Notification of resignation varies depending upon whether you are a faculty or a staff member. Please see the following link for clarification.

• Timeline for Notifying Area of Termination

All benefits coverages will end at the time of termination. To learn more about continuing medical, dental and/or vision coverage; converting your life insurance, long term disability or VADD coverage; and/or the status of your retirement plan, please refer to the following links or call the Employee Benefits office (814-865-1473).

• Things to Know When leaving University Employment
• Election Form for Continuation of Benefits (COBRA)
• Application for Refund of Member's Contributions and Interest - State Employees' Retirement System

If you terminate University employment, your Reimbursement Account elections will be cancelled. Reimbursements will be limited to expenses incurred BEFORE your termination date. You will have until the end of the grace period to submit requests from the period of your participation.

Please refer to the following link or call the Employee Benefits Office (814-865-1473).

• Flexible Benefits Period of Coverage

Depending upon your date of termination, your educational privileges may, or may not, be in effect until the end of the semester that you terminate. Please refer to the following links for more information.

• Grant-in-Aid for Dependents of Faculty, Staff, and Retirees
• Educational Privileges for Faculty, Staff, and Retirees

An employee who terminates employment after completing at least one continuous year of employment immediately preceding the date of termination, or an employee on a Fixed-Term I appointment of less than one year who terminates at the end of the appointment, shall receive the cash equivalent of unused vacation accumulation (not to exceed the maximum provided by policy); provided, however, this provision for making payment for unused vacation shall not apply to an employee terminating from a Fixed-Term I appointment, if the employee will be reappointed within three consecutive months to a Fixed-Term I or Standing appointment.

Sick days are to be used as an insurance policy when the employee is actively employed, therefore there are no payoff provisions for accumulated sick days.

• HR-34, Employment Conditions for Staff Employees

The following links will provide some useful information; however, you also may wish to contact the Employee Benefits Division at (814) 865-1473.

• Frequently Asked Questions Prior to Retirement
• Things to Know When Leaving the University
• Qualifying for Benefits After Retirement
• Benefits for Eligible Retirees
• Cost of Health Care Plans
• Payoff for Vacation and Sick Time
• Vacation
• Sick Leave
• Resignation from the University
• Educational Privileges for Faculty, Staff, and Retirees
• Grant-in-Aid for Dependents of Faculty, Staff, and Retirees

It is recommended that you make an appointment for counseling at least six (6) months prior to your anticipated retirement date. If you reside in Pennsylvania and are enrolled in the SERS retirement plan, you should contact your local SERS counseling office or call 1-800-633-5461. If you are a TIAA-CREF participant, please call 1-800-842-2733.

Usually a month prior to retirement is adequate time to receive counseling. If you are located at University Park, you should contact the Employee Benefits Division at (814) 865-1473 to arrange an appointment. If you are located away from University Park, you should contact your Campus Business Office.

All regular faculty and staff have the option to voluntarily reduce both the work commitment and compensation as the faculty or staff member approaches a designated retirement date.

The Voluntary Phased Retirement program is intended to be flexible in meeting the needs of both the participant and the colleges/administrative areas. This program address the desire of some faculty and staff, who are productive and contributing to the well-being of their college or administrative unit, to have a more "free scheduling" commitment, which will enable them to "phase" into retirement over a period of years. This program also is seen as a vehicle for mentoring junior faculty and staff as the more senior faculty or staff member eases out of strategic roles in the colleges.

Reduction of work commitment might include such activities as reducing teaching load, limiting student counseling, relinquishing administrative chores, transitioning a research lab to another faculty member, or transitioning projects or skills to other staff.

• Voluntary Phased Retirement Program

A retiree receiving annuity payments from the Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association/College Retirement Equities Fund may be given a post-retirement appointment only on a part-time basis and continue to receive such annuity payments to which he or she is entitled.

An SERS annuitant may continue to receive his or her annuity, 1) if employed because a bona fide emergency exists in a particular college or department or, 2) in special circumstances that permit the individual to be retained as an independent contractor (e.g., consultant).

• Reemployment of University Retirees

If you terminate University employment, your Reimbursement Account elections will be cancelled. Reimbursements will be limited to expenses incurred BEFORE your termination date. You will have until the end of the grace period to submit requests from the period of your participation. Please refer to the following link or call the Employee Benefits Office (814-865-1473).

