Death of an Employee and Survivorship
When a loved one passes away, we understand that this is a difficult time for surviving family members. Ohio State provides benefits and services to the surviving family members of deceased employees. We hope this information helps you and your family with peace of mind about handling these details in the future.
As an employee, please be sure to keep your beneficiary information current at Workday.
If you are the family member of an Ohio State employee who recently passed away, please contact HR Connection at (614) 247-6947 or hrconnection@osu.edu as soon as possible to report the death and to get information about release of final pay, options for continuing benefits and to apply for any available death benefits.
Related Information
In order for the university to release wages and earnings due the deceased employee, documentation from probate court is required. Contact HR Connection at (614) 247-6947 or hrconnection@osu.edu for additional information.
An employee’s benefits coverage, including coverage for any dependents, ends on the date of death. Any surviving dependents enrolled in medical, dental or vision benefits at the time of the employee’s death have the option of enrolling in COBRA. COBRA information will be sent by Luminare Health to the employee’s address. If the election is received by Luminare Health within the 60 day window, the COBRA coverage is paid by the university for two months following the date of the covered employee’s death. COBRA coverage is retroactive to the date coverage terminated. The best source for answers regarding COBRA coverage is Luminare Health at (866) 442-8257.
Following these two months of free COBRA coverage, the surviving dependents have several options for coverage, including:
OPTION 1
The surviving dependents may begin paying the COBRA premiums in the third month and continue coverage, as eligible, for up to 36 months following the employee’s death.
OPTION 2
Coverage through a surviving dependent’s employer or school.
OPTION 3
Coverage through the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS) or State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio (STRS), depending on eligibility. Contact the appropriate retirement system to obtain specific information and eligibility for health care coverage as a surviving spouse and/or dependent.
OPTION 4
Medical insurance coverage through healthcare.gov.
HR Connection at (614) 247-6947 can assist beneficiaries in submitting claims for eligible life insurance payments. The Office of Human Resources will not share beneficiary information with callers. As an employee, it is important to ensure your beneficiary information is current at Workday.
Life Insurance Continuation for Existing Dependent Coverage
If you are enrolled in Voluntary Group Term Life Insurance for your spouse or dependent children, your dependents may be able to convert to a policy of individual insurance with Minnesota Life, an affiliate of Securian Financial, following your death. Premiums may be higher than those paid by active employees. To convert the coverage, your dependents have 31 days from your last day of coverage to complete the application and make the first payment.
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 (866) 293-6047.
Post-Retirement Life Insurance
If you are enrolled in Ohio State’s post-retirement Group Term Life Insurance (GTLI) at the time of your death, your beneficiaries may contact the Office of Human Resources for assistance with the life insurance .
If you were previously enrolled in post-retirement GTLI and age 70 or over at the time of your death, or if you were eligible for post-retirement GTLI but did not enroll in coverage, your beneficiaries may be eligible for a post-retirement life insurance benefits. Contact the Office of Human Resources for assistance.
Some retirement plans may allow a payment to beneficiary(-ies) at the time of death. Contact your retirement providers to ensure your beneficiary information is up to date and to review payment options.
This benefit helps your dependents in the event of your death or terminal illness while receiving approved long-term disability benefits. If eligible, the benefit is paid in a lump sum and equals your gross monthly disability payment multiplied by three. For more information about the survivor benefit contact Unum at (866) 245-3013.
Tuition Assistance is available to the eligible dependents if the deceased had at least 10 years of continuous Ohio State service with an FTE of 50% or more in a regular appointment at the time of death. Eligible dependents can use tuition assistance benefits for up to five years after the employee’s death or until the dependent reaches the maximum benefit limit, whichever happens first. For more information, including eligibility requirements, see Dependent Tuition Assistance. If eligible, please complete the Dependent Tuition Assistance Application and submit prior to the first Friday of the semester for which the benefit is being requested. Please note – the dependent’s signature should be in place of the Employee’s Signature at the bottom of the form. To receive dependent tuition assistance, the student must have a Social Security number on file with their university student record. To add a Social Security number, use the change of record form on the Registrar’s website.
If the employee purchased a parking pass, it should be returned to CampusParc. Until the permit is returned, it will be considered active and a fee will be charged.
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. Visit Employee Assistance Program or call (800) 678-6265.