​​​​​​​​​​

State of Alaska Cybersecurity Issues Impacting Retirement Contributions

January 8, 2025

The Latest: A cybersecurity issue is preventing UA from transferring employees’ retirement contribution deductions (PERS, TRS, and SBS) to the State. We're in contact with the State's Division of Retirement and Benefits (DRB), and receiving regular updates.

  • While we're working to do what we can, the State is ultimately responsible for those retirement programs and there's nothing UA can do to speed up their ongoing efforts to resolve the issues.
  • See the update from November and December of last year for additional background and details.

What We Know: The system that allows UA to electronically transfer employee retirement contributions to the State DRB has been offline since November 4. The outage resulted from a cyber-attack on DRB infrastructure, which was contained.

  • As a result, we've not been able to make contributions since around that time.
  • DRB is working to address the issue by manually catching up and getting a previously planned technology upgrade online.

What We Don’t Know: 

  • How long it will take for contributions to be processed - either manually, or electronically through the system upgrade when it comes online
  • If interest that would have been earned on post-Nov. 4 contributions will be addressed.
    • The State is responsible for making this determination. 

What We’re Doing:

  • Making payroll deductions and withholdings as usual. If you’re enrolled in PERS, TRS, or SBS, UA is continuing to make payroll deductions and withholdings as we normally would. 
  • Tracking UA and total contributions. HR and Finance staff are also keeping track of UA’s employer contributions to retirement and the combined total of our and your contributions, so they can be provided to the state as soon as possible. 
  • Staying in contact with DRB for status updates and additional information.

What’s Next: UA is awaiting further direction from the state on how to proceed and an estimate of when the issues preventing us from transferring your retirement contributions to the state will be resolved.

  • Questions? Read the latest update from DRB here.
  • If that doesn’t answer your questions, you can contact DRB’s Member Education Center at (907) 465-4460 or doa.drb.mscc@alaska.gov.

Cyber Security graphic

Published UA HR Web Site 11/14/2024
UA News 11/15/2024, 12/6/2024 & 1/10/2025
Email Notification to impacted employees 1/10/2025