Offboarding Benefits

Health and NCFLEX Benefits

	Coverage Plan	Continuation/Conversion/Portabiity	Action Required/Contact Info
State Health Plan	Termination dates between 1st and 15th of the month, coverage is effective through the last day of the month. EX. 3/10 term date = covered until 3/31. Temination dates on or after the 16th of the month, coverage is effective through the last day of the following month. EX. 3/17 term date = covered until 4/30.	Coverage can be continued for up to 18 months through COBRA provisions. State Health Plan COBRA Plan Overview and Rates	The vendor will mail out COBRA information to the home address once the coverage has ended.
Post Doc/House Officer Health Insurance	Coverage will end the last day of the month in which the postdoc/house officer terminates. Ex. job ends 3/2, coverage ends 3/31; job ends 3/31, coverage ends 3/31.	Coverage can be continued for up to 18 months through COBRA provisions.	No action is required by the postdoc/house officer. The vendor will mail out COBRA information to the home address once the coverage has ended. To check status of COBRA notication, contact Student Blue at 800-762-8505.
NCFlex Dental Vision, Tricare	NCFlex benefits will end at the end of the month in which employment ends. EX. 3/17 term date = covered until 3/31.	Coverage can be continued for up to 18 months through COBRA provisions. Continuation options (page 2)	The vendor will mail COBRA information to the home address once coverage has ended. Continuation options & contacts (page 2)
NCFlex Critical Illness*, Accident Plan*, and Cancer Plan	NCFlex benefits will end at the end of the month in which employment ends. EX. 3/17 term date = coverred until 3/31.	Coverage may be continued through Portability. *Portability is available prior to age 70 for these plans. Continuation options (page 2)	The vendor will mail Portability information to the home address once coverage has ended. Continuation options & contacts (page 2)
UNC System Life Insurance and AD&D Securian	Securian benefits will end at the end of the month in which employment ends EX. 3/17 term date = covered until 3/31.	Coverage can be continued through portability or converted to an individual policy.	The vendor will mail Portability information to the home address once coverage has ended. Continuation options & contacts
Supplemental Disability	Benefits end on the date employment ends. EX. 3/17 term date = covered until 3/17.	There are no continuation provisions for this plan.	No action is required.
State Provided Disability Plans	Benefits end on the date employment ends. EX. 3/17 term date = covered until 3/17.	There are no continuation provisions for this plan.	No action is required. *If already approved to receive disability benefits, contact Leave Administration at ncsuleaveteam@ncsu.edu or 919-515-2151
Met Life Legal Plan	Benefits end at the end of the month in which employment ends. EX. 3/17 term date = covered until 3/31.	Coverage can be continued.	Contact Met Life directly to continue cover by calling 1-800-821-6400

Flexible Spending Plans

	Coverage Period	Continuation/Conversion/Portability	Action Required/Contact Info
Healthcare Flex Spending	The use of this benefit ends on the last day of employment.	There is a continuation provision by submitting after-tax payments to the flex spending vendor. Coverage continuation options (page 2)	The vendor will mail out COBRA information once coverage has ended. Continuation options & contacts (page 2)
Dependent Care Flex Spending	The benefit stops on the last day of employment. If an employee leaves during the plan year, they can request reimbursement for services before their coverage ends. Services after that date are covered only up to the remaining balance. Any unused money stays with the state, following IRS rules.	Cannot be continued.	Cannot be continued.

Retirement Plans

Mandatory Retirement Plans

Teachers’ and State Employees’ Retirement System (TSERS)

