District of Columbia Government employees in the process of resigning or retiring or who have been informed of dismissal can find general information and links to resources about benefits, obligations, and programs related to leaving District government. Note that the individual application and impact of each program or benefit is dependent upon each employee's specific situation.

• Exit Interview and Separation Materials
• Temporary Continuation of Coverage
  • Health Insurance
  • Life Insurance
    • Conversion/Election to Port Life Insurance
    • Premium Rates for Life Insurance Portability
• Health Savings Accounts
• Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Health Care Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
  • COBRA Flexible Spending Account Option
• Commuter Benefits
• Employee Assistance Program
• Additional Information

A former employee can visit Personnel Folder (OPF) Request Form and request to review their Official Personnel Folder/Personnel Record. Upon completion of the Personal Folder Request Form, the former employee must scan and email the completed OPF Request Form to [email protected]. A requestor also has the option of bringing the Personnel Folder Request Form to DCHR at 1015 Half Street, S.E., Suite 9063, Washington, D.C. A representative from DCHR’s Records Management team will contact the requestor within five (5) business days of receipt of the Personnel Folder Request Form to notify the requestor of the status of their request.

     Please note that DCHR does not house the OPFs for the following agencies:

• Child and Family Services Agency (CFSA);
• Council of the District of Columbia;
• DC Department of Behavioral Health (DBH);
• DC Health Benefits Exchange Authority (HBX);
• DC Public Schools (DCPS);
• DC Housing Authority (DCHA);
• DC Department of Disability Services (DDS);
• DC Office of the People’s Counsel;
• District of Columbia Public Libraries (DCPL);
• Metropolitan Police Department (MPD);
• Office of Campaign Finance (OCF);
• Office of Employee Appeals (OEA);
• Office of Partnership and Grants Services (OPGS);
• Office of Lottery and Charitable Games (DCLB);
• Office of the Attorney General (OAG),
• Office of the Chief Financial Officer (OCFO);
• Office of the DC Auditor;
• Public Employee Relations Board (PERB); and
• University of the District of Columbia (UDC).

For more information, please visit FAQ - Strategic Human Capital Administration/Records page

Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) allows employees who separate from service to temporarily continue their insurance coverage. Employees separating from the District of Columbia Government will receive a TCC packet at their exit interview, which includes relevant TCC premium rates and enrollment materials.

• Health Insurance
  Health Insurance is effective for 31 days beyond the end of the pay period from which an employee separates. Employees have 60 days from the date of separation to apply. If the election is made timely and applicable premiums are paid, then your insurance is reactivated back to the loss of coverage date.
  Review current Temporary Continuation of Coverage (TCC) health insurance premiums for employees hired on or after October 1, 1987 or contact your agency HR Advisor for more information.
  
  Resources:
  Temporary Continuation of Coverage Health Benefits Enrollment Form
   
• Life Insurance
  Life insurance is effective for 31 days beyond the end of the pay period from which an employee separates. Employees may also be eligible to convert or transfer Life Insurance Benefits to an individual insurance policy without submitting evidence of insurability or good health. Please see Conversion/Election to Port Life Insurance Coverage information below. Standard Insurance Company is the group life and disability insurance provider for the District of Columbia Government.
   

Conversion/Election to Port Life Insurance Coverage

If your insurance under the District of Columbia Employee Group Life Insurance Policy will end because of separation from employment with District Government, you may be eligible to buy portable group life insurance coverage for yourself and your dependents without submitting evidence of insurability.

Porting group life insurance coverage allows an employee to maintain their same insurance benefits although they are no longer part of the group. Employees previously insured under the District of Columbia Employee Group Life Insurance program may elect to continue all or a portion of their insurance, as well as any insurance for dependents. For more information, please see The Standard Insurance Company contact information below.

Premium Rates for Portability

Age	Non-Tobacco Rate	Tobacco Rate	Example: Non-Tobacco Rate Per Month (Life Insurance worth $100,000)	Example: (Life Insurance worth $100,000) Tobacco Rate Per Month
0-34	$0.16	$0.22	$16.00	$22.00
35-39	$0.17	$0.24	$17.00	$24.00
40-44	$0.23	$0.34	$23.00	$34.00
45-49	$0.39	$0.56	$39.00	$56.00
50-54	$0.56	$0.81	$56.00	$81.00
55-59	$0.97	$1.38	$97.00	$138.00
60-64	$1.47	$2.09	$147.00	$209.00
65-69	$2.87	$3.98	$287.00	$398.00
70-74	$4.70	$6.31	$470.00	$631.00
75-79	$6.99	$9.05	$699.00	$905.00
80+	$12.82	$16.00	$1,282.00	$1,600.00

*Rates are based on age and whether you use tobacco.

Contact:
The Standard
Phone: (888) 937-4783
Fax: (888) 878-3686
https://go.standard.com/mybenefits/dc

District employees (except Police Officers, Firefighters, Teachers and Civil Service Retirement System employees) who were hired for the first time on or after October 1, 1987 are eligible to participate in the Plan upon completing one year of creditable service. You will automatically be enrolled in the Plan at the beginning of the first pay period, immediately following your completion of one year of creditable service*.

