SECTION 2.2-3203. Transitional severance benefit conferred  

A. On his date of involuntary separation, an eligible employee with (i) two years' service or less to the Commonwealth shall be entitled to receive a transitional severance benefit equivalent to four weeks of salary; (ii) three years through and including nine years of consecutive service to the Commonwealth shall be entitled to receive a transitional severance benefit equivalent to four weeks of salary plus one additional week of salary for every year of service over two years; (iii) ten years through and including fourteen years of consecutive service to the Commonwealth shall be entitled to receive a transitional severance benefit equivalent to twelve weeks of salary plus two additional weeks of salary for every year of service over nine years; or (iv) fifteen years or more of consecutive service to the Commonwealth shall be entitled to receive a transitional severance benefit equivalent to two weeks of salary for every year of service, not to exceed thirty-six weeks of salary.

B. Transitional severance benefits shall be computed by the terminating agency's payroll department. Partial years of service shall be rounded up to the next highest year of service.

C. Transitional severance benefits shall be paid in the same manner as normal salary. In accordance with § 60.2-229 , transitional severance benefits shall be allocated to the date of involuntary separation. The right of any employee who receives a transitional severance benefit to also receive unemployment compensation pursuant to § 60.2-229 et seq. shall not be denied, abridged, or modified in any way due to receipt of the transitional severance benefit; however, any employee who is entitled to unemployment compensation shall have his transitional severance benefit reduced by the amount of such unemployment compensation. Any offset to a terminated employee's transitional severance benefit due to reductions for unemployment compensation shall be paid in one lump sum at the time the last transitional severance benefit payment is made.

D. For twelve months after the employee's date of involuntary separation, the employee shall continue to be covered under the (i) health insurance plan created in § 60.2-229 for the Commonwealth's employees, if he participated in such plan prior to his date of involuntary separation, and (ii) group life insurance plan administered by the Virginia Retirement System pursuant to Chapter 5 (§ 60.2-229 et seq.) of Title 51.1. During such twelve months, the terminating agency shall continue to pay its share of the terminated employee's premiums. Upon expiration of such twelve month period, the terminated employee shall be eligible to purchase continuing health insurance coverage under COBRA.

E. Transitional severance benefit payments shall cease if a terminated employee is reemployed or hired in an individual capacity as an independent contractor or consultant by any agency or institution of the Commonwealth during the time he is receiving such payments.

F. All transitional severance benefits payable pursuant to this section shall be subject to applicable federal laws and regulations.

1995, cc. 60.2-229 , 60.2-229 , § 2.1-116.23; 2001, c. 60.2-229 .