Events

Death of an Employee

The surviving spouse or dependent children of deceased faculty and staff may be eligible for university-provided benefits and retirement plan benefits.

Notification of Death

Social Security
When a Social Security beneficiary dies, many funeral directors voluntarily provide death information directly to Social Security; however, family members of a deceased individual still have the legal responsibility to notify Social Security.

The Ohio State University
It is the family's responsibility to contact the Office of Human Resources Customer Service Center to report the death of an employee so that he or she may be removed from benefit coverage and to file life insurance claims. Family members can also learn about their health coverage options at that point.

Release of Wage/Salary Earnings and Accumulated Vacation and Sick Leave
In order for the university to release the employee's unpaid earnings and accumulated vacation and sick leave in excess of $2,500 gross, Ohio Law requires authorization from the Probate Court. Earnings of less than $2,500 gross do not require authorization. The family or family attorney will need to obtain a "letter of authority" naming the administrator of the deceased's estate. Forward this document to the Office of Human Resources, Benefits, to coordinate payment to the named individual. When the authorization is submitted, the university can release payment to the authorized survivor for:

earnings that have accrued since the last period for which the deceased was paid
the total balance of accumulated vacation, up to the normal maximum accrual limits
one-fourth of accumulated sick-leave, up to a maximum payment of 240 hours (30 days), if the deceased was employed by the university for at least ten years

Medical, Dental and Vision Insurance Continuation Options
If a surviving dependent is covered by the university's medical insurance prior to the employee's death, and the employee held a Regular appointment of at least 50% full-time equivalent (FTE), the university will continue the same medical coverage for two full months after the month in which the death occurred. This extension allows the surviving dependent to explore all available medical insurance options, which include:

Option 1: Medical insurance coverage through the surviving dependent's employer or school. Dental and vision coverage may also be available.

Option 2: Medical insurance coverage through the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) or State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS-OH). Dental and vision benefits may also be available. This coverage is not part of the university group plan and may be different than the university group plan. It provides the opportunity to obtain coverage without giving "Evidence of Insurability" regardless of any existing health problems. Premiums are sent directly to the retirement system. Contact the appropriate retirement system for program information. If you contributed to an Ohio Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP) or the STRS - Ohio Defined Contribution option, there is no medical coverage available, but the surviving dependent may have access to the available account funds.

Option 3: Election and purchase of COBRA (Continuation of Coverage) is available at the full group funding premium rate plus 2%. Coverage is the same as the university group plan.

Life Insurance Continuation
You may be able to continue your group term life insurance coverage, and pay premiums directly to Minnesota Life. Premiums may be higher than those paid by active employees. If you wish to continue your coverage, you have 31 days from your last day of employment to complete the application.

If you have questions about your options for continuing your group term life insurance coverage, or would like to request continuation forms, please contact Minnesota Life at 1-866-293-6047.

The completed application must be received by Minnesota Life within 31 days of your
benefit termination.

Death Benefit Life Insurance Claims

Group Term Life Insurance
The University provides regular faculty/staff members with life insurance in the amount of two and one-half times the regular annual salary up to a maximum of $250,000. The accidental death benefit doubles the life insurance benefit in the event of a covered accident. The benefit amount is reduced by 3% per year after age 55. Life insurance proceeds are payable to the beneficiary(ies) named by the covered employee. A certified copy of the Certificate of Death, which can be obtained from the funeral service provider, is necessary in order to file the claim. The normal processing time for issuing a death benefit is 15 work days. A claim for up to one-half the death benefit can be expedited without the certificate if a financial hardship occurs due to a delay in obtaining the certificate. An "assignment" transfers financial responsibility of funeral expenses from the beneficiary to the insurance benefit. The beneficiary completes an assignment and the funeral service provider is paid directly from the life insurance benefit. Obtain a certified copy of the Certificate of Death from the funeral director and forward the copy to the Office of Human Resources, Benefits, for payment of the death benefit.

Voluntary Group Term Life Insurance (VGTLI)
Obtain a certified copy of the Certificate of Death from the funeral director and forward the copy to the Office of Human Resources, Benefits, for payment of the death benefit.

Survivor Benefits Through a State Retirement System
Both the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) and the State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS-OH) provide monthly survivor benefits to eligible survivors of qualified faculty/staff members. Eligibility is determined by years of service, age, and the number of surviving family members. The appropriate retirement system will directly contact the primary beneficiary to provide counseling for survivor options. There are no survivor benefits through the Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP).

Tuition Assistance for Dependents
Tuition Assistance is available to the surviving spouse and dependent children, if the deceased had at least ten years of Regular university service. This program "waives" 50% of the undergraduate Instructional and General Fees for courses taken at The Ohio State University. Enrollment must occur within five years of the date of death. Eligibility for this program continues for up to 12 quarters of enrollment or 200 credit hours. Complete a Tuition Assistance Program Application for Dependents to apply.

Parking Pass
If the employee purchased a parking pass, you will need to return it to Transportation and Parking Services. Until you return the permit, it will be considered active and fees will continue to be charged to his/her account. See the T&P policy document for Activation and Cancellation Policies.

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
The death of a loved one can be stressful in many ways. The Employee Assistance Program offers free, confidential, professional counseling and referral services to help you and your family with any issues that may arise due to the death of your family member.

Contact Information
For more information on Human Resources-related issues, contact the Office of Human Resources Customer Service Center.

NOTE: This is intended to be a summary of benefits, services and procedures. For full details, contact the Office of Human Resources Customer Service Center, refer to benefit plan booklets, or visit the Policy web site.

The Ohio State University

www.osu.edu

Death of an Employee