Employee Separation Procedures

• Settle all outstanding debt to the University (JSU reserves the right to utilize accrued annual leave hours to offset any funds due to the employees to compensate for unreturned property or unsettled accounts);
• Return all University property acquired during tenure including but not limited to: JSU ID card, credit card, name badge, uniforms, keys, and laptop;
• Return all items checked out from JSU Library;
• Sign the Separation Clearance Form prepared by supervisor to verify that all university property has been returned.

Additional Employee Responsibilities

Retirement:

• Contact and Inform Benefits Administrator of intent to retire;
• Provide supervisor with at least 30 to 90 days written notice on intent to retire and specify the last day employee intends to work;
• Complete all necessary paperwork provided by the Benefits Administrator or the Retirement System.

Resignation:

• Provide supervisor written notice of intent to resign from employment. Notice must specify the last day the employee intends to work.

• Collect all University property including, but not limited to: ID card, credit card, name badge, uniforms, keys, and equipment, i.e. laptop.
• Supervisor must return all keys to the respective Building Manager.
• Prepare and submit an Employee Separation Clearance Form to the Department of Human Resources on or before the last day of employment. (The effective date of separation is the last day when the employee will be in paid status.)
• The Employee Separation Clearance Form indicates that all University property has been returned by the employee; the supervisor must obtain employee’s signature when all property is returned.

Additional Supervisor Responsibilities

Retirement:

• Acknowledge employee’s intent to retire notice in writing and forward the retirement notice and acceptance to the Department of Human Resources at benefits@jsu.edu including the Departmental Administrators in the chain of command.

Resignation:

• Accept employee resignation in writing and forward the resignation and acceptance to the Department of Human Resources at benefits@jsu.edu and all appropriate department administrators. If the employee gives verbal resignation, supervisor should respond in writing accepting the resignation and forward to Department of Human Resources and all appropriate department administrators. 

Separation During Probation:

• Complete Probationary Evaluation Form and print for discussion/acknowledgement of employee. Forward signed copy benefits@jsu.edu and include all appropriate department administrators.

Discharge: 

• Notify the Department of Human Resources of intent to separate the employee and develop/obtain the Separation Letter.
• Contact the Department of Human Resources to initiate Exit Process

Job Abandonment:

• Notify the Department of Human Resources immediately when an employee does not report to work and does not notify the supervisor of an absence of three (3) consecutive days.

• Acknowledge receipt of employee’s intent to separate/retire;
• Contact employee and provide information related to separation processes;
• Schedule Exit Interview with employee;
• Initiate internal separation workflow.

Resignation/Retirement:

• Department of Human Resources will acknowledge receipt of employee’s intent to separate/retire.

Expiration of Grant/Contract:

• Department of Human Resources will provide a Separation/Grant End Letter and provide to the employee.

Discharge for Cause:

• Assist supervisor with preparation of Separation Letter.

Job Abandonment:

• Prepare the Notice of Job Abandonment letter and mail to employee.

An employee may voluntarily resign from a position within a department/school/unit, or from employment with the University. Whether resigning from a position or from the University, employees are expected to submit a written resignation providing a minimum of two (2) weeks’ notice to his or her supervisor. It is the expectation, that the supervisor formally acknowledges and accepts the resignation in writing. Due to the complexity/operational commitments of exempt positions, employees in this class are expected to provide at least one (1) month notice period. Faculty members must submit the letter of resignation to their Department Head/Dean by March 15 of the intended resignation year (please refer to Faculty Handbook). If an employee provides the proper notice as specified above, he/she will be entitled to all accrued annual leave, provided that their employment exceeds one (1) year.

Employees who plan to retire are advised to provide written notice at least 90 days before their anticipated retirement date to ensure there is no delay in applying for, and receiving retirement compensation. Retirement providers require the application for retirement be completed no more than 90, but no less than 30 days prior to retirement date.
At the time of retirement, an employee may receive payment of accrued annual leave not to exceed two year’s accumulation. Benefits and additional leave will not accrue during the period of annual leave payoff. Retiring employees may request annual leave prior to a retirement date; approval is at the supervisor’s discretion.

Temporary employees are employed at the University under a temporary assignment agreement. Employees hired for a temporary assignment agreement will be separated from the University as of the specified date unless the supervisor notifies the Department of Human Resources that the assignment will be extended.

Employees hired to work as part of a Grant or on a Contract, are considered ‘time-limited’ employees and will be separated from the University at the end of the grant/contract period unless appropriate documentation is received and approved by the Department of Human Resources prior to the grant/contract expiration date.

An employee may be discharged for unsatisfactory performance, misconduct, or for other reasons deemed to constitute proper cause by the University. An employee must be given notice of the grounds constituting proper cause and an opportunity to respond verbally and/or in writing before an employee is separated for cause. Employees discharged for cause are noted as ineligible for rehire.

The University considers job abandonment when an employee does not report to work for three (3) consecutive days without the supervisor’s permission, or does not notify the University of an absence for more than three days, except when an emergency precludes giving notice. Work days are considered consecutive even when broken by normal non-working days such as holidays or weekends. Additionally, job abandonment is considered when an employee fails to return to work within the prescribed time limits, following an authorized leave of absence.