In order to assist you in your transition we’ve designed this page to explain your rights and obligations upon leaving your employment with Willamette University. We would like to thank you in advance for your assistance.

  1. How do I resign or retire?
  2. How do I return WU property and pay my debts?
  3. Do we have your current address on file?
  4. When do I receive my final paycheck?
  5. What happens to my benefits?

1. How do I resign or retire?

Please submit a letter of resignation to your manager or "resign" through Workday and upload the letter. Your letter should specify your last date of work, which is the last day you will be physically present at work. (The last day cannot be a vacation day or a holiday). 

Note: No action is needed if you are finishing up a position that was scheduled to end on a specific date or if you were working in a temporary position.

Retiring Faculty/Staff

If you are planning to retire, please schedule a meeting with an HR representative a few months in advance of your intended retirement date.


2. How do I return WU property and pay my debts?

Please contact the Accounting Office to pay any remaining balances prior to your last day worked. Any outstanding travel advances not accounted for prior to your final day of employment will be added to your taxable income and taxed accordingly. If applicable, please arrange to return WU corporate credit card with accounting.

All Willamette University property must be returned directly to your supervisor on your last day (i.e. books, laptops, pagers, keys, cell phones, tools, uniforms, ID card, parking passes, two-way radios, etc).

Your email account will not be available to you after your last day worked. Please discuss with your supervisor to determine if your email should be set with an automatic reply or redirected to another person within your department. 

Work with your supervisor to make a plan regarding your voicemail and telephone extension. Ensure that work-related electronic files are accessible to your co-workers. Contact WITS for support if needed.


3. Do we have your current address on file?

It is critical to ensure you have a current mailing address, telephone, and/or email address on record with Willamette for at least 18 months so that you receive tax and benefit information in a timely manner. NOTE: To receive your W2 in a timely manner, your change of address must be received by the end of the first week of December of that year.


4. When do I receive my final paycheck?

Final paychecks are issued on the final day worked. If you need to have your final paycheck mailed to you, please notify our Payroll Office.

Vacation

The University will permit accumulation up to 240 hours (30 days) of accrued vacation time. On your final paycheck, you will be paid for all unused accrued vacation.

Sick Leave

You are not paid out for unused sick leave unless retiring with 10+ years of service. Specific eligibility requirements must be met. Please consult with the HR department for eligibility determination. 


5. What happens to my benefits?

Medical & Dental Coverage

If you are currently enrolled in a Medical or Dental insurance plan, your coverage will cease on the last day of the month in which your employment ends.

Your COBRA Rights

You and your covered dependents may have the right to continuation of coverage under your insurance plans beyond the time coverage would ordinarily end. Your rights and obligations regarding continuation of group coverage are explained below.

Employee: As the covered employee, you have the right to choose continuation coverage if you would otherwise lose coverage because of a reduction in your hours of employment or termination of your employment (for reasons other than gross misconduct on your part).

Spouse: As a covered spouse of an employee, you have the right to choose continuation coverage for yourself that you would otherwise lose any of the following reasons: 1) Death of spouse; 2) Termination of spouse's employment (for reasons other than gross misconduct) or reduction in spouse's hours of employment; 3) Divorce or legal separation from spouse; 4) Spouse becoming eligible for Medicare; or 5) Filing of Chapter 11 bankruptcy by employer.

Dependent Child: A covered dependent child has the right to continue coverage if coverage would be lost for any of the following reasons: 1) Death of a parent; 2) Termination of a parent's employment (for reasons other than gross misconduct) or a reduction in a parent's hours of employment; 3) Parents' divorce or legal separation; 4) A parent becoming eligible for Medicare; 5) The child ceasing to be eligible as a dependent under the plan; or 6) Filing of Chapter 11 bankruptcy by employer.

Your COBRA Responsibilities of Notification

You and your covered dependents are responsible for informing the Human Resources Office of a divorce, legal separation or a child losing dependent status within 60 days of the date of the event. When we have been notified that one of these events has happened, we will in turn provide information regarding continuation coverage. Participants have 60 days to enroll in COBRA continuation.

Continuation coverage is identical to coverage provided for active employees. Continuation coverage may be maintained for up to three years unless you are losing coverage because of termination of employment or reduction in hours. If you are losing coverage because of termination of employment or reduction in hours, continuation coverage may last up to 18 months. Disabled employees may continue insurance for up to 29 months.

