Leaving State Service RETIREMENT BENEFITS What are my vested benefits if I have been a member of the Maryland State Retirement System (MSRA) for at least 5 years? If you are a member of the Alternate Contributory Pension Selection Plan, you are vested in the system and entitled to a benefit when you reach 62. The amount of the benefit provided to you is listed on your Annual Personal Statement of Benefits that you receive from the MSRA each fall as an active member. When you reach age 61 ˝, you will receive notification and instructions from the MSRA on how to receive this benefit. Thus, it is important to keep your address current with the MSRA. To update your address after retirement, contact MSRA (see contact listing at the end of article). If you return to State service, you will retain your service credit. If you are member of the Retirement System or the LEOPS, please contact your Retirement Coordinator for your plan’s vested benefits. I have been a member of MSRA for less than 5 years, what benefits am I entitled to? You are entitled to a return of your pension contributions and accumulated interest. To receive your payment or to roll it over into a qualified savings plan, file a Form 5 packet, which can be obtained from the MSRA or your Retirement Coordinator. If I later return to State employment, what are my pension benefits? If you are vested and later return to state service, you will be entitled to retain your prior service credit. If you were not vested, did not withdraw your contributions, and later return to State service, you may be entitled to service credit. Please contact your Retirement Coordinator for more specific information. MILITARY SERVICE I am leaving soon for military service and planning to return to my job after my duty. What do I need to do now? Complete forms 46 and 43. Form 46 is a Request to be Placed on a Qualifying Leave of Absence (for Military Service). Prior to leaving for military duty, submit this form to HRS. Form 43 is a Request for Military Service Credit. After your duty and upon return to your State job, submit the completed form 43 and military DD-214 to HRS to obtain credit of your military service. To obtain forms 43 and 46, contact the MSRA or your Retirement Coordinator. You may also qualify for Military Administrative Leave, which entitles employees to be paid the difference between the employee’s military salary and State salary while on active military duty, if the military salary is less. For further information, refer to http://www.dbm.maryland.gov. SUPPLEMENTAL RETIREMENT BENEFITS What are my options with my supplemental retirement savings (401K, 457, etc.) in Nationwide? When you leave State service, for whatever reason, retirement, layoff, separation, resignation, termination you are entitled to keep your savings with Nationwide, roll it over into another qualified savings plan, or withdraw it. It is recommended that you inform Nationwide of your situation. Contact information is provided at the end of this article. HEALTH BENEFITS If I leave State service, can I retain my health insurance benefits? You may continue to receive benefits for up to 18 months under COBRA if you resign, are terminated or are laid off. You will be responsible for 100% of the premium, plus a 2% administrative fee. If you retire, you maybe entitled to most of the benefits you received as an active employee For further information, please refer to your Summary of Health Benefits booklet you received during the last open enrollment period. Additional health benefits information can be obtained from the Department of Budget and Management. (Click Here for phones numbers and website). BASIC EMPLOYMENT What are my employment rights if I am classified as a “Special Appointment” or a “Management Service Employee?” Basically, you serve at the pleasure of your appointing authority and your employment may be terminated for any reason. If you are terminated, you may file an appeal with the DNR Secretary within 15 days after you receive notice of your termination. This appeal may only be based on the grounds that the termination is illegal or unconstitutional. Within 15 days after receiving the appeal, the Secretary shall issue a written decision. This decision is the final administrative decision. What is the difference between “layoff” and a “separation?” An employee shall be laid off if the employee is in a position that will be ended because of an organizational change or a stoppage or lack of work. Layoffs are determined by seniority points and only apply to Skilled and Professional Service Employees. (Bargaining units A, B, C, D, E, F, and G) Additionally, an employee who is to be laid off has displacement (bumping) and reinstatement rights. A separation occurs when an employee is terminated because their position has been removed from the budget, as permitted by law. An employee may not appeal a separation of this type. How can I apply for a transfer? Employees may apply for a transfer by submitting their name, SSN, address, and classification title in writing to the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), 301 West Preston Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, ATTN: Application Control Unit, Room 501. Skilled and Professional Service employees may transfer to a position in the same classification or another classification in the same grade for which they meet the minimum qualifications. Special Appointments and Management Service employees may apply for transfer to other positions of the same grade in those service categories only. For a listing of job announcements throughout State government, check out DBM’s website at http://www.dbm.maryland.gov/. While there is no formal procedure for transferring specifically to positions within the DNR, occasionally the Department recruits in-house employees to fill approved vacancies. These in-house transfer/promotional opportunities are announced on the DNR Human Resources’ web page at http://intranet/insidednr/humanresources/. LEAVE BENEFITS/REEMPLOYMENT What happens to my accrued leave balances when I separate from State Service? You will receive a maximum payment for unused annual leave and compensatory time if you are eligible for overtime (up to 2 days time if you are a compensatory time earner). This payment will be issued to you on the Wednesday two weeks following your last paycheck. If you retire directly from State service, your remaining sick leave will be credited to your pension benefit; otherwise, you will not receive credit for unused sick leave. Any unused personal leave will be forfeited. If I later return to State employment, what are my reemployment benefits? A former non temporary State employee who returns to State employment within 3 years is entitled to reinstatement benefits. These benefits may include restoration of unused sick leave and credit for time employed for determination of step and rate of annual leave accrual. Where can I get further information on leaving state service? Contact: Personnel Officer/Retirement Coordinator Department of Natural Resources 580 Taylor Avenue Annapolis, MD 21401 Phone: 410-260-8079 Email: smaans@dnr.state.md.us Additional Resources for Employees Leaving State Service Human Resource Service DNR InTRAnet Home DNR Employees DNR Internet Home General Public Check out the Payroll Unit Pages This Page Updated on September 01, 2009