Employment Separations (Offboarding)

Operational Standard/Purpose

This procedure provides guidelines for employment separations from Illinois Central College and is intended to ensure that the College fulfills its responsibilities in relation to all separations.

Details regarding employment separation are located in the Corrective Action – Progressive Discipline and Employment Separation sections in the Employee Handbook and/or in the Carpenter Union Contract or Faculty Forum Contract.

Scope/Applicability

Refer to the Employee Handbook for additional information.

Procedures

1. Voluntary Separations (Resignations / Retirements)
   1. Resignations:
      1. Staff who decide to resign from a position at the College should give adequate notice of his or her intention to leave; however, it is preferred that the resigning employee provide no less than two weeks in advance, to allow supervisors and managers in the department sufficient time to assess their needs in replacing the individual, and to allow time for processing of final salary and other payments upon termination.
         Note: Job abandonment is considered a resignation.
      2. Senior Level Executives should provide adequate notice, preferably no less than six months’ notice.
      3. Employees who voluntarily terminate the employment relationship are expected to work the entire notice period unless leave time is otherwise approved by the Manager.
      4. Employees must work the last day of their notice period which cannot be a College Holiday or other approved leave.
      5. Voluntarily separating employees who are rehired may be subject to the College’s policy on Reinstatement. Refer to Reinstatement of Former or Laid-Off Employees in the Employee Handbook.
   2. Retirements:
      1. Employees retiring are to provide no less than thirty (30) working days’ notice prior to the last actual working day with the exception of Planned Administrative Retirements. Refer to the Planned Administrative Retirements Standard Operating Procedure (SOP).
      2. Employees eligible for retirement from the State Universities Retirement System (SURS) must contact SURS to begin the retirement process. It is recommended that notice to SURS is a minimum of 60 days prior to retirement.
      3. Department Managers may coordinate a retirement reception for the retiring employee.
      4. Full time employees retiring are eligible to receive a retirement gift. Gifts are purchased in the Human Resources Department. The employee’s manager may retrieve a gift from the Human Resources Department within one week prior to the retirement reception.
2. Involuntary Separations (Discharges, Inactive Employment, Layoffs, Program Curtailments)
   1. Discharges:
      1. Refer to the Employee Corrective Action – Progressive Discipline section in Employee Handbook, Corrective Action – Progressive Discipline Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) and/or applicable bargaining unit contract (Carpenter Union Contract or Faculty Forum Contract).
      2. Notification of a non-voluntary separation is in writing. This document will include information regarding final pay and benefits upon separation.
      3. In the case of a discharge, Campus Police will assist the discharged employee exit ICC property.
   2. Inactive Employment: The employment status of a non-bargaining unit part-time employee who has not worked and received no compensation for 12 consecutive months may be automatically terminated at the end of the 12th month.
   3. Layoffs / Reduction in Force (RIF):
      1. Refer to the Layoff or Reduction in Force (RIF) section in the Employee Handbook. All layoffs or RIFs must be authorized by the appropriate Cabinet Vice President and the Associate Vice President of Human Resources.
      2. Severance Pay may be granted for eligible employees per the Severance Pay section of the Employee Handbook. All severance payments are not subject to SURS deduction. All employees accepting a severance payment must sign the severance agreement.
      3. Notification of a layoff or RIF separation is in writing. This document will include information regarding final pay and benefits upon separation.
   4. Program Curtailments: Refer to the Release Due to Program Curtailment section of the Faculty Forum Contract.
      Note: All involuntary separation meetings must include a representative from the Human Resources Department.
3. Separation Processing
   1. Separating employee provides resignation and/or retirement letter to their Manager within the recommended notice above and submits final electronic timecard (if applicable) prior to last day of employment. If the resignation and/or retirement letter is not provided, see item b below.
   2. Manager notifies Human Resources and appropriate bargaining unit representative (if applicable) of resignation / retirement upon receipt of resignation.
      Note: Any separation of employment, whether voluntary or involuntary, will be treated in a confidential, professional manner by all concerned. Human Resources will share the relevant separation information with others at the College as deemed necessary to complete the separation process and to resolve any related issues.
   3. Human Resources sends a separation notice via email to employee’s who separate voluntarily. The email includes the following information:
      1. A link to an exit survey. Employees may voluntarily participate in the survey. In addition, the employee may schedule a confidential exit interview with a Human Resources representative to discuss the contents of the exit survey or any additional issues.
      2. A summary of the exit process, including final pay and benefit information.
   4. Manager schedules an exit meeting with the separating employee to collect equipment, keys, uniforms, etc. before the last day of employment and completes the Employment Separations Checklist Form prior to the departure of the separating employee. The Manager also completes the ICC Employment Authorization Form and returns all forms to Human Resources as soon as possible, but no longer than 2 business days.
      Note: Failure to return some items may result in deductions from final paycheck.
   5. Manager coordinates retirement reception / picks up retirement gift from HR (if applicable).
   6. Manager distributes college property collected in the following manner:
      1. East Peoria Campus:
         • Return keys to Facilities Department (East Peoria Campus, Room 101)
         • Return all technology (cell phones, laptops, ID cards, and all related technology passwords) to the Help Desk (East Peoria Campus, Room L122)
         • Return parking tag to Human Resources Department (East Peoria Campus, Room 237A)
      2. Peoria Campus:
         • Return all college property to Campus Police. Campus police will return to Human Resources Department (East Peoria Campus, Room 237A) for distribution.
      3. Pekin Campus:
         • Return all college property to Campus Police. Campus police will return to Human Resources Department (East Peoria Campus, Room 237A) for distribution.
   7. Human Resources Office finalizes separation procedure by collecting final exit paperwork, terminating benefits, and issuing final compensation. Human Resources separation processing includes:
      1. Benefits upon Separation: Benefits information related to continuation of medical, dental, and vision coverage as required by the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), conversion options for life and disability insurance, and distributions from retirement account plans will be sent directly to the employee's home address following the processing of the separation documents.
      2. Unused Sick Leave: Unused sick leave is not paid upon separation from employment. Refer to the Carpenter Union Contract for additional information.
      3. Accrued and Unused Vacation Leave: Employees will receive any accrued and unused vacation time on record to be paid out upon separation from employment on the employee’s final paycheck. Employees who separate due to retirement are eligible to receive Banked Vacation Days not to exceed a combined maximum total of 56 days (exclusions may apply – Refer to the Vacation section of the Employee Handbook).