Process Update: Supplemental Retirement Plans
The UNC System announced they will soon transition from paper forms to electronic forms for the following:
- UNC System 403(b) Plan (“403(b) Plan”) salary reduction
- UNC System 457(b) Plan (“457(b) Plan”) salary deferral elections
What you need to know
- Paper election forms will not be accepted after Jan. 21, 2026.
- Current participants do not need to re-elect their 403(b) Plan salary reduction or 457(b) Plan salary deferral amounts. The UNC System Office will transfer all election data from TIAA to the Empyrean platform.
- While data is being transitioned, there will be a brief blackout period — Jan. 21 through Feb. 28 — in which employees will not be able to enroll, submit or cancel elections unless there is a critical need.
- Online 403(b) Plan salary reduction and 457(b) Plan salary deferral elections can be made on the Empyrean platform beginning March 1, 2026.
- TIAA will remain the recordkeeper for our retirement plan. 403(b) and 457(b) Plan participants will continue to be able to make investment elections and beneficiary designations with TIAA during the blackout period.
- Due to the transition to the online platform, contributions to either the 403(b) or 457(b) plan will be designated as flat dollar amounts instead of percentages.
Timeline of events
| Now through Jan. 21 | Jan. 22 through Feb. 28 | March 1 and beyond |
| Paper forms can be submitted, but must be given to HR by Jan. 21, 2026. | Blackout period — employees will be unable to enroll, submit or cancel elections via any method (paper or electronic forms). | Elections can resume on the Empyrean Platform. Paper form submissions are no longer accepted. |
What you need to do
- Unless you need to actively make an election before March 1, you do not need to take any action.
- In March, you should carefully review your contribution amount to ensure your contributions are in line with your previous election. If you need to make any changes at that time, use the Empyrean platform to do so.
How to make elections
- Before Jan. 21 — submit the following forms to HR via email (benefits@charlotte.edu) or by turning them into the HR office in King 207.
- March 1 and beyond — log into the Empyrean platform, select “supplemental retirement plans” and you will find the digital election forms. Follow the instructions provided.