If employees are involuntarily separated from covered employment, they may be eligible for severance benefits administered by VRS.
Employees are considered involuntarily separated if a layoff occurs because of a budget reduction, agency reorganization, workforce downsizing or other cause not related to job performance or misconduct. Employees who voluntarily resign or retire are not eligible for severance benefits.
For state employees.
For teachers, other school employees (cafeteria workers, bus drivers and maintenance workers) and political subdivision employees if the employer has elected to participate.
Employees, in the positions below, and with 20 or more years of service credit at the time of termination, may be eligible to retire with an unreduced benefit as early as age 50, if a Plan 1 member, or as early as age 60, if a Plan 2 member.
You must certify the employee’s eligibility on the Certification of Exception from General Early Retirement Provisions (VRS-8).
Employees who retire early and later return to covered employment will be subject to the normal plan provisions for unreduced or reduced retirement, unless they are in a position that qualifies for this special case.