Offboarding

Human Resources

010 Hauser Hall
1575 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02138

617-495-4611

Managers fill out this Offboarding Form

For departing employees and their managers, there are important steps and information you need to wrap up your time at the Law School.

Below we have provided materials designed to streamline the departure process and answer some common questions about leaving your job.  You can also learn lots of helpful departure info from the “What happens when you leave Harvard” benefits information sheet.

Manager Steps for offboarding Employees

What should I do when I find out an employee is leaving?

When you find out an employee is leaving please complete the following:

  • Obtain official notice in writing.
  • If an employee tells you of their intention to leave, ask them to provide written notice of their resignation as well as their departure date.  A minimum of two weeks’ notice is customary.
  • Complete the Separation Request Form, which will notify your HR Business Partner of the employee’s departure.
  • If you need to backfill a position, please complete the Backfill Request Form

Additional manager steps for departing employees

  • Transition Plan

    Work with your employee on creating a transition plan.  Some questions you will want to address are:

    • What work needs to be done before they go?
    • Do they need to meet with the person who will be picking up their workload?
    • Where do they keep files and other important information?
    • Do they need to document procedures for their successor?
  • Before their last day

    Reconcile vacation time and other absences in PeopleSoft absence management.  Confirm that all time and absences have been entered and approved in PeopleSoft. Please Note: Employees must work on their last day; their last day cannot be paid time off.

    Remind your departing employee that all assets being returned should be labeled accordingly.

    As a manager, you will be contacted in any assets are missing.  Should any items be missing, you will receive an email listing these items and partner with your HR Business Partner and departing employee to retrieve missing items.

    Employees must return the following:

    • All Harvard owned equipment (i.e. computer, laptop, software, and accessories)
    • Harvard owned cell-phone/smart phone
    • All keys (i.e. office, desk, etc)
    • HUID card
    • P-Card and/or corporate card

Employee steps for leaving HLS

  • Informing HLS of your departure

    As soon as you are aware you are departing HLS:

    • Contact your HR Business Partner.
    • Send a letter of resignation to your manager and HR department.  Please include the date of your last day worked.
  • Exit Interview

    OR

  • Transition Plan

    Once you have informed HLS of your departure date you should work with your manager on the off-boarding form and creating a transition plan.  Some questions you will want to address are:

    • What work needs to be done before you go?
    • Do you need to meet with the person who will be picking up your workload?
    • Where do you keep files and other important information?
    • Do you need to document procedures for your successor?

    In addition you will need to provide access to all work-related electronic information to your manager/department.  Work with your manager to determine if any work-related electronic information should be transferred to a department shared drive.

    Work with your manager to set up an out of office on your phone and email.

  • Individual Steps for the Employee
    • Confirm that all your time and absences have been entered and approved in PeopleSoft
      Please Note: Any remaining vacation time will be paid out to you in your last paycheck. If your last day worked at the University is before the 15th of the month, you will not accrue vacation for that month. However, if your last day worked at the University is on or after the 15th of the month, your accrual is awarded.
    • Remove/transfer any personal electronic information from all University systems. (This includes documents and communications, including emails, voice mails and text messages.) If you need assistance in removing or transferring this electronic information, please contact ITS through the service portal or by calling the service desk, 617-495-0722.
    • Update phone number and home address in PeopleSoft to ensure W2 is mailed to correct address. Do not put your current “remote” address in PeopleSoft if it is not your permanent address.
    • Reconcile outstanding expenses from Corporate Card or P-Card.
    • Submit outstanding reimbursements to HLS Finance.
    • If you park in a University parking facility, contact Parking Services prior to your departure. Parking Services can be contacted by phone (617) 496-7827 or email parking@harvard.edu.
      Please Note: Employees whose parking fees are payroll deducted will receive a refund, if applicable, through University payroll. Permit holders who paid in cash or by check for their annual parking fees will be issued refund checks within 30 business days of receipt of the permit, not the date of verbal or written notice of cancellation.
  • What do I need to return?

    You must return the following items:

    • All Harvard owned equipment (i.e. computer, laptop, furniture, software, and accessories)
    • Harvard owned cell-phone/smart phone
    • All keys (i.e. office, desk, etc)
    • HUID card
    • P-Card and/or corporate card

    Confirm what items you will be returning with your manager.

  • Other odds & ends
    • If you are retiring, you can utilize Harvard’s Employee Assistance Program for support in your transition.
    • Credit Union: if you have accounts at the Credit Union, you may keep them open after you leave.
    • Library Books: return any you may have checked out from Harvard Libraries.
  • What about after I leave HLS?
    • You will receive a confirmation statement regarding the status of your employee benefits in the mail after your last day worked is recorded in PeopleSoft.  In the meantime, if you have benefits related questions, please either call or email Harvard Benefits at 617-496-4001 or benefits@harvard.edu.
    • Questions regarding COBRA? Please contact Crosby Benefits Systems at 1-800-462-2235.
    • Questions regarding your retirement and TDA accounts?  Please contact the Harvard University Retirement Center (HURC) at 1-800-527-1398.
    • Questions about your W2?  Learn more about accessing your W2 or call the Office of the Controller, 617-495-8500, option 4, if you need additional assistance.
    • If you have been laid off, check out these resources available to you.