Resignation

How much notice of resignation must I give?

There are two dates by which a 6-month resignation notice must be given to the employer: December 31 or June 30.

Resignation under Article 47

Article 47 involves a faculty member giving resignation notice to the employer, commonly due to another job opportunity elsewhere. A 6-month notice period is the most convenient for the employer (as stated in the Collective Agreement) meaning the written notice should be given on December 31 or June 30 to the Provost.

Under Article 47:

• There is no severance payment or entitlement for the person leaving
• Internal research funds or grants awarded to the resigning member will usually remain at the University (and advances may have to be repaid)
• Accumulated sabbatical credits are lost when one resigns
• If coverage was provided for the member’s moving costs to Windsor and the resignation is within three years of arrival, there may be a repayment required (Article L)
• All benefits, including health care, dental care, life insurance, LTD, library and athletic facility privileges, etc, will be discontinued the day after resignation.
• Any accumulated pension money can be left in the U of Windsor pension plan or rolled over to another approved pension structure. This should be discussed with Human Resources before departure call Tomas Puskas (Manager, Pensions, Benefits & HR Systems) tpuskas@uwindsor.ca or ext. 2048.

In exceptional circumstances where 6-months notice cannot be given, please contact the Faculty Association for assistance in alerting the Administration about your resignation.

Limited Term Appointments [Article 12 and Letter IV]

Limited Term Appointments are just that: limited term. They end on the date stated in the contract. There is no further entitlement or promise of renewed contract by the University and the person is considered ‘resigned’.  No severance payment is made. All benefits cease the day after the contract is completed. Any pension accumulated during the period of employment can be left in the University plan or rolled into another approved pension structure. This should be discussed with Tomas Puskas (Human Resources) tpuskas@uwindsor.ca before the end of a member’s contract at ext. 2048.

Entitlements upon Resignation

WUFA is occasionally asked about the process of resigning from the University and any ‘entitlements’ that a faculty or librarian member may expect. There are various versions of ‘resigning’ from the University, and these may affect any entitlement. In the examples above, under Article 47 or as a Limited Term Appointment, no entitlements are given. The same is not true for Voluntary Contract Termination.

Voluntary Contract Termination (VCT) [Article 14 and Letter III]

A member holding a regular appointment with tenure/permanence may apply to his/her Dean for Voluntary Contract Termination (VCT). Members must be under the age of 65 in order to apply for VCT. The member must discuss VCT with the AAU Head prior to applying to the Dean, and written application normally be provided at least 180 days prior to the date of termination. The Association has the right to represent a member who has applied for voluntary contract termination in all discussions concerning the terms of any agreement or arrangement. 

The Dean and the AAU Head will consider the request in light of the operational needs of the AAU and then make a recommendation to the Provost. The Provost’s decision is sent to the member within sixty (60) days of the submission of the member's application.

Voluntary contract termination normally involves payment of a severance allowance. The amount of severance will vary from case to case, based on the member's normal salary during the final year of employment. Years of service, the amount of research money brought into the University by the member and accumulated years of sabbatical entitlement are some of the items taken into account in determining the severance allowance. VCT members can elect to leave their pension with the university, or take a lump sum payout on the date their VCT is effective.  In some cases, health and dental benefits are extended until the normal retirement age under the pension plan (Age 65). VCT members are considered “resigned”, and therefore do not have any benefits normally extended to retired members of the University [Article 48]. Provisions on voluntary contract termination shall not apply if the member has accepted an equivalent or superior position elsewhere. Those considering VCT have the right to ask the Faculty Association to assist in any discussions concerning the terms of an agreement or arrangements.

For complete information on Voluntary Contract Termination, see the Collective Agreement Articles 14:52 – 14:60 and Letter III, or contact the Faculty Association.