Employee Benefits: What Happens When I Leave?

The following summary is for employees who leave employment with Pinellas County for reasons other than retirement. For information on your last paycheck and W-2 Wage and Tax Statement, see Final Payout and W-2. For a summary of retirement benefits, see: Retiree Benefits: What Happens When I Retire?

Benefits Coverage

Coverage End Date

Your benefits coverage through the County ends on the last day of the pay period in which your separation occurs. This includes medical, prescription, vision, dental, life, Flexible Spending Accounts, Short Term Disability, Long Term Disability and voluntary benefits.

COBRA

You may be eligible to continue your medical, prescription, vision, dental or Healthcare Flexible Spending Account (FSA) participation. The coverage is the same as the active employee plans, but you pay the full cost of coverage. COBRA can be continued for up to 18 months. Your COBRA enrollment materials will be mailed to your home address by COBRAGuard/iTedium. Please contact COBRAGuard/iTedium at (866) 442-6272 with questions about benefit continuation. Learn more about COBRA.

COBRA is not your only option. FEDlogic staff can provide state and federal benefits information to help you make an informed decision. You may be eligible for alternative healthcare options.

Deferred Compensation

When you leave Pinellas County employment, you are no longer eligible to make contributions to your deferred compensation account. Based on your current balance, you can take a distribution, roll your funds into another qualified plan or leave the funds in your account. Contact your deferred compensation provider to discuss your options:

• Corebridge Financial (previously VALIC): (813) 269-3362
• Empower Retirement (previously MassMutual): (800) 528-9009
• MissionSquare Retirement (previously ICMA-RC): (800) 669-7400
• Nationwide: (877) 677-3678

Flexible Spending Account (FSA)

Your participation in the FSA ends on the last day of the pay period in which your separation occurs. You have 90 days from the date your coverage ends to submit claims incurred while you were a plan participant. Any funds remaining in your account after the 90-day period ends will be forfeited. You may be eligible to continue coverage under COBRA. Contact COBRAGuard/iTedium at (866) 442-6272 with questions about benefit continuation.

Florida Retirement System (FRS)

How your separation affects your retirement plan depends on whether you chose a pension or investment plan and whether you remain with an FRS employer. Your benefit may or may not grow between the time you leave the FRS and begin taking benefit payments. Contact the FRS at (866) 446-9377 to discuss your portability options.

Health Savings Account (HSA)

If you have an HSA, then you may continue to use your funds to pay for eligible medical and dental expenses. Those include deductible, co-insurance, copays, eyeglasses and other expenses. You are no longer eligible to make contributions to your account if you are not enrolled in a High Deductible Health Plan.

Life Insurance

Life insurance coverage ends on the last day of the pay period in which your separation occurs. This includes your group term life insurance paid by Pinellas County and any supplemental life insurance you purchased for yourself and your dependents. Information about continuation of supplemental or dependent life insurance coverage will be mailed to your home by Securian Financial Group. If you have questions, call Securian at (866) 293-6047.

Rewards Program

You have 90 days from your separation date to redeem any points in your account. Call the Rewards Program Helpline at (800) 875-8284 or visit the Pinellas County Rewards Program (internal link for employees) to place an order or to ask questions about your account.

Short Term and Long Term Disability

Any approved Short Term Disability claim will continue until you recover or reach your maximum benefit. UnitedHealthcare will continue to monitor your claim for additional benefits.

Tuition Reimbursement

You are eligible for reimbursement for an approved class that you successfully completed if your reimbursement request was submitted and approved prior to your separation date. For questions, contact Human Resources at learning@pinellas.gov or (727) 464-3367, option 2.

Voluntary Benefits

Voluntary benefits coverage ends on the last day of the pay period in which your separation occurs. This includes Aflac Supplemental Medical, AIP Identity Protection, and ARAG Legal. If desired, you can take your benefits with you at the group rate you are paying when you leave (referred to as “porting your plan”). Since you will no longer be eligible for paycheck deductions, the vendors will bill you directly. AIP and ARAG will email portability options to the email address on file for you and mail a packet to your home address as well. Before you leave the County, please make sure your personal email address is included in EBS (OPUS) if you would like to receive information by email. You have 90 days from the date your coverage ends to port your Identity Protection or Legal plans. For Aflac plans, complete the Continuation of Coverage Form and send payment to Aflac within 31 days of your last day. For questions, please contact your voluntary benefits provider:

• Aflac for Supplemental Medical: (800) 433-3036
• Allstate (AIP) for Identity Protection: (800) 789-2720
• ARAG for Legal: (800) 247-4184

Wellness Incentive Program

The Wellness Incentive Program requires participants to be employed to receive a wellness reward payout of points or cash. Pinellas County does not make payouts after an employee separates.

Final Payout and W-2

Final Paycheck

Your last paycheck is issued as a paper check or by direct deposit, depending on your employer (see below). Paper checks are mailed to the address on file, so be sure to update your address in EBS (OPUS) before you leave.

Leave Payout

Your annual leave balance (up to three times your annual accrual rate) and any comp time you have accrued will be paid out on your final paycheck. If you would like any portion of the leave contributed to your deferred compensation 457 plan, then you must complete a contribution change form. Unused floating holidays and personal days are not paid out at separation.

W-2 Forms and 1095 Forms

You will receive a W-2 and a 1095 form issued by each Appointing Authority you worked for during the year mailed to your address of record in EBS (OPUS). The deadline for the forms to be mailed is January 31 for the W-2 form and March 2 for the 1095 form. If you have a change of address, notify Human Resources by email at employee.benefits@pinellas.gov or by phone at (727) 464-3367, option 1.

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