The Adventist Retirement Plan (ARP) controlled by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists is the retirement plan offered to employees of La Sierra University.  The ARP plan document is the controlling document.  This policy sets forth how ARP will be administered at La Sierra University.

The employer basic contribution is 5% of wages for each employee who meets the eligibility requirements in the ARP plan document.  Wages include salary and hourly wages, over time, double time, vacation, sick pay, funeral leave, jury duty pay, shift and holiday differentials, call-in pay, and on call time.  Wages do not include benefit items such as educational allowance, travel allowance, moving expenses, housing assistance, duplicate housing, rental assistance, doctoral allowance, or any other taxable benefit.  Contract teaching and severance pay are not considered wages.   Worker’s Compensation temporary disability benefits are not wages.  Disability pay is not considered wages

The employee voluntary contribution eligible for an additional employer match is 3.50% of wages.  The employee can choose from 3 levels of voluntary contributions, 1.65%, and 2.50% and 3.50% of wages. 

The employer will match the employee’s voluntary contribution at 50% of the employee amount.

Employees are allowed to catch up amounts contributed below the 3.50% maximum in any calendar year.
This catch up will trigger the employer matching.  An employee may not catch up for previous calendar years.

Employees may elect to make additional contributions into the retirement plan above the 3.5% eligible for the match.  The employer does not match these additional contributions.  Employees may also choose to contribute to 403(b) annuity plans offered by La Sierra University outside the ARP plan.  Contributions made to these plans are not eligible for the employer basic or employer matching contributions. 

Employees have to option of making contributions into the plan on an after-tax basis.  After tax contributions are not matched by the employer.

Employees may change their election to the voluntary contribution or to the additional contribution plans at any time during the year.

The payroll office is the office with primary responsibility for maintaining employer and employee contributions to the retirement plan, and for remitting these contributions to ARP.  Trained VALIC representatives are available to those seeking retirement and investment counseling.

Last Revised 08-20-07