MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGEMENT
SEPARATION OF EMPLOYMENT - STAFF
POLICY AND PROCEDURES
PURPOSE:
To define separation of staff employment with the university and to describe the steps to be taken when separation from employment occurs.
POLICY
Separation from employment may result from resignation, retirement, layoff, completion of a time-limited appointment, non-renewal of an employment contract, or discharge. An Employment Action Form shall be submitted for each employee whose employment ceases to ensure that the reason for the separation is properly documented. The employee’s immediate supervisor will schedule an exit interview (except when an employee is discharged) and provide the separating employee with the Exit Survey. The information obtained from the exit survey will be utilized to improve selection, training and supervision practices, to improve working conditions at the University and to learn of any concerns of the employee.
Employees are expected to provide written notice of resignation or retirement to their immediate supervisor who is authorized to accept it. Executive, administrative, managerial, and professional employees should offer a thirty-day notice and support staff should give a two-week notice. It is the prerogative of University administration to fix the time and conditions of employment separation.
When employees are to be discharged, the responsible administrator should refer to the Performance Management Toolkit regarding workplace issues.
Definitions
Resignation/retirement occurs when employment ceases at the employee’s request.
Layoff is a separation from employment due to conditions or circumstances beyond the control of the employee. Refer to Layoff of Non-Contract Employees procedure.
Discharge occurs when the employee’s employment is unilaterally ended by the University.
PROCEDURE
The employee’s responsible administrator must:
• audit the employee’s pay and leave,
• complete the Separating Procedure Checklist to ensure the return of all University property issued to the employee during employment at MSU,
• complete the Employment Action Form on or before the employee’s last work day and forward through the appropriate administrative channels,
• forward the employee’s departmental file to the Department of Human Resources Management for retention.
• conduct the exit interview and have the employee complete the Exit Survey, and
• forward the Exit Survey to the Department of Human Resources Management.
In the event the employee fails to return University property when requested to do so by the supervisor, aside from any other legal remedies the University may find necessary to pursue, the employee’s final paycheck may be withheld. In addition, any debts owed to the University may be withheld from the final paycheck.
Discharged individuals will be designated as permanently ineligible for rehire at the University by the Director of Human Resources Management except when the administrator approving the discharge recommends otherwise to the Director of Human Resources Management and the exception is approved.
Benefits Upon Separation from Employment
Separating employees (other than a separation due to retirement) must be present for work or in an approved paid leave status on the last regularly scheduled day of work before a holiday and the first scheduled work day after a holiday to be eligible for holiday pay (refer to #60-200, Holiday Policy). Separating employees should contact the Department of Human Resources Management regarding benefits.
REVIEW:
This policy and procedure will be reviewed by the Director of Human Resources Management as needed.
HRM #60-405
04/24/07
For information about this policy, contact the responsible/reviewing department hyperlinked above.
