Termination

Coverage ends at the end of the month in which your employment terminates.

You may continue coverage by submitting a continuation notice and application to the Department of Employee Trust Funds within 60 days of the coverage end date or the receipt of a continuation notice, whichever is later.

• If you have less than 20 years of WRS creditable service, coverage may continue for up to 18 months.

• If you have at least 20 years of WRS creditable service, coverage may continue for life.

Premium rates to continue coverage can accessed at the links below:

•  For employees, continuants and retirees without Medicare: total premium information
•  For Graduate Assistants / Short-Term Academic Staff employees: total premium information

Coverage ends at the end of the month in which your employment terminates.

You may continue coverage by submitting a continuation notice and application to Delta Dental within 60 days of the coverage end date or the receipt of a continuation notice, whichever is later.

• If you have less than 20 years of WRS creditable service, coverage may continue for 18 months.
• If you have at least 20 years of WRS creditable service, coverage may continue for life.

Premium rates to continue coverage can be accessed on the Dental Insurance Premiums web page. 

Coverage ends at the end of the month in which your employment terminates.

You may continue coverage by submitting a continuation notice and application to DeltaVision within 60 days of the coverage end date or the receipt of the continuation notice, whichever is later.

• If you have less than 20 years of WRS creditable service, coverage may continue for 18 months.
• If you have at least 20 years of WRS creditable service, coverage may continue for life.

Premium rates to continue coverage can be accessed on the Vision Insurance Premiums web page.

Coverage ends at the end of the month in which your employment terminates. You may be eligible to either convert or continue coverage. If you convert coverage to an individual policy, the coverage is more expensive. If you continue coverage, you pay the same premium as active employees.

You are eligible to convert your coverage to an individual policy if you:

• Are under age 65; and
• Were insured for the entire six months prior to your termination.

You may convert coverage to an individual whole life insurance policy known as Secure Protector Whole Life. To do so, submit a conversion application, and premium, within 31 days of the coverage end date.

You are eligible to continue your group policy if:

• Your Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) coverage began before 1-1-90 or you have been covered under the group life insurance plan for a part of at least 5 calendar years; AND
• You meet all the requirements for receiving an immediate WRS annuity except the filing of the application; or
• The sum of your creditable years of WRS service before 1-1-90 plus the number of years you have participated in the life insurance plan after 1989 equals 20 years; or
• You have 20 years of WRS service on payroll with the State of Wisconsin.

You may continue coverage by submitting an application to the Department of Employee Trust Funds within 31 days of your coverage end date.

Review State Group Life Insurance After You Terminate Employment (ET-4104) for more information.

Contact UW-Shared Services, Service Operations at serviceoperations@support.wisconsin.edu or (888) 298-0141 (7:45-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday) for a conversion/continuation application. UW-Shared Services, Service Operations will determine if you are eligible to either convert or continue coverage and will provide you with the appropriate application.

Coverage ends at the end of the month in which your employment terminates.

You may convert coverage to an individual whole life insurance policy. To do so, submit a conversion application and premium to Securian within 31 days of the coverage end date. Contact UW-Shared Services, Service Operations at serviceoperations@support.wisconsin.edu or (888) 298-0141 (7:45-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday) for a conversion application.

Coverage ends at the end of the month in which your employment terminates.

You may convert coverage to an individual whole life insurance policy. To do so, submit a conversion application and premium to Securian within 31 days of the coverage end date. Contact UW-Shared Services, Service Operations at serviceoperations@support.wisconsin.edu or (888) 298-0141 (7:45-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday) for a conversion application.

Note: The UW Employees, Inc. Board has decided to terminate the UW Employees, Inc. Life Insurance Plan effective January 1, 2025. Employees enrolled in the plan as of December 31, 2023 will be provided coverage through December 31, 2024. Group coverage in the UW Employees, Inc. Life Insurance plan will end January 1, 2025.

Coverage continues until December 31, 2024 following your termination date if the premium is paid through that date.

Effective January 1, 2025, the University Insurance Association Life Insurance Plan will terminate. Employees enrolled in the plan as of January 1, 2024 have coverage through December 31, 2024. Group coverage will end January 1, 2025.

Coverage ends at the end of the month in which your employment terminates.

You may convert your coverage to an individual policy by contacting Zurich American Insurance Company at (888) 634-6780. This must be done within 60 days of your coverage end date (reference UW System Policy # GTU-8364005). Or contact UW-Shared Services, Service Operations at serviceoperations@support.wisconsin.edu or (888) 298-0141 (7:45-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday) for a conversion application.

