KM Unit – ART. 34: Death Payments

ARTICLE 34 – DEATH PAYMENTS  

A. Death Payments 

  1. Upon the death of an eligible employee of the University, a sum  equal to the salary of the deceased for one (1) month shall be  paid to the surviving spouse, or if there is no surviving spouse,  to the deceased’s eligible dependent(s), or if there is neither a  surviving spouse nor eligible dependent(s), to the beneficiary  designated in the deceased’s University-paid life insurance  policy. The University also provides a term life insurance policy  for eligible employees in the amount of one times the employee’s  annual covered salary rate multiplied by the percent time of the  employee’s appointment. PERS members are covered for this  amount minus the $5,000.00 PERS death benefit. The maximum  benefit for PERS members is $45,000.00. The maximum benefit  for all other eligible employees is $50,000.00. Benefits are  payable to the employee’s named beneficiary.

  2. In addition, the University of California Retirement System pays  a $7,500.00 death benefit plus one month’s final salary to the  employee’s beneficiary if the employee was still employed at the  time of death. Benefits are paid to the employee’s named  beneficiary. 

B. Eligible Employee 

  1. For the purpose of the one (1) month salary death payment  payable by the University, an eligible employee is one who has  completed six (6) continuous months on pay status at fifty  percent (50%) time or more without a break in service prior to  death.

  2. For the purpose of the University paid life insurance and the  UCRS death benefits, an eligible employee is one who is a  member of a retirement system at the University. The benefit(s)  is payable if an employee dies while in active service on pay  status or within the first four (4) months of an approved leave  without pay or temporary layoff. 

C. Eligible Dependent 

For the purpose of the death payment, an eligible dependent(s) is  defined as one receiving the majority of support from the deceased  employee in accord with Internal Revenue Service regulations. 

D. Employee Earnings 

The department head shall initiate the necessary action in order that  payment of any vacation, salary, overtime, or other monies due to the  deceased employee can be made. Such payment is made in  accordance with Accounting Manual Section P-196-25 (Employee  Death Payment). Payment shall include the deceased employee’s  salary for the day of death, unless the employee was on leave without  pay on the day of death.

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