Employers

Welcome, Employers!

Here you will find resources for administering the VRS Optional Retirement Plan for Higher Education (ORPHE).

Qualified employees of Virginia’s public colleges and universities have the option to participate in the VRS ORPHE, rather than VRS Plan 1, VRS Plan 2 or the VRS Hybrid Retirement Plan. For those employees who choose the ORPHE plan, they will also choose an investment provider.

Employees have 60 days from their hire date to elect ORPHE; otherwise, they will become members of the other applicable VRS plan.

Open Enrollment

During open enrollment, participants have a choice of two providers for directing ongoing contributions to the plan: DCP (record kept by MissionSquare Retirement) and TIAA. Any changes in providers become effective on the first pay date in January of the following year.

Participants who wish to change providers can compare their options and make a selection in myVRS. When open enrollment concludes, employers are responsible for acknowledging employees’ provider changes in myVRS Navigator.

myVRS Navigator

Employers are responsible for acknowledging participants’ provider elections in myVRS Navigator. You should ensure payroll records accurately reflect each participant's election and contributions are remitted to the correct provider.

After logging into myVRS Navigator, click on the Organization menu and select Election Acknowledgment Maintenance. The Election Acknowledgment Maintenance screen lists all employee records pending acknowledgment, including open enrollment provider elections.

Before acknowledging an ORP employee’s provider election, ensure that payroll records are established accurately based on the provider change.

For state central payroll employers, myVRS Navigator will automatically send provider elections to DOA/CIPPS. Decentralized employers will need to ensure payroll records are accurately established based on participants' elections and contributions are remitted to the correct provider.

After selecting the employee records you wish to acknowledge, review and click the box next to the “I acknowledge” statement at the top of the page.

Once the “I acknowledge” box is checked, a new button — Acknowledge — will appear. Click the Acknowledge button to finish.

Provider Contacts for Employers


Employer Support Contact	Employer Support Team	-
	1-VRS-DC-PLAN1(1-877-327-5261), select option 3 1-800-669-7471 TDD	1-888-842-7782
	Mon-Fri, 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m. 777 N. Capitol Street NE Suite 600 Washington, DC 20002	Mon-Fri, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. 8500 Andrew Carnegie Blvd. Charlotte, NC 28262

Handbook for Participants in ORPHE Plan 1 and ORPHE Plan 2 Learn more about your plan, benefits and investments in the Optional Retirement Plan for Higher Education.

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Choose the Plan and Provider That’s Right for You As a new college or university president, chancellor or faculty member engaged in teaching, administration or research, you have a choice in retirement planning.

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State Health Benefits Program Enrollment Form for Retirees, Survivors and LTD Participants (T-20879)

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VRS Group Life Designation of Beneficiary (VRS-2)
VRS members and retirees can update beneficiaries online through their secure myVRS account.
VRS Group Life Designation of Beneficiary - Continuation (VRS-2A)
VRS members and retirees can update beneficiaries online through their secure myVRS account.
Request for Transfer of Funds to ORP (VRS-3ORP)

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Conversion of Group Life Insurance Enrollment (VRS-35)

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Request for Health Insurance Credit (VRS-45)

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Notice of Return to Covered Employment Optional Retirement Plan Retiree (VRS-7ORP)

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Termination Certification Form – Optional Retirement Plan for Higher Education (VRS-65D)

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Optional/Alternative Retirement Plan Health Insurance Credit Employer Certification of Service (VRS-75)

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VRS Durable Power of Attorney (VRS-901)

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