Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure the timely notification and processing of faculty and staff separations from employment.

Authority

Code of Virginia Section 23.1-1301, as amended, grants authority to the Board of Visitors to make rules and policies concerning the institution. Section 7.01(a)(6) of the Board of Visitors Bylaws grants authority to the President to implement the policies and procedures of the Board relating to University operations.

Virginia Department of Human Resource Management Policy 1.70 - Termination/Separation from State Service

Department of Accounts' Commonwealth Accounts Policies and Procedures Manual #50320 Terminations

Definitions

Banner Administrative Information System - The term used to reference the information technology system, Banner® Digital Campus. Banner is the administrative software system used to manage student information, financial aid, finance, and human resources at Old Dominion University.

Classified Employee - A salaried employee whose terms and conditions of employment are subject to the Virginia Personnel Act, Code of Virginia Section 2.2-2900 et seq., as amended, and who is employed in a classified position.

Department Records Coordinators - Individuals who serve as a liaison between the University Records Manager and their respective department.

Hiring Supervisor - The management level with the authority to hire, assign work, manage work schedules, approve leave, evaluate employees, and discipline employees.

Separation - Cessation of employment with Old Dominion University. Types of separation include, but are not limited to, voluntary resignation, retirement, discharge, involuntary termination, layoff, transfer to another State agency, or death while in service.

University Property - Land, facilities, equipment purchased with University or Foundation funds, and other materials that are owned by Old Dominion University or controlled by Old Dominion University via leases or other formal contractual arrangement.

Web Time Entry (WTE) - A web-based system designed to enable employees to submit hours worked and leave information electronically, eliminating the paper submission of time slips, time and attendance forms, leave activity forms, and leave reports.

Scope

This policy applies to the following types of employees of the University and their supervisors: administrative and professional faculty, teaching and research faculty, and classified or wage staff. This policy does not apply to adjunct faculty, non-instructional part-time faculty, or student employees.

Policy Statement

This policy provides specific procedures to be followed to ensure the timely processing of separations as follows:

• ensure accurate computation of compensation and disbursement;
• facilitate final pay actions;
• protect and account for University property; and
• provide faculty and staff with an opportunity to exercise appropriate benefit options.

Procedures

University hiring supervisors are responsible for immediately notifying the Department of Human Resources concerning the separation of faculty and staff. Notification to the Department of Human Resources must occur no later than one workday upon the hiring supervisor's receipt of this information.

An employee is responsible for providing advance notice and written notification of his/her intent to resign to his/her hiring supervisor as soon as the decision has been made to separate from University employment. The written notification should provide an explanation for the separation and must state the effective date of separation, which is the last day the employee will work.

Reasonable advance notice of separation for classified employees is at least two weeks or longer for professional level positions. As contractual employees, faculty members should make every effort to give the administration adequate time to find a replacement when they desire to leave Old Dominion University.

Upon being notified of an employee's intention to separate, the hiring supervisor shall request the written separation letter. On the bottom of the document, the hiring supervisor should note the date the separation letter was received, sign his/her name acknowledging receipt, and submit the document to the Department of Human Resources immediately. If an employee wishes to rescind the separation notice, the employee shall send a written request to withdraw the separation notification to the hiring supervisor and the Department of Human Resources. The hiring supervisor shall forward the request to withdraw to the hiring supervisor's vice president. The vice president shall decide whether to approve the request to withdraw the notice of separation. The vice president shall notify the employee, hiring supervisor, and the Department of Human Resources if the withdrawal request is approved or denied.

The Department of Human Resources will provide the hiring supervisor with an email message confirming receipt of the separation notice within five (5) business days. The Department of Human Resources will enter the termination of the job record in Banner on or before the separation date or immediately upon receipt if the separation date is on or prior to receipt of notification of employee's separation by the supervisor. This will set off the Employee Separation Workflow which terminates system access within twenty-four hours of the separation date.

The hiring supervisor will receive a checklist to ensure that the hiring supervisor's responsibilities for the separation process are communicated and completed in Banner Workflow on or before the separation date and no later than two business days after the separation date.

Hiring supervisors are responsible for the following checklist actions:

• certifying that all leave activity has been submitted via WTE to the Payroll Office;
• collecting University property;
• directing the return of keys to the Department of Facilities Management;
• referring departing faculty and staff to the Department of Human Resources for benefits information;
• if applicable, ensuring that contractual obligations are fulfilled by the separating faculty member or reassigned as appropriate;
• maintaining all departmental personnel and timekeeping records* in a safe and confidential manner;
• if the separating employee is a faculty member working on projects funded through ODURF, he/she must contact the grant manager before his/her last day of work;
• if the employee is transferring to another Virginia state agency and DID NOT state this in his/her resignation letter, please contact the Department of Human Resources right away.

*Department Records Coordinators are responsible for securing such physical records as are uniquely created, received and maintained for the position concerned, contacting the Office of Information Technology Services regarding the secure storage of such electronic records, including email, as are associated with the position concerned, and advising the University Records Manager about the separation so that inquiries can be made to ascertain if any litigation, investigations, or Freedom of Information Act requests are in effect that would suspend the routine destruction of records associated with the position concerned.

Also, the separating employee will receive an email message to inform the employee about his/her responsibilities in completing the separation process. The Department of Human Resources is responsible for inactivating the employee's pay status in the Banner Administrative Information System upon notification of an employee's separation. The Department of Human Resources is also responsible for providing timely notification to the Payroll Office of separating employees.

The Payroll Office is responsible for processing final salary payments, processing final leave pay-outs, terminating direct deposits, and terminating employee records in the Banner Administrative Information System.

Records Retention

Applicable records must be retained and then destroyed in accordance with the Commonwealth's Records Retention Schedules.

Responsible Officer

Recruitment and Employment Manager, Department of Human Resources

Related Information

University Policy 3400 - Fixed Asset Control

University Policy 3700 - Records Management Policy