Separation from the University

When an employee voluntarily or involuntarily separates from the university, this triggers a sequence of events, including the option of continuing health care coverage through COBRA and the end of participation in various benefit plans. Employees are encouraged to contact Benefits Administration to discuss the procedures for exiting the university.

University Rule: 3359-26-05 Separation from the University

Employees who voluntarily resign are asked to give as much advance notice as possible to their immediate supervisor/department chair. It is the responsibility of the immediate supervisor/department chair to ensure all obligations to the department have been satisfied and swipe card access has been deactivated.

It is essential that each department completes a Separation PAF immediately upon notification of an employee's intent to resign, retire, or terminate. Follow standard PAF procedure by getting the appropriate department-level signatures before sending to HRProcessing@uakron.edu.  All University property, including keys, electronic devices, parking passes, uniforms, tools, and library materials must be returned to the University prior to separation. 

All keys issued to employees must be returned to Locking Systems. Supervisors/department chairs can request an audit of keys issued to the separating employee from Locking Systems. All electronic swipe card access should also be terminated via email request to Locking Systems at pm17@uakron.edu.

Human Resources has amended the clearance process to be 100% online. The process ensures all outstanding obligations to the University are cleared by the exiting employee prior to separation and releases any payroll due to separating employees.

Clearance Form Process Guide

• The first-level supervisor of the separating employee should create a separation personnel action form (PAF) to be routed for signature and submitted to Human Resources.
• Upon receipt of a separation PAF, Human Resources will initiate the electronic Separation Clearance Process. The separating employee and the immediate supervisor will receive an email notification that the clearance process has been initiated. 
• Electronic Clearance Process routes to departments to clear any possible outstanding obligations. If a department does not approve or reject within three days, the process automatically moves to the next department in the process.
• The immediate supervisor receives an email notification once all areas requiring sign-off have been electronically notified with approvals or rejections noted in email.
• In the email notification, a link is provided to the electronic clearance form requiring immediate supervisor sign off for payroll clearance.
• Electronic clearance form routes to Human Resources for final sign-off and submission for release of final payroll.
  
  

It is the immediate supervisor's responsibility to:

• Administer a Separation PAF immediately upon notification of an employee terminating, resigning or retiring from the University.
• Coordinate with the exiting employee for the return of all University equipment, clearance of all financial obligations to the University, return of all keys, and, if applicable, discontinuation of swipe card access to buildings. Please see the instructions below for more detail on the supervisor's role.

Step-By-Step Instructions to Separation Clearance Process for Supervisors

It is the employee's responsibility to:

• Contact their immediate supervisor/department chair to make arrangements to return all University property issued by the department.
• Return any electronic equipment including laptops issued by Information Technology to 185 Carroll Street within office hours Monday - Friday  8:00 am - 4:30 pm.
• Return their key(s) to Locking Systems within office hours: Monday - Friday 7:00 am - 3:30 pm. 
• Notify your supervisor of any change in preferred method for disbursement of final paycheck or address change for mailing W-2 forms. Please note, any future notification of change of address can be forwarded to Human Resources or Payroll.
• The separating employee can complete an anonymous Exit Survey Questionnaire to help the university in efforts to enhance the campus experience going forward. All temporary full-time and part-time employees should access the Exit Survey Questionnaire directly. 

University of Akron Employee Exit Survey Questionnaire

Separation Personnel Action Forms (PAFs) are used to initiate employee separations for Full-time Faculty, Full-time and Part-time Staff and Contract Professionals. 

Additional information and samples for entering information on the Separation PAF are available on the PAF Resources and Samples page.

For Part-time Faculty separations, use the Part-time Teaching/Summer Sessions PAF with an Action Code of TER.

Additional information is located on the Part-time Faculty Hiring page, including a Sample Termination PAF.

Assistance with retirement processing from STRS, SERS or OPERS is coordinated by Benefits Administration.  Initial contact with Benefits Administration should occur no less than three months prior to the anticipated effective date of retirement.  Assistance is available to coordinate regular and disability retirements, service credit purchase and/or reinstatement of canceled credit.

Please see the Retirement page for additional information.

COBRA provides the option to purchase and continue insurance coverage from the University during certain eligibility periods to previously covered individuals.   COBRA is coordinated by Benefits Administration.   Please see the COBRA page for more information.