$1000 Payment for Early Notification of Retirement

Through a union negotiated agreement, the District is offering a $1000 one-time payment for early notifications of retirement submitted on or before January 15, 2024. If you’re considering retiring at the end of this year, you’ll want to pay attention to this agreement; however, if retirement isn’t part of your plans at the end of this year, you can disregard this agreement.

• EARLY NOTIFICATION PAYMENT: This early notification payment will be given to anyone who submits their resignation/retirement notice by January 15, 2024, AND whose retirement date will fall between June 7, 2024, and June 30, 2024. The updated agreement now also allows a retirement date of July 12, 2024 for unit members who work the 2024 summer school session if their retirement form is submitted by January 15, 2024.
• AMOUNT/TIMING: The incentive, set at one thousand dollars ($1,000) as a lump sum (minus applicable taxes and withholdings), aims to encourage early retirement notifications for better staffing management districtwide. Eligible participating unit members will receive their payment no later than February 29, 2024.
• IS THIS A RETIREMENT INCENTIVE? This is not a retirement incentive; instead, it aims to encourage early notification of impending retirement among SDEA unit members. The goal is to prevent unnecessary staff excessing at schools in the spring and facilitate better planning for SDUSD’s hiring needs for the next school year.
• IS THERE A RETIREMENT INCENTIVE THIS YEAR? No, the District won’t offer a retirement incentive in the 2023-2024 fiscal year. The payment in this agreement is specifically for those planning to retire at the end of this school year, aiming to encourage early notification rather than serving as an incentive for retirement itself.
• WHY ISN’T THE DISTRICT PROVIDING A DISTINCT RETIREMENT INCENTIVE THIS YEAR, LIKE THE INCENTIVES OFFERED PREVIOUSLY? The preceding retirement incentive spanned a five-year period from October 2020, and the district is still fulfilling financial commitments from that incentive. Additionally, considering the existing shortage in various job categories, actively encouraging retirements during the 2023-2024 fiscal year—or even within the next two years—would not be advisable. That is why this agreement merely seeks to incentivize notification of retirement by those members who are already committed to retiring at the end of this school year.
• WHAT IS THE PROCESS FOR APPLYING FOR THIS PAYMENT? In order to receive the one-time payment, eligible employees must complete and submit the retirement notification form to Human Resources by the close of business on January 15, 2024. The retirement notification form is located on the HR website and the completed form must be returned via email to hrdocuments@sandi.net.
• For questions or assistance with the retirement process, please contact your Human Resources Officer.

For those planning to retire this year, reviewing the details of this agreement is encouraged. The terms are straightforward, and eligible unit members can claim the incentive by submitting their retirement notification by the specified deadline.