Please Note:

All continuation coverage will end for any of the following reasons:

  • You become eligible for ANY other group health insurance plan after election of COBRA.
  • The premium for continuation coverage is not paid on a timely basis.
  • You become eligible for Medicare after election of COBRA.
  • Your 18, 29 or 36 month period of continuation ends.
  • The employer no longer provides group health coverage for any of its employees.

How Do I Elect COBRA Coverage To Continue My Insurance?

COBRA Management Services (CMS) will contact you directly regarding COBRA continuation. You can expect to receive COBRA paperwork within 15 days of the end of your coverage. If you do not receive them within that time, please contact Customer Service at services@cobramanagement.com or (866) 517-7580. Please return the COBRA enrollment form(s) to CMS per their instructions.

Paying Your COBRA Premium

You are responsible for the full cost of continuation coverage as outlined below. If your premiums are not received in a timely manner, your continuation coverage will end without further notification. The only exception is your first premium payment for continuation coverage, since COBRA law allows you up to 45 days from the date of your election to make that first payment. However, to avoid any confusion regarding your coverage status, it is best to make your decision early regarding continuation of coverage, and to send your payments on time.

COBRA Premiums

(Effective April 1, 2023 - March 31, 2024)

Kaiser Added Choice PPO

Kaiser HMO

The Standard Dental

Kaiser Dental

One Party

$1,109.72

$725.83

$50.76

$64.96

Two Party

$2,219.44

$1,451.67

$101.55

$129.92

Family

$3,085.02

$2,017.83

$142.17

$180.58

Accessing Your Retirement Funds

Retirement plan assets are an additional area of consideration. If you terminate employment with less than $5,000 in assets in the plan, you will receive information from our retirement plan vendor(s) that may require your action within 60 days of the notice. You will have the option to avoid a taxable distribution by rolling over the funds to another qualified plan, otherwise, your assets may distributed as a cash distribution, subject to tax and penalty. If you have over $5,000 in assets, there is no requirement to take a distribution. You may leave your funds with the plan, or you may roll them into a rollover IRA or other qualified retirement plan, at your convenience and discretion, with the exception of required minimum distributions at age 70 ½ . To obtain forms required to initiate a transaction under the retirement plan, please contact Transamerica, TIAA-CREF, or Valic.

University Paid and Voluntary Life Insurance

If you are eligible, your life insurance coverage ends on the last day of the month in which your employment ends. You have the option to convert your group life insurance and supplemental life insurance coverage to an individual policy by submitting an application and paying the first premium within 31 days of the end of your coverage. Please contact Guardian Life for forms for electing continuation of life insurance.

Flexible Spending Accounts

Health Care Spending Account

Upon your final day of employment, your participation in the Health Flexible Spending Account will cease, and no further salary redirection contributions will be contributed on your behalf except that on your final paycheck, unless you choose to continue participation by continuing on an after-tax basis through COBRA. If you wish to continue participation in the eflex Healthcare Spending Accounts through COBRA, you must continue paying your normal monthly contribution, plus a 2% administrative fee, by check. Contributions are due by the 30th day of each month. If you do not choose to continue, you will not be able to submit claims for services provided in any month following the month in which you made your final contribution to your spending account. However, you will be able to submit claims for health care expenses that were incurred before the end of your employment.

Dependent Care Spending Account

You will still be able to request reimbursement for qualifying dependent care expenses for the remainder of the Plan Year from the balance remaining in your dependent care account at the time of termination of employment except that on your final paycheck, unless you choose to continue participation by continuing on an after-tax basis through COBRA. If you wish to continue participation in the eflex Dependent Care Spending Accounts through COBRA, you must continue paying your normal monthly contribution, plus a 2% administrative fee, by check. However, you may submit claims for dates of service from April 1st through your termination date.

Long Term Disability and AD&D Insurance

If you are eligible, your long term disability and AD&D insurance coverage ends on the last day of the month in which your employment ends. These insurance plans do not have a conversion option.

Employee Assistance Program

COBRA Management Services (CMS) will contact you directly regarding COBRA continuation. You can expect to receive COBRA paperwork within 15 days of the end of your coverage. If you do not receive them within that time, please contact Customer Service at services@cobramanagement.com or (866) 517-7580. Please return the COBRA enrollment form(s) to CMS per their instructions.

Willamette University

Human Resources

Address
University Services Building
900 State Street
Salem Oregon 97301 U.S.A.
Phone
503-370-6210 voice
503-370-6570 fax

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