Terminations of Employment (Offboarding)

COASTAL ALABAMA COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Policies and Procedures Manual

10.02.02 Terminations of Employment (Offboarding)

Original Approval: 04/01/2022
Last Updated:  06/03/2024
Last Reviewed:  06/03/2024

Policy/Purpose:

It is the policy of Coastal Alabama Community College to comply with all federal and state laws, including the Students First Act, and Alabama Community College System (ACCS) Board Policy 618.01 as it relates to the termination or offboarding of its employees. 

Scope:

This policy applies to all Coastal Alabama Community College employees during any activity involving the College, including the workday. In addition, visitors, vendors, contractors, and all other non-employees are expected to recognize and comply with College policies.

Definitions:

Employee: An employee is an individual who meets the employment eligibility requirements referenced in the policy, has been hired and onboarded through the Human Resources Office, and is receiving payment for work performed through the Payroll Office.

Employment Status: The current or former employee’s employment relationship with the institution (employer).

Terminations of Employment (Offboarding): Employment termination (also known as offboarding, dismissal, or separation of employment) is the cessation of the employment relationship between Coastal Alabama Community College and the employee, regardless of reason. Terminations may be either voluntary or involuntary. Voluntary terminations include resignations, retirement, and abandonment. Involuntary terminations include reductions due to lack of funds or lack of work (layoff), completion of contract or grant, and discharge for unsatisfactory job performance or misconduct.

Details:

1. Employer Rights: The College retains the right to terminate the employment relationship for any lawful reason.
2. Involuntary Terminations: Employees subject to involuntary separations will receive a written statement letter and the final date of employment. All decisions to involuntarily terminate the employment of any employee must have a review and consultation of the Human Resources Office. The items below are considered involuntary terminations:
   1. Termination Due to Performance / Behavior: An employee may be terminated for reasons that include, but are not limited to, performance deficiencies, willful violation of policy or procedure, failure to adhere to conditions of employment, or serious misconduct. In most cases, a meaningful effort to address the issues will precede termination though in serious cases termination may occur without prior disciplinary action.
      
      Refer to the Employee Discipline Policy.
   2. Inactive Employment: The employment status of a part-time employee who has not worked and has not received compensation in the previous calendar year may be automatically terminated at the end of January of the following year.
   3. Layoff or Reduction in Force (RIF): A layoff or reduction in force is a form of involuntary termination.
      
      NOTE: An academic break is not a permanent layoff but a temporary absence from work due to a break in the academic calendar, including summer semester or any break between semesters or terms. A seasonal layoff is temporary and will occur due to seasonal needs or may occur at a time other than a break in the academic calendar. Employees on short-term layoffs that occur regularly each year due to academic breaks or holiday shutdowns do not qualify for unemployment compensation given that the employee will be called back to work on a specific date.
       
3. Voluntary Terminations: The following are considered voluntary terminations:
   1. Resignations: All instructional personnel will give written notice of resignation at least 30 calendar days prior to the beginning of a term. Each instructional staff member will complete all instructional duties and be cleared by the President or designee for any term started, except by mutual written agreement by both parties.

   2. Retirements: All employees must submit a letter to their supervisor and the President stating an intent to retire that includes a retirement date. This letter of intent is to be submitted on the first of a month 90 calendar days before anticipated retirement is requested.

      NOTE: Employees giving less than the required notice will be ineligible for rehire, including rehire into adjunct positions.

   3. Abandonment of Position: Any employee who is absent from work for three (3) consecutive workdays without approval will be considered to have abandoned the position and to have resigned from the employing institution. Refer to ACCS Board Policy 618.01 for additional information.

4. Reemployment of a Separated Employee: Employees who terminate voluntarily or who are laid off and are later reemployed by the College may be eligible for reemployment.

   Coastal Alabama will not re-employ anyone who was involuntarily terminated from employment at the College for serious misconduct.

Procedures(s):

Voluntary Terminations (Resignations / Retirements) Procedures

1. Resignations:
   1. Employees who decide to resign from a position at the College should give written notice of their intention to leave. It is preferred that the resigning employee provide no less than thirty (30) calendar days in advance, to allow supervisors in the department sufficient time to assess their needs in replacing the individual, and to allow time for processing of final salary and other payments upon termination. NOTE: Job abandonment is considered a resignation.
   2. Executive level employees should provide written notice, preferably no less than two (2) months’ notice.
   3. Employees who voluntarily terminate the employment relationship are expected to work the entire notice period unless leave time is otherwise approved by the Supervisor. 
   4. Voluntarily terminating employees who are rehired may be subject to the College’s policy on Reinstatement of Former or Laid Off Employees.
   5. Written notice of resignation must be sent to the direct supervisor and the Human Resources Office. Once received, the Human Resources Office will initiate the separation procedures through NEOED.
   6. The separating employee, supervisor, and Help Desk will receive offboarding tasks to compete in NEOED.

