POLICY

A. Purpose

This policy provides guidance (1) to employees and supervisors on how to manage an employee's voluntary separation from employment, (2) on termination of an employee due to death or for security reasons, and (3) on conferral of the Emeritus title for Senior Management Group (SMG) members.

B. Persons Affected

This policy applies to all non-represented employees. Represented employees should consult their collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

C. Exceptions

Requests that exceed what is allowed under current policy or that are not expressly addressed by current policy are considered exceptions to policy. A request for an exception to policy requires, at a minimum, approval by the Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO).

D. Policy Statement

1. Resignation: Employees who plan to resign from employment at Berkeley Lab are requested to give their supervisors two weeks' or more advance notice of the planned resignation, when possible, to enable prompt recruitment of replacements. The supervisor must immediately acknowledge in writing the employee's intention to resign.
2. Termination by Death
   1. Upon the death of an eligible employee, a death benefit will be paid in accordance with University of California Personnel Policies for Staff Members (PPSM) 83: Death Payments. This payment is in addition to any other benefit provided under a pension or retirement plan in effect for the deceased person (see Your Guide to Survivor and Beneficiary Benefits).
   2. The date of an employee's death is also the effective date of termination from Berkeley Lab service. Payment of salary or wages or vacation credit due to a deceased employee is made payable to beneficiaries on file. The order of the beneficiaries is:
      1. Surviving spouse;
      2. If there is no spouse, distribution is made to children in equal shares or as designated on the beneficiary form;
      3. If there are no children, payment is made to the parents or a surviving parent;
      4. If there is no parent, payment is made to the executor or administrator of the employee's estate; and
      5. If no executor or administrator exists, payment is made to next of kin under California state law.
3. Security Terminations: Employees who are terminated for security reasons at the request of the Department of Energy (DOE) may be given, with the approval of the DOE, payment for up to 20 working days in lieu of advance written notice of such termination.
4. Emeritus Title. Conferral of the Emeritus title is applicable only to positions in the Senior Management Group (SMG) per the Regents Policy 1203: Policy on Emerita/Emeritus Title Suffix.

E. Roles and Responsibilities

F. Definitions/Acronyms

None

G. Recordkeeping Requirements

H. Implementing Documents

See Ending Employment – Resignations or Expiring Appointments on the Human Resources website.

I. Contact Information

For more information, contact your division's Human Resources (HR) Center.
Feedback on HR policies or procedures is welcomed. Send comments to HRpolicies@lbl.gov.

J. Revision History

DOCUMENT INFORMATION

Source Requirements Documents

• University of California Personnel Policies for Staff Member, PPSM-83: Death Payments