Faculty and staff who resign, retire, transfer to another State of Texas agency or higher education location, or leave employment for any reason must complete the retirement and/or separation process.
An exit interview or meeting is not required, but all departing employees must complete the online Off Boarding process and specific steps at their component.
An exit interview or meeting is not required for ending employment at any UNT System component.
Steps to end employment for any reason are completed online with the Off Boarding process; learn more by contacting your Campus Human Resources department.
All departing employees also must complete a clearance/exit form and submit it to their department manager (UNT, UNT Dallas and College of Law, UNT System Administration) or campus police department (UNTHSC.)
Find the clearance or exit form for department employees.
Here are steps to take to ensure a smooth departure:
Employees who have more than six months of state service and are not transferring to another state agency. Payment for all vacation time accrued as of the last date of employment may be made by applying any unused vacation time until the end of the month, by a lump sum payment, or a combination thereof. Extension of vacation leave beyond the last date of employment is limited to the end of the month in which the employee last physically worked. A lump sum payment for accrued vacation constitutes wages and is subject to normal payroll withholding taxes but is not subject to retirement deductions. Lump sum payments are a separate payment from the employee’s final regular payroll check, and are not processed until after the final regular payroll check.
If you transfer to another state agency, which includes another UNT System component, your vacation and sick leave balances will transfer only if there is no interruption in service.
There is no payment for unused sick leave. You may donate your unused sick leave to the Sick Leave Pool to assist colleagues who are experiencing catastrophic illnesses or circumstances.
Non-exempt employees will be paid for any remaining compensatory time.
In the 2015 legislative session, the Texas Legislature passed SB20, which revises the Texas Government Code and Education Code related to state agency procurement and contracting. SB20 prohibits former state employees involved in procurement or contract negotiation from accepting employment from the companies they negotiated with on behalf of the former state agency.
The prohibition lasts two years from the end date of the employee’s state agency employment. Here is the Government Code provision in full:
Texas Government Code Sec. 572.069. CERTAIN EMPLOYMENT FOR FORMER STATE OFFICER OR EMPLOYEE RESTRICTED. A former state officer or employee of a state agency who during the period of state service or employment participated on behalf of a state agency in a procurement or contract negotiation involving a person may not accept employment from that person before the second anniversary of the date the officer's or employee's service or employment with the state agency ceased.
If you are retiring from a UNT System component as a TRS member, the retirement process should begin about six (6) months prior to your planned departure date. If retirement is a few or many years in the future, contact TRS for planning assistance.
Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) participants should contact their plan vendor about 60 days prior to the expected departure or retirement date. Further discussions about ORP/403b plan contribution options are your responsibility. However, please contact a Benefits representative to be certain that retirement choices do not affect other State of Texas benefits.
Regular staff members will remain on insurance programs through the end of the month in which they are separated from service. For example, if your last day at work is Oct. 10, your insurance will continue through Oct. 31.
Regular faculty, adjunct instructors and benefits-eligible graduate students who complete the spring semester will remain on insurance programs through Aug. 31, the end of the fiscal year.
If you are transferring to another Texas public university or state agency with no break in service, your insurance may be continued. Contact the benefits coordinator at your new agency for guidance. If you leave Texas public employment, ERS-administered health and dental coverage ends.
Retirees should discuss retiree insurance benefits with a Human Resources Benefits Representative or contact ERS.
Employees and dependents who separate from state employment may choose to keep ERS-administered health and dental coverage for up to 18 months after employment-related coverage ends. This coverage is referred to as COBRA, an acronym for a federal law. If you choose COBRA, you will pay the full cost of your premium(s).
The Affordable Care Act is a federal law that mandates health insurance options for all citizens. Separated employees may be eligible for plans offered by the act; find a guide to the Health Insurance Marketplace. Enrollment is held each year.
Regular faculty and staff members are covered by the Texas Unemployment Compensation Act and may be eligible for weekly benefits payments during a period of unemployment. The Texas Workforce Commission determines if a former employee is eligible. The cost is paid by the employer and no deductions are made from employee pay for this purpose. Contact the Texas Workforce Commission.
We are saddened by the loss of an active employee or a retiree, and want to ensure that records are managed with care and sensitivity. Here's what to do when a colleague or a retiree dies:
Family and co-workers may also want to notify the marketing and communications departments at UNT, UNTHSC, UNT Dallas, and UNT System Administration so that an obituary may be published (with permission) in university publications.
At UNT, the Division of Student Affairs hosts the Flight Memorial Ceremony each spring to honor faculty, staff, students and alumni who have passed away during the previous year.