A UNI Employee Passes Away

Crisis Response for Supervisors, Managers, Directors, Department Heads, & Deans

If an employee death occurs, Employee and Family Resources has a crisis response program ready to provide assistance. If you feel crisis response is something you need for your department, or you have questions, please call Human Resource Services at 319-273-2423 to discuss options.

Stress, Mental Health, and Grief Services

There are many services available for those who are grieving. Please visit the Stress, Mental Health, and Grief Services webpage for all resources available.

EAP

University of Northern Iowa benefits eligible employees, and their dependents, have access to an employee assistance program (EAP) through Employee and Family Resources. EAP offers short-term counseling for those experiencing difficult life challenges.

Principal Financial

Principal provides free grief support services and access to counselors through Magellan Healthcare. Services include, but are not limited to, grief counseling, depression screenings, and local and community legal resources. To receive a consultation call 800-274-4529.

Health, dental, vision, and contributions to a health care flexible spending account (FSA) will end for the employee and if applicable, dependents, on the last day of the month in which the employee passes. A current employee, or a retiree, may have a health, dental, vision, and/or health care flexible spending account. Call 319-273-2423 to notify the HR department of the death and UNI will work to notify all applicable vendors to end the active coverage.

Under federal law, and the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA), the University of Northern Iowa is required to offer covered family members the opportunity for a temporary extension of group coverage of health, dental, vision and health care FSA at group rates when coverage would otherwise end due to a death. Once UNI’s HR department is notified of the passing, the COBRA notice will be sent out to the employee’s home address. Currently covered family members will have 60 days from receiving the notice to elect coverage.

The coverage, if elected, will start on the first day of the month following the death. The coverage will continue for 36 months. The cost of COBRA coverage is the full premium of the plan plus a 2% administrative fee.

In accordance with Iowa Code 509A.13C family members of fallen police officers will be eligible to retain existing coverage from the university.

A current employee, or a retiree, may have a life insurance policy. Call 319-273-2423 to notify the HR department of the death.

If the employee does have a life insurance policy, Principal Financial will be notified of the death and a claim will be started. Principal will work with the listed beneficiaries of the policy. If no beneficiaries were listed, the life insurance claim will be paid to the estate.

In order to have the life insurance claim processed, documentation of the passing must be provided to the UNI Human Resources Office. Acceptable documentation would be:

• Published obituary, or
• Death Certificate, or
• Certified copy of the public record of death, or
• Certified copy of a coroner's certificate

If a former employee who is receiving long-term disability (LTD) benefits passes, please notify Principal Financial of the passing and to cease LTD benefits.

Principal Financial 800-245-1522

If the employee was contributing to either IPERS, TIAA, or a tax deferred annuity (TDA) the appropriate vendor will need to be contacted.

www.tiaa.com
800-842-2252

www.ipers.org
800-622-3849

Final Pay

Upon death, an employee’s beneficiary or estate is entitled to any accrued salary or remaining vacation or sick pay (if eligible) minus any adjustments. In order to process the final payment of these amounts, it must be determined if an estate will be established. If an estate is established, a W-9 form must be completed. This form is typically completed by an attorney as an estate will need to obtain an employer identification number first. If no estate has been established, the beneficiary should complete the Receipt, Indemnity, and Refunding Agreement and return this form to Business Operations – Payroll along with a W-9 form.

Paperwork can be mailed to:
University of Northern Iowa
Business Operations
103 Gilchrist Hall
Cedar Falls, IA 50614-0008.

It may also be faxed to 319-273-3009, or sent via secure email to Jill Thrasher at jill.thrasher@uni.edu.

Once this paperwork is received, the final payment will be processed.

A 1099 and W-2 will be sent at year end. The 1099 will be sent to the address provded on the W9, and the W2 will be sent to the address on file.
 

Effective July 1, 2024, due to a recent audit, all employees having a qualified life event and making any changes to their family health and/or dental coverage must verify all dependent relationships by providing corresponding legal documentation.

Examples of documentation:

1. Spouse - marriage certificate, common law spouse affidavit
2. Domestic Partner - notarized domestic partner affidavit
3. Child - birth certificate which includes parents names, court order, or guardianship paperwork

Since this impacts all life events, including open enrollment, we are notifying employees now so documentation can be easily provided when required. At the time of your life event, you can securely upload to UNI Works (link to the UNI Works site) or bring into the Human Resource Office at Gilchrist 025. All documentation needs to be viewed by HRS staff, but no documentation will be retained after the initial review (i.e., if provided electronically, it will be purged). Do not send any personal documents through email as this is not secure.

If the family would like information about employment history for an obituary this can be provided through Human Resource Services by calling 319-273-2423.

UNI Human Resource Services
Benefits and Grief Services Information
319-273-2423
hrs-benefits@uni.edu

Jill Thrasher
Payroll Information
319-273-3003
jill.thrasher@uni.edu