• Vesting: Being vested in the TSERS means that at some point in the future, a participant will be eligible for both a monthly, lifetime retirement benefit as well as health insurance. Depending on the amount of creditable service, leaving contributions in the TSERS account may be a wise choice. There is no minimum account balance requirement and contributions continue to earn interest currently 4% compounded annually.
• Withdrawal/Rollover: You can leave your contributions in TSERS and keep all creditable service you earned to that date or withdrawal/rollover contributions (and interest, if vested). A withdrawal or rollover of contributions will result in losing accumulated service credit, the death benefit, Disability Income Plan, and *retiree medical coverage eligibility. At the point of withdrawal, state and federal taxes are assessed, as well as a 20% penalty if you are under the age of 59 1/2. Taxes and penalties are avoided if the account is rolled to a qualified plan. If a withdrawal or rollover is processed and you return to NC state government service at a later date, previously withdrawn accounts can be purchased after contributing to TSERS for 5 years. Furthermore, a return to service within 5 years of the termination date results in a reinstatement of the employee’s sick leave balance. TSERS Handbook
• Action Required/Contact Information: To leave contributions, no action is required. To withdraw or rollover contributions, form 5-Withdrawing Your Retirement Service Credit and Contributions is required. (go to link above and search under the “Contributions or Credit Withdrawal Forms”)
• Review information on ORBIT for more details.

Optional Retirement Plan (ORP)

• Vesting: Optional Retirement Program vesting occurs after 5 years of plan participation. On separation from service, participants may receive a lump sum payout or monthly annuity distributions. Retiree health benefits are included only if the participant elects a monthly annuity distribution option. If separation from employment occurs prior to being vested, 100% vesting in the ORP employer contribution occurs provided all of the followingcriteria are met:
  • new employer is a higher education institution that sponsors a substantially similar or “like” retirement plan, and
  • the successor plan offers a “like retirement plan” that is underwritten by one of the four carriers currently underwriting the ORP benefit and
  • you begin participation in the successor plan as your “core retirement plan” within 12 months following your termination of employment with NC State.
• Withdrawal/Rollover: You can leave your account balance in the ORP until you begin receiving a retirement benefit under one of the various payment options available to you. As an alternative under the ORP your retirement benefit is portable. You may transfer or roll over your benefit into an individual retirement account (IRA) or the qualifying plan of your new employer if it accepts rollovers. However, remember that if you withdraw, transfer or roll over your entire ORP account, you forfeit your right to *retiree medical coverage under the State Health Plan.
  Keep in mind that if you withdraw money from the ORP before age 59 1/2 without properly making a direct transfer or rollover into an IRA or other qualified plan, you will be subject to tax penalties.
• Action Required/Contact Information: To leave contributions, withdraw, rollover ORP accounts, or participate in a similar plan with another education institution complete form ORP3 and return it to the Benefits office by fax (919-513-2528) or mail (Campus Box 27695) by your separation date. Consult with a TIAA plan advisor.

Supplemental Retirement Plans

On termination of employment, contributions to supplemental retirement plans are no longer permitted; however, if similar plans are offered by other employers it is possible in some cases, that contributions may be resumed with the new employer’s plan. Contact the university-sponsored retirement plan advisor for each plan to inquire further.

Medicare and Retiree Health Insurance 

State Health Plans For Medicare Retirees or contact your Benefits Consultant for more information.
Age 65+ and not going immediately to a new employer sponsored plan? 

* Special note related to retiree medical coverage

If you were hired on or before December 31, 2020, leave employment and receive a refund on retirement contributions (withdraw, transfer, or roll over your entire account) and are hired back after January 1, 2021, you will no longer be eligible for retiree medical coverage provided by the State Health Plan.

If you leave your contributions with the retirement plan, you will maintain your retiree medical coverage.

Phased Retirement Program

If exiting the Phased Retirement, please contact Britt Moose at 919-513-3748 or sbmoose@ncsu.edu.

Leave Balances

IMPORTANT NOTES:

1. Once the HR department enters the separation action into the HR System, employees may see their leave balances change to “0” in WolfTime in preparation for any leave transfers or payouts.  Leave balances can still be viewed by using the “forecasted balances” option within WolfTime. Video instructions on how to view forecasted balances.
2. If transferring to another state agency, it is critical that employees let their HR representative know so that their service time and leave balances are transferred accordingly. Failure to notify the HR Representative will result in an inaccurate payout and loss of leave transferred to the new agency. More Info.