• Flexible Benefits Period of Coverage

The following website may be useful.

• Beginners Guide to 403(b)'s/FAQ's/Wise Moves

Please contact one of the offices that are listed below regarding possible retirement benefits.

• Contacts
• State Employees' Retirement System
  If located in Pennsylvania, contact your local SERS Counseling Center, or call toll free 1-800-633-5461.
• Teachers Insurance and Annuity
  Association and College Retirement
  Equities Fund
  730 Third Avenue
  New York, NY 10017.
  Telephone: 1-800-842-2733
• Federal Civil Service Retirement System Contact:
  Kim Evancho
  Office of Human Resources
  College of Agricultural Sciences
  307 Agricultural Administration Building
  University Park, PA 16802
  Telephone: 1-814-863-3452
• Public School Employees' Retirement System
  P.O. Box 125
  Harrisburg, PA 17108
  Telephone: 1-888-773-7748

Several factors determine whether or not a dependent spouse and/or children are eligible for these benefits.

At the death of a retiree who continued medical plan coverage after retirement, or an active faculty or staff member who was qualified to continue coverage into retirement on the basis of age and/or length of service, eligible surviving dependents may continue to be covered under the University sponsored medical plan. Dependent children will qualify for coverage until the age of 19 or, if a full-time student, until their 24th birthday. Surviving spouses may continue the coverage for life, or until remarriage occurs.

If, at the time of death, a faculty or staff member was not qualified to continue medical plan coverage after retirement, coverage would continue for the surviving spouse for one year or until remarriage occurs, if earlier. Dependent children also would continue to be covered under the plan, assuming that they continued to meet the definition of a qualified dependent. Individuals interested in continuing the coverage beyond this period should contact the Employee Benefits Division regarding coverage extensions under COBRA.

• Continuation of Group Insurance After Age 60, Age 65, and After Retirement or Death

A COBRA application can be obtained from the link listed below or from the Employee Benefits Division at (814) 865-1473. The COBRA application, along with the initial premium payment, must be received by the Employee Benefits Division within 60 days from the date that the deceased employees' benefits ended.

• Election Form for Continuation of Benefits (COBRA)

The final salary payment will be calculated on a pro rata daily basis to and including the date of death if the deceased was actively employed, using vacation, sick leave, other paid time off, or on leave with pay. If the deceased employee was included in a vacation plan that provides for the payment for unused vacation at the time of termination of employment, a payment for unused vacation, service days, or compensatory time off, if any, will also be included in the final salary check.

If the deceased full-time employee was in an active pay status as described above, there will be a lump sum death payment equal to one month's pay at the employee's then current pay status for those paid monthly, or two times the biweekly pay at the employee's then current pay status for those paid monthly, or two times the biweekly pay at the employee's then current pay status for those paid biweekly. However, the additional payment shall not cause the faculty or staff member's pay to exceed the total pay specified in the terms of a fixed-term appointment; nor shall the additional payment be made for an employee on a permanent layoff, or on a layoff where recall had been anticipated more than 30 days from the date of death, even though such employee may be receiving payment for accumulated time off. the lump sum death payment will be made on a special check issued to the proper payee in accordance with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. No deductions will be made from the special check.

• Deceased Employee's Final Salary Payment

The Employee Benefits Division can assist with filing the life insurance or VADD claims

• Contact:
  Employee Benefits Division
  Penn State University
  120 S. Burrowes Street
  University Park, PA 16801
  Telephone: 814-865-1473

Yes, The Employee Assistance Program is available to provide counseling on a a wide-variety of topics.

• Information about the EAP Program

Reimbursements will be limited to expenses incurred BEFORE the date of death. You will have until the end of the grace period to submit requests for reimbursement. The grace period for reimbursement of expenses incurred extends to March 31 of the following calendar year. (For example, requests for reimbursement of 2000 expenses may be submitted through March 31, 2001.)

For additional information, please refer to the links listed below or call 814-865-1473.

• Frequently Asked Questions about Flexible Benefits
• Flexible Benefits Request for Reimbursement

In addition to other criteria, educational privileges for dependent spouse and/or child(ren) are based upon the number of years the deceased was employed full-time, with benefits. The following link will provide additional information.

• Educational Privileges