When your benefit coverage ends

Voluntary Benefits

If you leave the university, cease to be a benefit eligible employee, or retire; your voluntary benefit coverage will end on the beginning of the pay period following your last day of employment in a benefit eligible job. You may have the option to continue benefit coverage under some plans.

You can review the current pay schedule.

Agency transfer If you are hired by another Arizona University System (AUS) or Arizona  Department of Administration (ADOA) state agency employer within 31 days of leaving the university, you may be eligible to transfer your sick leave balance and benefit service to your new employer. Contact the Human Resources department at your new employer to see if you are eligible for an agency transfer.

Health care

You can continue your medical, dental and vision coverage through COBRA at the full cost plus a 2% administrative fee.  COBRA enrollment information will be mailed to your home shortly after you leave the university.  Review the COBRA enrollment form for cost information.

Flexible spending accounts

If you are enrolled in a health care flexible spending account, you may be able to  continue your coverage through COBRA at your full contribution amount plus a 2% administrative fee. ASI, the flexible spending account administrator, will determine if you are eligible to enroll in COBRA and, if you are eligible, will mail COBRA enrollment information to your home shortly after you leave the university.

If you are enrolled in a dependent day care flexible spending account, you do not have the option to continue coverage under COBRA.

Submitting claims Accordion Closed

Claims must be submitted to ASI no later than April 30th following the end of the calendar year in which claims were incurred.  If you did not use all the funds in your account prior to your last day of coverage, you will only be reimbursed for qualified claims incurred prior to the last day of your coverage up to

  • Health care – the amount of your annual election even if you did not contribute the entire amount to your account.
  • Dependent care – the amount you have contributed to your account.

Life and Disability

  • Employee life – You may continue your basic and any supplemental employee life insurance through your provider by converting or porting your coverage within 31 days of the last day of coverage.
    • Aetna (Policy# 476687 & Group # 320471) call 800-523-5065
    • The Hartford (Policy # 395211) contact Benefits Options at  866-712-3443
  • Dependent life – You do not have the option of continuing your dependent life coverage.
  • Disability – You do not have the option of continuing your short term disability or  long term disability coverage. If you are currently receiving disability benefits they will continue while approved by the provider.

Accrued leave

Vacation

If you leave the university, cease to be a benefit eligible employee, or retire up to one year of unused accrued vacation time will be paid out.

Maximum hours paid out Accordion Closed

Below are the maximum hours that can be paid out based on based on 40 hours per week employee or 1.0 FTE.

 Service Hours 
Classified Employees Less than two years88
 Two years up to four years128
 Four years or more176
Appointed Employees All service176
Post-doctoral scholars All service     0
The maximum hours for employees working under 40 hours per week or less than 1 FTE are prorated

Sick Leave

If you leave the university or cease to be a benefit eligible employee, your accrued sick time is not paid out.  If you return to the university in less than one year, your sick leave balance will be reinstated.

Retirement Plans

If you participate in a primary or supplemental retirement plan and are leaving the university but not retiring, you may be eligible to:

  • request a refund or distributions of your employee contributions, vested employer contributions if any, and interest earned on these amounts;
  • roll over your retirement funds to an IRA or other qualified retirement plan; or
  • leave your contributions on deposit for a future benefit.

Contact your retirement plan or investment manager to review your options or to request a refund or distribution.

Distributions taken before age 59½ that are not rolled over to an IRA or other qualified retirement plan may be subject to taxes and penalties. 

Exception Accordion Closed

You may still be a participant in your retirement plan and not eligible to request a refund or distribution if you transfer to a non-benefit-eligible position (graduate assistant or temporary employee) at the university, or to another ASRS employer, ADOA state agency or Arizona University System employer including: Arizona Board of Regents, Arizona University or University of Arizona.

Retiree Health Care Accordion Closed

If you leave the university, leave your funds on account with your primary retirement vendor, and draw retirement at a later date, you may be eligible for retiree health care benefits through ASRS or the ADOA Benefits Option Program. Contact ASRS or ADOA Benefit Options for information within 31 days of your retirement date to determine eligibility for these benefits.

Learn about your benefits at retirement

Educational Assistance

You are eligible only if you are an administrative, faculty, professional or classified staff employee that works 50% time or more and are expecting to have continued employment for six months or more.  You must be an active benefit eligible employee on the first day of classes for the semester in order to use the educational assistance benefit.

If you have been approved for educational assistance for a semester that begins after you leave the university you will not be eligible for educational assistance for that semester.

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Review the 2020 Summary of Your NAU Benefits

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