	Payout/deductions	Transferable to other state agency	Eligibility	Action Needed/Contact Info
Annual & Personal Leave (SHRA, EHRA)	Annual Leave: Accumulated annual leave will be paid in a lump sum the month after termination. Leave for retirees will be paid out in the month of retirement. However, payment for accumulated leave must not exceed 240 hours. This maximum amount may be lower based on FTE and appointment length. Personal Leave: If the employee separates from service due to resignation, dismissal, retirement, reductions in force, or death, accumulated Personal Leave is forfeited and is not paid out.	Based on the receiving agency’s rules. Several factors are considered when determining eligibility of leave transfer. More Info Common Scenarios for employees separating from NC State: Transferring to a UNC Institution Transferring to a State of NC Agency Leaving State Government	SHRA, EHRA (9 month faculty do not earn Annual Leave)	Approve all time and leave in WolfTime before termination date and check “forecasted balances“. Annual Leave beyond 240 hours won't be paid but can be donated to the shared leave program PRIOR to termination date. Contact your Benefits Consultant for more information. If last active day is 12/31, annual leave above 240 will rollover into sick leave balances. Leave payouts are in the next month's payroll. (e.g., last day is Jul 5, payout will be Aug 31) A 6% retirement deduction is withheld from leave payouts. Retirees are paid out leave in the month in which they retire. (e.g. retire on Aug 1, leave Aug 31.)
Post Doc Annual Leave	Unused annual leave will not be paid out when the postdoc appointment ends and will not be converted or carried forward if the postdoc subsequently accepts a regular EHRA or SHRA position at NC State University.	No	Post Doc	No action is required
Sick Leave	Not paid out upon separation. Will be reinstated if employee returns within 5 years to a State of North Carolina agency or UNC System school.	Based on the receiving agency’s rules.	SHRA, EHRA (9 month faculty do not earn Sick Leave)	Ensure all time and leave is approved in WolfTime before the termination date and verify the “forecasted balances“.
Adverse Weather	Outstanding balances due will be deducted from final leave payout or salary payment.	No	SHRA, EHRA, Post Docs	Ensure all time and leave is approved in WolfTime before the termination date and verify the “forecasted balances“.
Bonus Leave	Bonus Leave balances will be paid out in addition to regular Annual Leave the month after termination. Leave for retirees will be paid out in the month of retirement. Bonus Leave may be applied to negative leave balances.	Based on the receiving agency’s rules.	SHRA, EHRA, (Post Doc employees and 9 month faculty do not earn bonus leave)	Ensure all time and leave is approved in WolfTime before the termination date and verify the “forecasted balances“. Retirement deductions will be withheld from leave payouts in the amount of 6%.
2017 & 2018 Special Bonus Leave	Not paid out upon separation. *2018 Special Leave Offsetting Provision	Based on the receiving agency’s rules.	SHRA, EHRA, Post Docs	Ensure all time and leave is approved in WolfTime before the termination date and verify the “forecasted balances“.
Civil Leave	Not paid out upon separation.	Based on the receiving agency’s rules.	SHRA, EHRA, Post Docs	Ensure all time and leave is approved in WolfTime before the termination date and verify the “forecasted balances“.
Community Service, Literacy & Tutoring/Mentoring Leave	Not paid out upon separation.	Based on the receiving agency’s rules.	SHRA, EHRA, Post Docs	Ensure all time and leave is approved in WolfTime before the termination date and verify the “forecasted balances“.

Other Benefits

KinderCare

An employee of NC State University who has a child in a KinderCare who leaves NC State may continue enrollment at the center for the child(ren) but must pay the full community tuition rate.

Tuition Waiver

A participating employee who does not continue in an eligible employment status throughout the entire semester during which the tuition waiver has been requested, and —

1. Who wishes nonetheless to continue their course enrollment, will become responsible for the full amount of the in-state or out-of-state tuition and fees for the total number of credit hours, which will be charged to the student’s/employee’s account, OR
2. Who withdraws from their course enrollment immediately coincident with the discontinuation of their eligible employment status, will not be held responsible for the tuition and fees.