Edit by LM 4/3/26


Employer Toolkit

Learn about the Employer Toolkit, designed to help employers guide their Defined Contribution Retirement (DCR) members.

Getting Started

Toolkit for Employers: Supporting Newly Hired PERS or TRS Defined Contribution Members

This Toolkit has been designed to help PERS Employers guide current and potential employees to information pertaining to the Defined Contribution plan webpage and Supplemental Annuity plan webpage.

The State of Alaska offers a variety of benefits; however, not all benefits are available to every employer or have been selected by all employers for participation. As the employer, it is your responsibility to build your employee orientation kit based on the specific plans you participate in and the services you offer.

If you are unsure which plan your organization is enrolled in or need guidance, please reach out to your Retirement and Benefits counselor for clarification.

Print the Political Subdivision DCR New Employee Checklist PDF and customize it by selecting the plans you participate in, along with the recommended handouts for DCR employees. Then, locate and print the relevant documents below. Once everything is ready, provide the checklist and documents to the employee.

Plan Documents for Employees

To complete the customization of your new employee packet, please refer to the Political Subdivision DCR New Employee Checklist PDF . From the list below, select and print the forms that apply to your new employee.

Defined Contribution Retirement (DCR) Plan

Supplemental Annuity Plan (SBS-AP)

Deferred Compensation Plan (DCP)

Voluntary Supplemental Benefits (VSBs)

Eligible employees wishing to participate in VSB must elect to enroll within 30 days of hire or during an open enrollment period. Enroll or complete beneficiary designations by going to Benefitfocus website .

VSB options include:

  • Life insurance starting at 10K up to 300K
  • Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D)
  • Short or Long-Term Disability
  • Critical Illness

Political Subdivision Group Health and Life Plan (GHL)

Enroll or complete beneficiary designations by going to Benefitfocus website .

Eligible employees wishing to participate must contact their employer regarding enrollment into the plan.

Disability Benefits for PERS & TRS Plans

Defined Benefit Plan Occupational and Non-Occupational Disability

Disability benefits are provided through the PERS (occupational and non-occupational) and TRS Defined Benefits (DB) Plans if an employee becomes totally and presumably permanently disabled.

The benefit will provide:

  • PERS occupational is 40% of the DB employee’s active compensation at termination due to disability until the employee reaches “Normal Retirement” eligibility.
  • TRS DB is 50% of the teacher’s contract salary at termination due to disability.
  • PERS DB non-occupational is calculated using the employee’s average monthly salary and credited service at the time of disability.
  • DB Plan members will receive medical coverage while on disability.
  • PERS DB Plan employees receiving an occupational disability benefit and TRS DB employees receiving a disability benefit continue to accrue service until normal retirement.
  • Employees receiving a non-occupational disability benefit do not continue to accrue service and disability benefits cease at normal retirement.

Defined Contribution Occupational Disability

Occupational disability benefits are provided through the PERS and TRS Defined Contribution Retirement (DCR) Plans if an employee becomes totally and presumably permanently disabled while on the job.

There are no non-occupational disability benefits provided by the DCR Plans.

The benefit will provide:

  • 40% of the DCR employee’s active compensation at termination due to disability until the employee reaches “Normal Retirement” eligibility.
  • There is no medical coverage from the DCR Plan provided until the employee reaches normal retirement. DCR Employees are encouraged to find medical coverage from other sources while receiving this benefit.
  • Employers continue to make employee and employer contributions to the DCR employee’s individual retirement account while the employee is receiving a disability benefit.
  • Employees are not allowed to take distributions from their individual account while receiving a disability benefit.
  • DCR Plan employees receiving occupational disability benefits continue to accrue service until normal retirement.

For more information on the eligibility requirements and the steps required, check out the Disability Benefits webpage webpage.

Employer Course of Action

Reach out to your Retirement Counselor webpage for general information and inform your employee to contact the webpage to request to speak with a Disability Unit Specialist.

Employees are encouraged to contact their employer for alternate benefits not provided by the DCR Plans.

Follow-Up Tasks for Your Employee

  1. After your first payroll has processed:

    Login to your Empower account on the Empower website to complete a beneficiary form for each account you have with them. This applies to State of Alaska’s PERS DCR, TRS DCR, SBS Annuity, or DCP.

  2. View online orientation videos:

    Watch employee orientation videos that apply to you.

  3. Within the Next 3 months:

    Learn more about your benefits by scheduling an appointment (telephonic or in-person) with a Retirement Benefit Counselor.

  4. Within the Next 3 months:

    Learn more about your investments and tools to help you manage your funds by scheduling an appointment with an Empower Plan Advisor.

  5. Make an appointment:

    Make regular annual appointments with an Empower representative to stay on track for retirement or if you experience any major life event (marriage, divorce, birth, loss of spouse, job promotion, inheritance etc.).

Page Last Modified: 05/14/26 09:41:38