Separating employees

As you leave UW-La Crosse to start a new chapter in your life, there are responsibilities that you have to ensure a successful employment separation process. This guide and the exit checklist are presented by Human Resources to provide you with the tools to help manage your exit from UW-La Crosse.

HR has developed guidance for supervisors on processing the exit process for remote workers. Remote Worker Separation Process.

Employees leaving UW-La Crosse for any of the following reasons should follow the exit guidelines:

• Retirement
• Resignation
• Non-renewal of contract
• Obtained employment with another Wisconsin agency

Separating employees may not 'vacation out', (i.e. use remaining vacation time prior to your last day; unless they are retiring.  A maximum of 30 calendar days can be used so as to extend your time on payroll). 

For all separating employees, please note that you will lose access to your email account and the MyUW Portal the day after your last date of employment.  Please print any emails you wish to retain and log into the MyUW Portal to print any previous W-2/tax documents and pay advices you wish to keep.  You can request these items post-employment through the UW Shared Services. 

• Requesting previous W-2/tax documents or pay advices
• Changing your forwarding address and how your benefit vendors are notified

When the separation is processed, UW-Shared Services Service Operations will send a benefit continuation notice (COBRA) to the employee. The continuation notice will outline the employee’s continuation or conversion rights for any applicable benefits. Employees must contact UW-Shared Services Service Operations for the continuation, and/or conversion applications. Completed continuation/conversion applications must be submitted by the employee directly to the vendor.

Learn about how your benefits are affected by the separation of employment:

• Termination of employment (Voluntary or Involuntary)
• Transferring to another UW System Institution
• Transferring to another State Agency
• Retirement from UWL

Submit a written resignation/retirement notice (except if you have received a notice of non-renewal):

• Provide your supervisor with a letter of resignation/retirement a minimum of 2 weeks prior to your last day on campus. The resignation/retirement letter should then to be forwarded to Human Resources with an acceptance/acknowledgement by the supervisor.
• Discuss with your supervisor about using your remaining leave time (if applicable) and scheduling your last day on campus.
• Your resignation/retirement notice letter should include your date of resignation/retirement and your last day on campus.
• If you are unsure of how to write a resignation/retirement letter, we have developed a template for your use.
• Note: If you have accepted employment with another Wisconsin State Agency, please be sure to indicate this information in your letter.  This will help facilitate a smooth transition. 

Print out the exit checklist.

• You will need to complete the tasks listed in the Employee section of the exit checklist. Your supervisor will work with you to ensure that all tasks listed in the Supervisor & Employee section are completed, as well. (Not all items on the exit checklist will apply to every employee.)
• Once the checklist has been completed in its entirety, including signatures, it is your supervisor’s responsibility to submit it to the Human Resources office.

Benefits and Payroll

• The Benefits Coordinator will assist you with benefit related questions. Please contact Human Resources: 608.785.8013 or hrinfo@uwlax.edu
• The Payroll Coordinator can assist you with your final leave amounts and setting your last day if you plan to use leave time during your final weeks. Final time reports or leave reports should be prepared and submitted to your supervisor prior to your last day on campus.

Review the IT exit procedures to understand when your accesses to UW-La Crosse IT systems will be terminated.

• Print and/or save your earnings statements, W-2’s, retirement statements, etc. from the My UW System Portal. You will not have access to the Portal when you are no longer employed at UW-La Crosse.
• Update departmental procedures manual or processes that require unique steps to perform your job and should be recorded for the person who will take your place.
• Work with your supervisor on transition of work in progress, projects, etc.
• If applicable, submit grades to the Registrar, or if you will not be on campus, work with your supervisor to have the grades processed.
• Provide closure to your commitments to UWL Foundation, United Way, ERA, etc.
• Forward your personal emails from your @uwlax email account.
• Clean work space and desk of personal belongings
• TowerOne card (ID card): This card is your property and does not need to be returned to the university. Your access to rooms and buildings on campus will be deactivated after your departure.
• Cancel any deductions, if applicable (i.e. Parking pass, Eagle Rec membership, meal plan, etc...)

As your employee leaves UW-La Crosse to move on to a new chapter in his/her life, there are responsibilities that you have, as a supervisor, to ensure a positive exiting experience, as well as a seamless transition. This guide and the exit checklist are presented by Human Resources to provide you with tools to help manage the employee separation process. 

Academic year pay basis (c-basis) employees that are separating at the end of the Academic Year should report the last day of the Academic Year, (usually in May) as their final date of employment.  Dates extending into the summer months are not permitted, except in extenuating circumstances.  In those cases, the date must be approved by the Dean.

HR has developed guidance for supervisors on processing the exit process for remote workers. Remote Worker Separation Process

Please note that supervisors cannot fill a position until the position is vacated and no longer in pay status.  Paid leave benefits will not count towards the vacancy date unless the person retires and has elected to use vacation time through their last day in pay status.  Learn more. 

First and foremost, you will need to ensure your exiting employee provides you with a written resignation notice, the original of which needs to be forwarded to HR (for some employees, forward to your Dean/Director first for acknowledgement).

It is imperative that you obtain from the employee a list of any programs, website and/or software for which they have access using a login other than the UWL Net ID. You will need to determine whether or not access needs to be disabled or transferred to someone another person within your department/unit.

Communicating with the employee to obtain details and progress on projects and job responsibilities will help ensure a smooth transition of those duties to others in the department.

Supervisors are ultimately responsible for collection of UW-La Crosse property, including but not limited to hardware (ie. cell phone, laptop, iPad, flash drives, etc.), keys and other miscellaneous equipment and supplies.

Be sure to review the IT exit procedures.

Ensure the exit checklist has been completed and turned into Human Resources.

• Specific items as listed on the exit checklist must be completed when an employee separates employment by resignation, involuntary separation, retirement, death, or non-renewal of appointment. All items may not apply to a given individual.
• The checklist is divided into sections indicating items for which the employee is responsible, and a section that is the supervisor’s responsibility, in collaboration with the employee. Once the checklist has been completed in its entirety, including signatures, it is the supervisor’s responsibility to submit it to the Human Resources office.

General housekeeping responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Submit final timesheet/leave report(s) to HR.
• Vote on emeriti eligibility, if applicable.
• Remove exiting employee’s name from department forms, web site, contact lists, etc.
• Review recruitment and onboarding web pages to plan for the replacement of exiting employee.

If you have any questions about the process or your responsibilities therein, please contact Human Resources at 785-8013.

Supervisors may request a retirement certificate either from the university or from the Governor. The lead time needed to produce these documents is at least one month before the retirement date of the employee.

To request a certificate from the University, please email Human Resources at hrinfo@uwlax.edu. 

To request a certificate from the Governor, please visit the Request Page on the Governor's website.