2. Retirements:

   1. Employees retiring are required to provide no less than ninety (90) calendar days’ written notice prior to the last actual working day. Failure to provide adequate notice of retirement will result in the employee being ineligible for rehire. Exceptions are evaluated on a case-by-case basis and approved by the President.

   2. Employees eligible for retirement from the Retirement System of Alabama (RSA) must contact the Coastal Alabama Community College Payroll Office to begin the retirement process.

   3. Written notice of retirement must be sent to the direct supervisor and the Human Resources Office. Once received, the Human Resources Office will initiate the separation procedures through NEOED.

   4. The separating employee, supervisor, and Help Desk will receive offboarding tasks to compete in NEOED.

Involuntary Terminations (Discharges, Inactive Employment, Layoffs, etc.) Procedures

1. Discharges:
   1. Refer to the Employee Discipline Policy. 
   2. Notification of a non-voluntary termination is in writing.  This document will include information regarding final pay and benefits upon termination.
   3. In the case of a discharge, College Police will assist the discharged employee to exit Coastal Alabama property.
   4. The Human Resources Office will initiate the separation procedures through NEOED.
   5. The supervisor and Help Desk will receive offboarding tasks to compete in NEOED.
      
      NOTE: All discharge meetings are conducted by the Colleges Senior Personnel Officer (SPO).
       
2. Inactive Employment: The employment status of a part-time employee who has not worked and received no compensation for the prior calendar year (i.e., no annual W2 is issued) may be automatically terminated at the end of January of the following year.
   1. A query of inactive employees will identify employees who were not paid the previous calendar year.
   2. Human Resources will validate the data.

   3. Human Resources will send an email to the supervisor(s) to let them know that the employee(s) has not received any pay for the previous calendar year and therefore will be terminated.

   4. For part-time (adjunct) instructors, Human Resources, the Instructional Director, and Instructional Officer will meet to discuss employees on the inactive termination list.

      NOTE: Supervisors will have the opportunity to request to “hold” termination due to inactive status for up to one year. Request must include rationale for the request. Exceptions are made on a case-by-case basis.

   5. Human Resources will notify the employee in writing (via email or letter).

   6. Human Resources will terminate the employee in Banner.

   7. The Human Resources Office will initiate the separation procedures through NEOED.
      The supervisor and Help Desk will receive offboarding tasks to compete in NEOED.

Layoffs / Reduction in Force (RIF) Procedures

1. Notification of a layoff or RIF termination is in writing.  This document will include information regarding final pay and benefits upon termination.
2. The Human Resources Office will initiate the separation procedures through NEOED.
3. The supervisor and Help Desk will receive offboarding tasks to compete in NEOED.

Termination of Employment Processing Procedures

1. Terminating employee provides a resignation and/or retirement letter to their supervisor within the recommended notice above and submits a final timesheet (if applicable) prior to last day of employment. The President must sign all resignation and retirement letters.
2. Supervisor notifies Human Resources of resignation / retirement upon receipt of resignation.
   
   NOTE: Any termination of employment, whether voluntary or involuntary, will be treated in a confidential, professional manner by all concerned.  The Human Resources Office will share the relevant termination information with others at the College as deemed necessary to complete the termination process and to resolve any related issues.
    
3. The Human Resources Office sends a termination notice via email to employee’s who terminate voluntarily. The email includes the following information:
   1. The employee may schedule a confidential exit interview with a Human Resources representative.
   2. A summary of the exit process, including final pay and benefit information.
4. Supervisor schedules an exit meeting with the terminating employee to collect equipment, keys, etc. before the last day of employment and completes the Employment Termination Checklist Form prior to the departure of the terminating employee and returns completed form to Human Resources as soon as possible, but no longer than two (2) business days.
   
   NOTE: Failure to return some items may result in deductions from final paycheck.  
5. The Human Resources Office finalizes termination procedure by collecting final exit paperwork, terminating benefits, and requesting final compensation from the Payroll Office.  Human Resources termination processing includes: 
   1. Benefits upon Termination: Benefits information related to continuation of medical, dental, and vision coverage as required by the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) is mailed to the employee by Public Education Employees’ Health Insurance Plan (PEEHIP).
   2. Unused Sick Leave: Unused sick leave is not paid upon termination from employment.
   3. Accrued and Unused Annual Leave: Employees will receive any accrued and unused annual leave on record to be paid out upon termination from employment on the employee’s final paycheck.

Additional Provisions / Information:

Refer to the Pay and Salary Administration Policy.
Refer to  the Employee Discipline Policy.