Office of Faculty Affairs

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The FERP program is available to tenured faculty members, tenured librarians and tenured Employees wishing to enter FERP must be at least 55 years of age and eligible for a service retirement.
  • The current duration limit for FERP employment is five (5) years.
  • FERP participation shall commence at the beginning of the campus year, although active employment may begin in any semester of the year, subject to agreement of the participant, Department Chair and
  • A tenured faculty member retiring after the start of the fall semester is eligible to begin FERP effective with the following academic year.
  • Eligible participants must apply for a service retirement which begins concurrently with or prior to the beginning of the campus academic year. Please note that the faculty member must separately apply for FERP with the University, and for service retirement with CalPERS.

  • The period of employment during each campus academic year shall be based on the needs of the department and must be approved by the Dean and the Provost, and specified in an appointment letter to the participant.
  • The period of employment may be one academic term (not to exceed 90 workdays), or fifty percent (50%) of the employee’s regular time base in the year preceding retirement. In general, this translates to one semester at full-time or two (2) semesters at half-time. Upon approval by the Dean and the Provost, the 50% time base may be spread over two (2) semesters. For example, 15 WTU (50% of 30 WTU) may be spread out over two (2) semesters at 7.5 WTU for each semester.
  • The total employment of a FERP participant may not exceed 50% of the regular time base in the year preceding retirement. Thus, a faculty member whose FERP appointment is half-time for two semesters may not accept any additional employment with the CSU or its auxiliaries.
  • A FERP participant who was in the Pre-Retirement Reduction in Time Base (PRTB) program immediately prior to retirement and who elects the FERP employment option of 50% of the regular time base in the year preceding retirement, would be limited to 50% of the PRTB time base as a FERP participant. For example, if a FERP participant was working half-time as a PRTB employee at the time of retirement, then s/he would be eligible for FERP employment at 25%.

  • FERP employment is at the same rank and salary of the participant in the academic year or fiscal year immediately prior to retirement. Unless otherwise specified in the CBA, FERP participants remain eligible for salary increases such as GSIs (General Salary Increases) and SSIs (Service Salary Increases).
  • A FERP participant may request a change in term of employment (for example, from full-time for one semester, to 50% over two semesters), subject to agreement of the Department Chair and Dean, and forwarded to Faculty Affairs. If the request is approved, a revised appointment letter will be provided to the participant.
  • A participant may request a reduction in the time base of the FERP appointment. Any such reduction shall be permanent for the duration of the FERP appointment. A time base reduction below 50% will impact your benefits. Contact the Benefits Office prior to requesting a change.
  • A FERP participant shall be required to perform normal responsibilities and his/her share of normal duties and activities.
  • A participant shall, for the period of active employment, be deemed a tenured faculty employee. Such a participant shall be eligible to serve on governance committees whose assignments are normally completed during the period of employment. Such participants may, with the approval of the Provost, serve on RTP committees.
  • FERP participants are not eligible for promotion or sabbatical/DIP leaves.

  • A participant shall be granted one (1) leave of absence without pay for personal illness for all or part of the period of employment. While such leaves shall not affect future participation in FERP, the year in which a medical leave is taken would count as one of the five (5) years of participation in the program.
  • At the time of service retirement and appointment in FERP, a participant may elect to carry over up to 48 hours of sick leave into the FERP appointment if the participant elects to reduce his/her accumulated sick leave by that amount for service retirement credit. In addition to the sick leave carry over, if any, full-time FERP participants shall continue to accrue eight (8) hours sick leave per qualifying academic pay period or qualifying pay period during the period of employment. Such accrual shall be pro rata for less than full-time participants. A maximum of one hundred and sixty (160) hours of sick leave may be accrued during FERP. At the end of the FERP appointment, any remaining sick leave is forfeited and may not be converted to service credit.