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If you have difficulty
using our Web site, click on the applicable topic below for help.
Viewing
Our Web Site
Members
who have trouble viewing our Web site usually have one of the problems
described below.
Older Browser: Our Web site is best viewed
by using Internet Explorer version 3 and above or Netscape Navigator
version 3 and above. In order to access the pull-out menus on
our Home page, you need to
enable
JavaScript in your Web browser.
Incomplete Horizontal View: If you
cannot see the full horizontal view of Web sites you visit, you can
modify your screen settings. To do so in Windows, click
on Start. Choose Settings, Control Panel, Display, and Settings.
Then adjust the screen area setting to 800 x 600 pixels, which is
the standard setting used by many Web site designers, including NYSTRS.
Text Too Small: If you have difficulty reading
the print on Web sites because it’s too small or large, you can modify
the text size you see when you visit. For example, to do so
in Internet Explorer, click on View and select Text Size. Then
choose the setting you prefer.
Please note that the text in PDF files (see explanation
below) and certain images will not change by using this approach.
Links to some documents will open a new browser window, as indicated with: (new window). If a new browser window opens, you can return to the previous page by clicking the "X" in the upper right-hand corner to close the window. In all other cases, use the back arrow to return to the previous page.
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Finding
Information
NYSTRS’ Web site contains several tools to help you
find the information you need.
- We’ve placed our main menu links at the top
and on the left of Web pages throughout our site. When you
move your pointer over the left menus on our Home
page, pull-out boxes appear that show the features you can access
through those pages.
- If you cannot find what you’re looking for through
our main menu, our Site Map and Search
tools can help you link to the correct page.
- If you come across a pension term that you don’t
understand, just consult our on-line Glossary.
We also provide answers to some of the frequently asked questions
(FAQs) that our members have.
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Opening
PDF Files
All of our forms and some
of the publications available on our Web site are “Portable Document
Format” files, more commonly known as PDF files. This format
allows you to display and print a file exactly as the original document
appears. If you are unable to view or print PDF files, you may
need to download a free copy of the
Adobe Reader. Once you have installed the reader, it will
automatically work whenever you click on a PDF on the Internet.
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If the text on the right
side of the page cuts off when you print pages from our Web site,
you can solve the problem by printing in landscape formatting. For
example, to do so in recent Internet Explorer versions:
·
Click on
“File” and “Print” (and “Properties” if necessary).
·
In “Basics,”
select “Landscape” under “Orientation.”
·
Then, click
on “Print.”
To print a PDF file, you
must print from the “Adobe Reader” window toolbar that opens along
with the PDF file, not the Internet browser toolbar behind it.
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Registering
for Access to the Secure Area
To access
your personal NYSTRS account information online, you must enter the
Secure Area, choose “Register for an Account,” enter the
necessary information and select a username. When your registration
is complete, NYSTRS will mail you a randomly assigned password.
When members have a problem registering for an account, it is often
for one of the following reasons:
Multiple Registrations: If you have already successfully registered
for the Secure Area, you cannot register again.
You can, however, change your password at any time after logging in.
Incorrect Information
Provided: Your registration cannot be completed unless the NYSTRS EmplID, Social
Security number and date of birth that you enter match the information in our
records.
Inactive Membership:
The Secure Area is only available to active NYSTRS
members. If your membership is no longer active (e.g., you have
withdrawn from membership or have transferred to another New York
State public retirement system), your registration cannot be completed.
Wrong
Address on File:
We are unable to complete
the registration process if you do not have your current mailing address
on file with NYSTRS. You may submit an address change using the Member Name/Address Change form (GRE-50).
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Accessing
the Secure Area After Registering
If you have
received a password from NYSTRS but cannot seem to access
the Secure Area, it may be for one of the following
reasons:
Initial
Log-in After 30 Days:
To activate your registration, you must log onto the Secure Area within
30 days of receiving your password. If your initial log-in occurs
later, your username / password combination will not be accepted and
you will need to re-register.
Wrong
Password:
Your password is case sensitive. When logging on to the Secure
Area,
you must enter your password using either upper or lower case letters,
exactly as it was sent to you (or exactly how you entered it, if
you selected a new password).
Forgotten Username:
If you forget your username, you should access the Secure Area
log-in screen and click on the "Forgot Username" link.
You will be prompted to enter identifying information allowing NYSTRS
to fill in your username on the log-in screen.
Forgotten Password:
If you forget your password, you should access the Secure Area
log-in screen and click on the "Forgot Password" link.
You will be prompted to enter identifying information allowing NYSTRS
to send you a new temporary password. When you log in with your
temporary password for the first time, you will be required to select
a new password.
Cached Copy of Old
Version: Periodically,
the Secure Area feature is temporarily unavailable due to regular
maintenance. At those times, we post a message indicating the
date that access will resume. If you try to enter the Secure
Area
and the message shows an expected resumption date that has already
passed, your browser may be accessing an old cached copy of the page
instead of the current version. You can link directly to the
current log-on page by clicking
here.
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If you have technical problems using our
Web site and cannot find the answer above (e.g., a problem logging
on to the Secure Area when you have an active password), please e-mail
us at
webmaster@nystrs.state.ny.us.
If
you have general
questions about NYSTRS benefits or services, please see our
Contacting Us page.
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