Coverage ends at the end of the month in which your employment terminates.

You may port coverage by submitting a portability form and application to Securian. This must be done within 31 days of the coverage end date or the receipt of the continuation notice, whichever is later. You may continue coverage until age 70.

The portability form can be accessed on Securian's website under Forms & Documents or by contacting Securian at (855) 750-1906. 

Coverage ends on the date in which your employment terminates. There is no option to continue or convert coverage.

Health Care FSA

At the end of your employment, you have the following options:

• You may continue coverage by:
  • Contributing the remainder of your annual election via a tax free lump sum from your last paycheck (reach out to your institution benefits contact to set up). If you contribute your full annual amount, you can incur eligible expenses through the end of the plan year. 
  • Making after-tax contributions by paying ETF directly. Contact UW-Shared Services, Service Operations at serviceoperations@support.wisconsin.edu or (888) 298-0141 to request an FSA continuation application. If you choose this option, you may incur eligible expenses until the last day of the month in which your final contribution was made to ETF or December 31, whichever is earlier.
• If you do not contribute your full annual election amount, you may incur eligible expenses through the end of the month in which your employment ends.*
• If you only have carryover funds from a prior plan year, meaning you are not contributing in the current plan year, eligible expenses must be incurred by the last day of the month in which your employment ends.

*Applies to carryover and current plan year funds.

Note: Your payment card will be deactivated at the end of the month in which your employment ends. If you have eligible expenses to submit for reimbursement after your payment card is deactivated, you will need to pay out-of-pocket, then submit your claims manually (either electronically or via U.S. Mail).

Dependent Day Care

At the end of your employment, you cannot continue to make Dependent Day Care contributions. However, you can continue to incur expenses and request reimbursement until you exhaust your account balance or the end of the plan year, whichever is earlier. Expenses must be submitted by March 31st following the end of the plan year.

At the end of your employment, you may no longer contribute to your HSA via payroll deduction.

However, the money in your HSA is yours. You may continue to use the funds to pay for qualified health, dental and/or vision expenses.

At termination, you may move your HSA to a different HSA administrator or you may keep your HSA with the State of Wisconsin's HSA administrator. If you keep the funds with the State's administrator, a monthly administrative fee will automatically be deducted from your account.

If you end all Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS)-covered employment before minimum retirement age* or before you’re vested** in the WRS, you may:

• Leave your money in the WRS to accumulate interest OR
• Close your WRS account (Separation Benefit (ET-3101): This means you are requesting payment of your employee contributions plus interest on those contributions. If you take a separation benefit, you will lose the employer contributions in your account. To request this, contact the Department of Employee Trust Funds.

It is generally in your best interest to leave your contributions in the WRS. If you take a separation benefit and later return to state employment, you must re-serve any waiting periods for benefits.

*Age 55 for most. Age 50 for the Protective WRS category (for example, law enforcement, fire fighters).

**If you were first covered by the WRS on or after July 1, 2011, you must have 5 years of WRS creditable service to be vested. If you were covered by the WRS prior to July 1, 2011 you are immediately vested.

Contribution elections will end automatically on your last paycheck. Contact your recordkeeper(s) for information about your account and distribution options.

Contribution elections will end automatically on your last paycheck. Contact Wisconsin Deferred Compensation directly for information about your account and distribution options.

Vacation, Personal Holiday, Floating Legal Holiday, Banked Leave:

Any remaining vacation, personal holiday, floating legal holiday, or banked leave hours that have been earned will be paid out on your last check or shortly after your termination.

You may also be able to use your remaining leave that you have earned to extend your time on payroll. Extending time on payroll is based on institution policy and requires coordination and approval with your institution human resources.

If vacation hours have been overused (used vacation hours granted but not yet earned) you will be required to repay the value of the overused hours.

Sick Leave:

Sick leave is not paid out when you terminate employment. Your sick leave will be lost unless:

• You return to a leave-earning position at the UW System within your reinstatement period. If this occurs, your sick leave balance will be restored.
  • Faculty, Academic Staff, or Limited Appointees –
    • Must return within 3 years to an Faculty, Academic Staff or Limited appointment; or
    • Must return within 5 years to a University Staff position.
  • University Staff employees must return within 5 years to a leave-earning appointment.
• You have 20 years of Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) creditable service. This makes you eligible to convert your sick leave to pay for health insurance premiums in retirement. See the Sick Leave Conversion Credit Program for more information.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP) benefits are available to employees for 12 months following termination. Review the EAP web page for information on contacting the EAP provider.