Announcements

Changes to the VRS Optional Group Life Insurance Program

The following changes to the VRS Optional Group Life Insurance Program recently took effect:

• Guaranteed issue period for new employees is extended from 31 to 45 days after their date of hire.
• Children are eligible for insurance from live birth to age 21. If a child is a full-time student, they are eligible to age 25.
• For members with the optional life benefit, there will be an automatic benefit payment of $10,000 if the member’s first eligible child dies within 31 days of birth but prior to the employee enrolling for child life coverage.

 

Prepare for Summer Retirements

Every spring, employers typically face a wave of summer retirement applications.

Here’s some quick tips to ensure the process goes smoothly:

• Review the Service Retirement Checklist for Employers designed to help you counsel employees about retirement.
• Point employees to the Applying for Retirement webpage for a breakdown of the process and helpful resources. Most can submit their applications online through myVRS in as little as 30 minutes.
• Certify retirements as you receive them in myVRS Navigator. Go to the Organization menu option and select Retirement Certification. The bulk-certification feature speeds up the process if you have multiple retirements to process.

 

Cost-of-Living Adjustments for Eligible Retirees

New cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for retirees are effective July 1, 2026:

• 2.63% for Plan 1 members.
• 2.32% for Plan 2 and Hybrid Retirement Plan members.

Eligible retirees will see the COLA amount starting with their August 1 benefit payment.

Virginia Sickness and Disability Program

Members receiving long-term disability benefits under VSDP for at least one calendar year will see a:

• 4.00% increase in their creditable compensation.
• 2.63% (Plan 1) or 2.32% (Plan 2, Hybrid) COLAs to their benefit payments.

Virginia Local Disability Program

Members receiving long-term disability benefits under VLDP for at least one calendar year will see a:

• 4.00% increase in their creditable compensation if they retire directly from long-term disability.

Life Insurance

Retirees covered by the VRS Group Life Insurance Program who have at least 30 years of service receive a minimum life insurance benefit, indexed using the Plan 2 COLA each year. The new minimum beginning July 1 is $9,995.

 

Email VRS Forms Securely Using Proofpoint

To submit VRS forms with personal information, use Proofpoint to encrypt and deliver the message safely.

Here are the steps:

1. Sign into your Proofpoint account. (If this is your first time using Proofpoint, complete the verification process. You’ll need your five-digit VRS employer code.)
2. Click New Message.
3. In the subject line, enter the name of your organization.
4. Attach the form(s) to the message. Filenames cannot exceed 40 characters. Documents you send cannot be password protected or encrypted.
5. In the body of the message, enter your VRS employer code and the form number(s) you attached.
6. Click Send.