We’ve worked hard to make this an easy transition for you! To begin employment with ESI, you will need to complete the brief online New Hire Onboarding Process plus provide copies of the required documents requested. A list of these documents will be provided to you during the process. ESI will obtain a background check for employment purposes as defined by the Fair Credit Reporting Act. All ESI employees are required to
provide proof of a valid IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card obtained through the Arizona Department of Public Safety, per ARS 15-512.
Will I receive a contract from ESI? Absolutely! If you will hold a position that requires a contract, ESI will issue one to you. Our contracts are issued electronically, typically within 24-48 hours of you completing the online onboarding process. The district determines your contract start and end dates and other items related to your position (i.e. Salary, PTO, Benefits).
PAY & B ENEF ITS Who determines my salary amount and why is my salary reduced when I work for ESI? You may see a 10, 20 or 30% reduction from your ending salary with the district as determined by your district’s return-to-work policy. It’s a win-win – the salary savings is retained by the district and you continue to work and receive your full pension benefit from ASRS and a salary from ESI!
“I’m so glad that nothing changed for me, I was able to continue working in the school district with no interruptions of any kind!” —Patricia
How will I know my salary or hourly wage amount, and is it negotiable? Your wage information will be included in your contract from ESI. All wages are board-approved and for this reason, we are unable to negotiate salaries with the district. If you would like to know your wage prior to receiving your contract, please contact the district or ESI.
Am I eligible for stipend pay and extra duty pay? Yes! We pay extra duty stipends and coaching stipends as directed by your district. And generally, this amount is paid at the full amount and not reduced like your salary. Be sure to make your district aware of addenda positions you are currently working.
When will I be paid, how often, and in what payment method? You will be paid according to the ESI pay day calendar, which pays on a bi-weekly schedule during the term of your employment contract. It’s important for you to remember that we do not pay a lump sum at the end of the contract year, so if you do not work during the summer months, you will not receive a paycheck from us.
“Through ESI, I was able to continue to teach without having to take a year off – and possibly losing my original teaching position in the process.” —David
Can I sign up for Direct Deposit? You can easily enroll in Direct Deposit during the online onboarding process. It is important to know that your first paycheck with ESI may be a paper check, but all future paychecks will be deposited directly into the account of your choice. You will have the ability to view and print your paystub online through our online employee portal. Prefer a paper check? That’s ok! We offer paper checks too sent to your mailing address.
Will I need to submit a timesheet? It depends. If you are a Classified employee or if you will be working in an hourly supplemental position, then yes. If you are a Certified or Administrative employee, then you will not need to complete a timesheet. Instructions on how to complete and when to submit your timesheet can be found on our website.
Will I still receive paid time off and paid holidays? In most cases, your holiday schedule will continue to mirror your recommending school district’s calendar. And
your district will determine how many paid time off days you will receive. Paid leave is generally non-accruing and can be used for any type of absence. Your recommending school district is responsible for determining your pay amount and structuring the fringe benefits which are applicable to your position (paid time off allotment, performance pay, etc.).
Does a portion of my pay go to ASRS? No! Due to ASRS rules, you cannot receive a pension and be a contributing member at the same time, so when you work with ESI you are no longer a participating ASRS member. The district pays an Alternate Contribution Rate (ACR) on your behalf to ASRS, and that is generally covered by the reduction in your salary with ESI.
Do you offer medical benefits, and will I still be eligible for the health insurance premium benefit? Yes! Most full-time, contracted employees who generally work more than 30 hours per week are eligible for our comprehensive medical plan. The programs meet the Minimum Value and Minimum Essential Coverage requirements as defined by the law. Both medical plans cover illness, injury, prescription drugs, telemedicine and many other health needs. Unfortunately, the ASRS Premium Benefit subsidy does not apply to private insurance plans, so you would not receive this benefit if you enroll in the ESI medical plan.
Who can be covered under the benefit plans? We offer multiple options which include employee only, employee & spouse, employee & child(ren), and family plans. More information regarding plans can be found on our website: https://educationalservicesinc.com/employee-benefits.
RetireRehire Advantages ✓✓Retirees will enjoy an increase in pay of up to 70% ✓✓There will be no change to a retiree’s current position, department or supervisor
✓✓Retirees won’t have any work limitations – no minimum or maximum days required
✓✓Early retiree employees are not limited by state pension rules
Program Examples: John Teacher has worked in the same district for over 32 years of credited service. Now that he’s 53 years old, John has accrued more than enough points to qualify for normal retirement with ASRS. He loves his current school and his principal, and he’s worked his way up to department chair and wants to continue to teach. After researching his options, he realized that the RetireRehire program was a perfect solution for him!
Maria Principal, who is 56 years old, has worked for a few different school districts in Arizona during her 30 years of service in the ASRS system and she is eligible to qualify for normal retirement. She still loves what she does and she wants to continue to mentor the teachers and staff members at her school. She has plans to finally “retire” in five more years, but until then, she wants to continue to work full-time.
John’s ending salary with his district was $54,000 and his last 36 months of average monthly compensation was $4,500. Since John is single and not married, he decides to select the Straight Life Annuity monthly benefit from ASRS because it provides the most money that he could receive per month. In addition to John’s ASRS benefit, his district’s RetireRehire policy allows him to return to work at 80% of his ending salary.
Maria’s ending salary with her district was $74,000 and her last 36 months of average monthly compensation was $6,167. She is happily married and wants her husband to continue to receive a benefit in the event that she passes before him, so she decides to select the Joint & Survivor 100% Annuity monthly benefit from ASRS. In addition to her ASRS benefit, Maria’s district’s RetireRehire policy allows her to return to work at 85% of her ending salary.
Here’s how the RetireRehire program benefits John:
Here’s how the RetireRehire program benefits Maria:
$109,845
$82,945 54% Increase $54,000
District Salary
48% Increase
$43,200
$62,900
ESI
$46,945
ASRS
ESI $74,000
$39,745
ASRS
ASRS Benefit + RetireRehire with ESI
District Salary
ASRS Benefit + RetireRehire with ESI
These income illustrations are estimates and should not be used as actual retirement projections. Please visit the ASRS website to calculate your personalized estimates.
About ESI Started by three educators, ESI is the founder and leader of the return-to-work employee lease back program in Arizona. From a humble beginning of only five teachers in a single elementary district in 1999, ESI has grown to currently serve over 160 Arizona school districts, colleges, cities and towns. As the originators of the return-to-work program, ESI now employs more than 4,000 teachers, administrators, substitutes and classified staff. We’ve amassed unparalleled experience in designing programs that give the employer ultimate control and yet provide a win-win solution for employees.
Questions? E D U C ATION ALS ERVICESI N C. COM
Contact us at 844.614.7784.