Separation Policies

Separation from Employment

Reasons for separation from University employment fall into one of the following categories:

• Resignation: voluntary separation
• Retirement: voluntary separation after meeting the University's Retirement Eligibility Rules
• Termination: involuntary separation due to reasons deemed to constitute proper cause by the University or release during the probationary period
• Layoff: separation due to lack of work or job abolishment

Resignation

An employee who voluntarily resigns from the University is expected to give the University the required advance notice. The supervisor must notify the HR Officer if the employee did not give the required notice since failure to do so may result in the employee not receiving pay for their unused vacation accumulation.

An employee should submit a letter of resignation to his or her supervisor. An employee who is transferring from one position to another within the University is also expected to comply with the above guidelines unless an alternative arrangement is agreed upon by both current and prospective supervisors. For more information about the transfer process, see Promotions and Transfers.

An employee who voluntarily resigns from the University will be asked to complete a confidential, online exit questionnaire prior to leaving. The purpose of the questionnaire is to gather feedback on the employee's experience at NYU. The exit questionnaire also offers the employee the option for an in-person interview with his/ her Human Resources Officer or a member of the Office of Employee Relations.

Retirement

In planning for retirement, an employee should give as much advance notice to his or her supervisor as possible, as it usually takes several months to accommodate and prepare for such a major change.

Supervisors should encourage retiring employees to visit the "Retirees" section of this Web site (at www.nyu.edu/hr/retirees) and to consult with a Benefits Specialist/Advisor in Human Resources to learn about benefit options and coverage.

Termination

An employee whose conduct, actions, or performance violates or is in conflict with the University’s policies may be subject to discipline in accordance with the University’s Constructive Discipline Process. The last step in the discipline process is termination.

Managers or supervisors who are planning on taking disciplinary action against an employee, especially if that action is suspension or termination of employment, should consult their HR Officer, or, in the absence of that person, contact the Office of Employee Relations at once.

An employee who is terminated for serious misconduct (examples of serious misconduct include, but are not limited to theft or dishonesty, violence, or refusal to follow a legitimate work directive) will not be eligible for re-employment and may be subject to criminal charges if conduct involves criminal activity.

The Human Resources Officer should promptly complete a PASS action to allow for the timely processing of final paychecks, unemployment insurance and/or other relevant matters.

Layoff

In the event of a layoff due to lack of work, reduced funding or departmental restructuring, supervisors should consult with the Human Resources Officer prior to eliminating a position.

There are no formal seniority rules for Administrative/Professional (codes 100/110) employees. However, any potential layoff must be discussed with the Office of Employee Relations to ensure that it is in compliance with anti-discrimination and other laws.

Policies for layoffs for Office/Clerical (codes 106/116) and Laboratory/Technical (codes 104/114) employees are described in the Collective Bargaining Agreement between the University and Union of Clerical, Administrative and Technical Staff, Local 3882. Seniority rules are covered in Article 15 and Notice of Layoff in Article 29. The Employee Relations Office can provide assistance in interpreting and applying contractual requirements.

For Service staff (codes 107/117) covered by a collective bargaining agreement, please refer to the appropriate contract for all information about layoff. For Service staff (codes 107/117) not covered by a collective bargaining agreement, please contact the Office of Employee Relations.

back to top

Separation Procedures

Employees are required to turn in all University property to their supervisors, including identification, keys, tools, and electronic equipment prior to their last day of work. The supervisor should ensure that all technology access is disabled in a timely manner. Please review the employee checklist.

Review the checklist and exit tools for more information about the necessary actions to take when an employee leaves.

back to top

Disclaimer

The policies included on this web site do not constitute a contract of any kind. Every attempt has been made to accurately represent the policies and benefits programs. The plans and policies described here are based generally on plan documents and University policies that govern the operations of the plans. If there is a conflict between the information presented here and the information contained in the plan documents and University polices, the plan documents and University policies always govern and are the controlling documents. The University reserves the right to change, amend or terminate any of its human resources policies and/or benefits plans at any time for any reason, with or without notice.

back to top