Human Resources Policies

HR52 Resignation or Retirement from University Employment

Policy Status
Active
Subject Matter Expert
Dovizia Long, 814-867-0041, dul10@psu.edu
Policy Steward
Vice President for Human Resources

 

POLICY'S INITIAL DATE: May 3, 1959
THIS VERSION EFFECTIVE: June 22, 2023

Contents


PURPOSE:   

To outline the amount of notice a faculty or staff member should typically give when submitting a resignation or retirement. 

FOR FACULTY MEMBERS:

Notice of a University faculty member's resignation or retirement is expected to be early enough to allow the unit to develop plans to redistribute the faculty member's responsibilities, particularly in regard to teaching and research grants. 

The faculty member shall, therefore, give no less than two months' notice of resignation or retirement. Thus, the final date for a faculty to tender a resignation/retirement is May 1, to be effective June 30, or by November 1, to be effective December 31. 

A faculty member who wishes to retire or resign from the University must communicate this in writing to their academic unit head (department head/division head/school director). The notice must include the planned date retirement/resignation. Once in receipt of written notice from the faculty member, the academic unit head should forward this notice to the unit executive (dean/chancellor) and the Human Resources Strategic Partner. 

The date of separation from the University by resignation or retirement must precede the start date of any employment at another institution. 

If a faculty member on a less than 48-week appointment tenders a resignation after June 30 but before the start of the academic year, then their effective date will be backdated to June 30, and they must return to the University any salary that was pre-paid to them for the subsequent academic year but not earned, including mandatory retirement contributions, paid to them after June 30. Voluntary benefits will be discontinued as of June 30.  

FOR STAFF EMPLOYEES:

Staff employees should give adequate notice prior to the effective date of resignation or retirement. Ordinarily, this should be at least one month, but a minimum of two weeks is expected. Once a manager receives notice of resignation, a transition plan should be put in place to ensure a smooth continuity of duties. 

RECESSION: 

If an employee wishes to rescind their notice of resignation or retirement after providing such notice to the University, the decision to allow such revocation rests with the University at its sole discretion. 

CROSS REFERENCES:

Other Policies in this Manual should also be referenced, especially the following:

HR34 - Employment Conditions for Full-Time Staff Employees

HR50 - Use of Accumulated Vacation at Time of Resignation or Retirement, or Upon Completion of a Limited-Term Appointment

HR54 - Continuation of Group Insurance After Age 60, Age 65, and After Retirement or Death

HR57 - How to Determine Effective Date of Employment or Termination for Employees Paid Monthly (Except Academic)

HRG14 - Establishing Date of Termination of Employment Occurring Near December/New Year's Holiday Period


Date Approved
Date Published
Effective Date