Death of Employee
Death of a Faculty or Staff Member
When a faculty or staff member dies, a Human Resources team member will send the family information regarding benefits available to them and any applicable forms for completion. Families are welcome to meet with a team member for assistance with this information and forms. The following is a summary of the benefits that may be available to a deceased faculty or staff member’s family.
Life Insurance
The University provides a policy for each full and part-time, benefits eligible faculty and staff member. Participants may also elect additional voluntary life insurance coverage, as well as Personal Accident coverage. Based on these enrollments, the applicable claim forms will be forwarded to the beneficiary on file, along with instructions for completion, and where to submit the completed forms.
Health Care Benefits
There are two options under which the deceased faculty or staff member’s covered dependents may remain within the University’s health care plan:
- Under COBRA, widows, widowers, and dependent children who were covered at the time of the faculty or staff member’s death may continue in the plan for up to three years, at the family’s full expense. The University covers the first three months of COBRA premiums, to provide the family time to research other arrangements without the risk of immediately losing their University coverage.
- If a faculty or staff member has reached the eligibility requirements for retiring from the University (see the Retiring from the University life event), the covered eligible dependents will continue to have access to the health insurance as dependents of a deceased retiree, with an applicable cost-share. This coverage is available unless the spouse remarries.
Final Pay
Any outstanding time worked, but not yet paid, will be paid to the estate of the deceased faculty or staff member.
A deceased staff member’s accumulated vacation and floating holiday time will be paid to the estate of the deceased staff member.
A deceased non-exempt staff member’s accumulated sick time is paid to the estate of the deceased staff member if the staff member has reached the eligibility requirements for retiring from the University. This payment is prorated as stated on the Retiring from the University page.
Tuition Benefits
The tuition benefits that the deceased faculty or staff member was eligible for at the time of their death continue to be available to their eligible dependents, on the same basis as they are offered to current faculty and staff members at the time they are accessed.
ID Cards and Campus Access
Surviving dependents of deceased faculty and staff who have reached the eligibility requirements for retiring from the University can retain their University ID card and all of its associated privileges unless the spouse remarries and/or until the dependent reaches the age at which this benefit expires.