Deceased Employee

Although is not a pleasant thought, we all must face the inevitability of death. In most instances, when a death occurs, families and friends must attend to the affairs of the deceased. Very few of us have taken the time to prepare adequate information to assist our families through the difficult period. In fact, most people are not aware of what must be done after the death of an employee.

It is the policy of the Department of General Services (DGS) to offer to the spouse and/or immediate family of deceased employees all reasonable assistance necessary to consummate their final affairs.

Roles and Responsibilities

The following table depicts the roles and responsibilities to process the separation of a deceased employee.

Role  Responsibility
Employee
  1. Upon appointment or when there is a change of information, completes required forms (STD 241-beneficiary, STD 243-warrant designation, etc.)
Attendance Clerk
  1. Notifies the Personnel Specialist (PS) immediately via ABMS Quick Exit Alert of the employee's death
  2. Notifies the deceased employee's appropriate chain of command
  3. Obtains copy of deceased employee's death certificate and forwards to the PS
  4. Forwards employee's time sheet to supervisor for review
Employee's Supervisor
  1. Reviews employee's timesheet (PAL) for accuracy, making changes if necessary
  2. Approves timesheet and submits to the PS
Accounting Office
  1. Researches any outstanding travel expense claims, travel advances, salary advances, and accounts receivable
  2. Issues final pay warrant
Classification and Pay Analyst
  1. Provides information and support to the Office suffering the loss of an employee
Personnel Specialist
  1. Prepares a Letter of Condolence for signature by the Director
  2. Pulls the employee's Official Personnel Folder (OPF) to verify warrant designation (STD 243)
  3. Secures a copy of the death certificate and provides a copy to Accounting
  4. Reviews final timesheet
  5. Projects final pay and accumulated leave credits to determine final lump sum payment
  6. Completes the Employee Action Request (EAR) 
  7. Completes the Personnel Action Request (PAR)
  8. Works with Accounting regarding any outstanding travel expense claims, travel advances or accounts receivable
  9. Checks for salary advances
  10. Completes Notice of Employee Death (DIA-510) and forwards to Department of Industrial Relations retaining copy for OPF
  11. Completes Deceased Employee Data for and forwards to the State Controllers' Office retaining copy for OPF
  12. Completes Request for Delivery of Warrants of a Deceased Employee
  13. Prepares a letter to the deceased's family regarding continuation of health, dental, and vision benefits retaining copy in OPF
  14. Processes the COBRA election forms continuing health, dental and vision benefits for employee's beneficiaries retaining copy in OPF
  15. Mails COBRA vision enrollment form to eligible family members
  16. Prepares and mails COBRA health and dental forms to dependents upon CalPERS determination that beneficiaries are not eligible for survivor benefits informing them to pay monthly premiums directly to appropriate carriers
  17. Completes Report of Separation for Death-Request

Resources

Responsible Control Agency

  • California Department of Human Resources
  • CalPERS

Laws and Regulations

  • CalHR rule 599.636, .636.1
  • Government Code section 19849.3, 22777

Other Resource Materials

  • Bargaining / Contracts
  • CalHR Policy Memo 99-066
  • Payroll Procedures Manual section 1900-193
  • State Administrative Manual section 0772, 8477.3-.32

Contact

Personnel Transactions Unit

Department of General Services
Office of Human Resources

707 3rd Street, 7th Floor
West Sacramento, CA 95605
Contact your assigned Personnel Specialist.