For eligible employees, the District contributes 5% of base salary (5.5% for Detention Officers) into an account in the employee’s name. Employees cannot make additional contributions to the DC 401(a) Retirement Plan.

*Creditable service is measured from the date you commence employment in a covered position with the District government until the date of separation from service. Creditable service is adjusted for breaks in service. You accrue service based on full years and calendar months, including any fractional parts.

Vesting

Under the DC 401(a) Retirement Plan, vesting is the term used to define when you have a right to the value of your account under the Plan. Effective December 8, 2009, a change made to the Plan’s vesting schedule may mean that you will become vested sooner. Please note, if you terminated prior to December 8, 2009, you will still fall under the old vesting schedule. The new vesting schedule only applies if you terminated employment after December 8, 2009. 
Under the former vesting schedule, you became fully vested (earned the right to your entire account) after you completed five years of creditable service. With this new vesting change, your account becomes vested gradually based on the following schedule:

Years of Creditable Service	% of Your Account that is Vested
Less than 2	0%
2	20%
3	40%
4	60%
5 or more	100%

Distribution Options

Upon separation of service, notification from your employer — either voluntary, by retirement, or otherwise — you may be eligible to receive payment from your DC 401(a) Retirement Plan. In the event of your death, your beneficiary will receive payment. 

You have several choices regarding the money in your Plan account:

• Keep the Money in the Plan
  You may keep the entire balance in the Plan until age 70½, at which time you must do one of the following:
  • Take required minimum distribution payments
  • Take a lump sum distribution

• Payment Options
  You have the following pay-out options. Prior to requesting a transfer, the District must certify marital status and receive the required spousal consent prior to forwarding the request to MissionSquare.
  
  
  • Lump Sum: You can elect to receive a one-time distribution for the entire amount of the available portion of your account balance.
  
  
  • Lump Sum with Rollover*: You can elect to roll over all, or a portion of your distribution to another qualified plan or IRA.
  
  
  • Partial Lump Sum: You can receive a portion of your funds in any amount at any time. The minimum withdrawal amount is $100 or 100% of the available amount. You must complete a Distribution Request form to begin the flexible payment option. Future payments may be requested by completing a Distribution Request form. You can elect to roll over the balance of your account to another qualified plan or IRA.
  
  
  • Installments: You can choose Installment payments on a frequency of your choice (must be made at least annually). Once you begin to receive installment payments, you can change your payment amount to fit your needs at any time.
  
  
  • Defer Payment to a Specified Date: You may elect to receive payment on a future date. However, you must elect to receive payment before you turn age 70½. If you are age 70½ or older, your payments must meet required minimum distribution. You can also refer to the Distribution Projection Tables and Worksheets in your Distribution Guide.
  
  
  • Transfer to an Annuity (Joint & Survivor): You may elect to transfer 100% of the monies to an annuity.

All Distributions from the Plan are accomplished via form. All forms are available online through MissionSquare.

Distribution choices and rules are complicated. You are encouraged to talk with your tax advisor or financial planner before deciding how to take your distribution. 

Note: Periodic payments of ten years or more are not eligible for rollover. 

*You can elect to have your distribution rolled over to a qualified plan, 401(a) plan, 403(b) plan, 457 plan, or IRA (if the plan accepts rollover money from other plans). If you elect a direct rollover, you will owe federal income taxes when you begin taking distributions in the years they are paid to you by the IRA or other plan. Prior to rolling money over, you may want to confirm with the plan receiving the plan receiving the money of any changes that may affect the distribution options of the rolled in money. If you do not elect a direct rollover, 20% of your distribution from the Plan will be withheld for federal taxes. Further, to the extent that you roll over money to a non-401(a) plan, you should review whether the 10% early withdrawal tax penalty will apply.

For more information, please visit 401a Retirement System page.

The 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan is one piece of your retirement program designed to supplement your retirement savings. Your voluntary tax-deferred contributions are made to an account in your name for the exclusive benefit of you and your beneficiaries. The value of the account is based on the contributions made and the investment performance over time. The 457(b) Plan is administered by MissionSquare.
 

Distribution Options

Distributions are allowed only upon your separation from service, attainment of age 70½ without separation from service, death, or the occurrence of an unforeseeable emergency, which are considered to be triggering events. Distribution of amounts held in rollover accounts may be made without a triggering event. The Plan also includes a provision allowing the in-service distribution of accounts that do not exceed $5,000 if:

• You have not made any contributions to the Plan during the prior two years; and
• You have not received this type of in-service distribution in the past.

For more information, please visit 457(b) Deferred Compensation Plan page.

The Affordable Care Act requires certain employers to offer health insurance coverage to full-time employees and their dependents. To comply with the new ACA requirements, the District has made several changes to our benefits program, including providing employees with a 1095-C form. The 1095-C includes information regarding the offering and enrollment of employees in the District’s health insurance plans.

For more information, please visit The Affordable Care Act & Form 1095-C page.

If you have additional payroll questions, please contact the Office Pay and Retirement Services at (202) 741-8600.