Tips for resigning from federal service??

[David1961]

Hello. I'm a civil servant and, to get my ducks in line, want to know how you resign from federal service. Is there a form you have to fill out? If and when I do resign, I want to keep my health insurance for a year under COBRA. How do I make sure that happens? Is there any requirement as to how much notice you must give? Have people just gone in one day and say "I quit"? Considering all the paperwork I had to fill out when I got hired, does it take as much paperwork to resign?

[ziggy29]

Is this a retirement or are you going to be looking for a new job? I don't have the answers but that might have some impact on the paperwork involved.

It's hard for me to wrap around the idea that someone would give up a federal government job in times like these unless they reached the point of financial independence, so I'm assuming you're either FI or you hate your job so much that even the security in a very scary job market isn't enough to hold you there.

[OAG]

Do you not have a HR department in or servicing your agency?

[Bimmerbill]

When I left one fed job for another (excepted service to competitive service) I filled out a personnel action form (sf50 or is it 52?) and checked "resigning."

I never heard of being on COBRA for voluntarily leaving (not thru a RIF or other layoff).

[Amethyst]

You need to talk to your Human Resources department asap. The process for resigning is probably slightly different with every agency and only HR can tell you what procedures to follow, to get whatever benefits you're entitled to. You know perfectly well there will be paperwork--the amount will depend on factors that again, only HR can tell you. The amount of notice given would be up to you, but don't do anything till you find out from HR about your entitlements. As far as I know, Federal health benefits cannot continue after resignation, only after retirement.

We had a wave of resignations during the dot-com boom (soon to be followed by a wave of re-hirings ) To start the resignation process, all one has to do is create a memorandum to Human Resources, stating you are resigning from Federal service, the effective date of your resignation, and the address where you want your final paycheck to be sent. Your supervisor signs it and you bring the signed memo to your HR rep.

Good luck.

[Brat]

Before you leave make a copy of all your old performance appraisals and fill your address book (a paper one) with the names, title, phone numbers, and addresses of everyone who you might want to contact later for references... or just to share a glass of wine.

[freebird5825]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst You need to talk to your Human Resources department asap. The process for resigning is probably slightly different with every agency and only HR can tell you what procedures to follow, to get whatever benefits you're entitled to. You know perfectly well there will be paperwork--the amount will depend on factors that again, only HR can tell you. The amount of notice given would be up to you, but don't do anything till you find out from HR about your entitlements. As far as I know, Federal health benefits cannot continue after resignation, only after retirement. We had a wave of resignations during the dot-com boom (soon to be followed by a wave of re-hirings ) To start the resignation process, all one has to do is create a memorandum to Human Resources, stating you are resigning from Federal service, the effective date of your resignation, and the address where you want your final paycheck to be sent. Your supervisor signs it and you bring the signed memo to your HR rep. Good luck.

This advice is spot on.
I was a federal employee. I did resign, BUT...I had health benefits (FEHB) as the survivor of another federal employee, my late husband.
Before I submitted my resignation, I spoke to my HR person, who explicitly told me that without those survivor health benefits, resigning would not be in my best interests from the loss of health benefit angle.
Please tread very carefuly here.

[Lakedog]

My old agency required form SF-50 for resignation. As far as insurance, I think you have 30 days to convert to an individual policy under Temporary Continuation of Coverage (federal equivalent of COBRA) which lasts for up to 18 months but you pay both your share and the Gov't's share of the total premium plus a 2% administrative surcharge. When you submit your resignation papers, ask about what you need to do to get TCC.

[Bimmerbill]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Amethyst We had a wave of resignations during the dot-com boom (soon to be followed by a wave of re-hirings )

I was one of those people who left and came back (took a while, but I got back).

I did go to HR and photocopy my entire personnel record.

[Hal3]

COBRA is VERY expensive! It will not cost what you are paying now. Don't be surprised if you are quoted $800 per month for COBRA.

[Bimmerbill]

I was paying close to $700 back in 2001-2002 for a single plan. I'd guees its much higher now, and if you have a family plan its probably so high as to be unrealistic.

I guess it does depend on the company, and how much they pay.