- Retirement
-
If you are planning to retire you should notify your line manager in writing. Should you require additional information before submitting a formal notification, please contact your HR Adviser.
USS pension scheme members may have the option of flexible retirement. For further information regarding retirement in relation to your pension please contact The Pensions Office.
Flexible Retirement
USS pension scheme members may have the option of flexible retirement. This allows you to take up to 80% of your benefits whilst continuing to work, as long as you drop your hours and salary by at least 20%. Each time you take part of your pension, it’s known as a flex. It means you can ease yourself into retirement – and still carry on building for the future.
The earliest you can flexibly retire is age 55 (rising to 57 in 2028) – but you must have been building your USS pension for at least two years. Your pension may be reduced to make up for it being paid out before the Normal Pension Age (NPA).
Keys points of consideration:
- Your employer must agree to your hours and salary being reduced by at least 20% each time you take flex.
- Your part-time hours should not increase within 12 months of you taking flex. If your hours and/or salary do go up, you’ll make contributions based on your new salary, and your benefits will be based on this salary too.
- You must give USS at least two months’ notice of the date you’re flexibly retiring from.
- You must agree your flexible retirement with your employer before you reduce your hours.
- Your hours must reduce the day after you flexibly retire – there can't be a gap between the two.
- You can flex up to three times (you’ll retire fully on your final flex).
Further information on this option is available here on the USS website.
Retirement Course
The University provides training for employees considering retirement, which aims to encourage a healthy and financially secure retirement. For further information and to book a course, visit the Courses and Workshops page.
- Resignation
-
If you are planning on resigning from your post, you should notify your Line Manager within your contractual notice period. As part of this process, you should complete an online Leavers form for discussion and approval with your Line Manager.
Please find some resignation FAQs below:
How do I access the Leaver Form?
The leaver form is held in the My Forms section of MyHR. Welcome - MyHR (abdn.ac.uk)
Guidance for leavers and authorisers on using the form is available here: My Forms User Guide
Further info on MyHR is available here: MyHR | StaffNet | The University of Aberdeen (abdn.ac.uk)
What should I include in my resignation letter and form? If you wish to include a resignation letter with your leaver form you can include reason for leaving and any other relevant information for discussion with your Line Manager. Details of any outstanding annual leave are included on the leavers form and will be confirmed as part of the approval process.
How long is my notice period? Your notice period is dependent on your grade. Standard notice periods are as follows, however they may be negotiable with your Line Manager.
-
Grades 1 – 4 (Secretarial, Manual, Technical): 1 month
-
Grades 5 – 8 (Research, Teaching, Academic, Academic Related): 3 months
-
Lecturer/Senior Lecturer: 6 months
-
Professorial and Grade 9: 6 months
What happens to my annual leave?
Once you have calculated how many annual leave days you have remaining (see Holidays page for information), a discussion should take place with your Line Manager to confirm if you will use these days before you leave or if you will receive payment for these days in lieu. These details can be confirmed on the authorised Leaver Form.
When will I receive confirmation from Human Resources?
Once your Leavers form has been fully approved, you will normally receive an acknowledgement letter from Human Resources within two working days. The letter will be sent to your University email address along with information regarding your pension and a link to the exit survey.
Can I keep my University Staff Email Account?
Unless Honorary Status is requested and approved, access to your staff IT account will not be granted. Your user/email account will be closed on your last day of service and you will not be given access to business related data, documents and emails when you cease employment. Please ensure to transfer all important data to your line manager and return all University property (including ID card, laptop, mobile phone etc) prior to your employment ceasing.
Should you have any additional queries, please contact your HR Adviser.
-
- Redundancy
-
The University of Aberdeen is committed to providing security of employment for all staff and therefore it seeks to avoid redundancies where possible.
However, when circumstances arise that necessitate reductions in staffing levels, the University, in consultation with the appropriate campus Trade Union(s), will seek to avoid, minimise and/or mitigate the impact of compulsory redundancies. Please read the following policies together for further information:
If you have any questions or concerns regarding redundancy, please contact our Redeployment Adviser.
- Exit Interview
-
Employees leaving the University are encouraged to complete our electronic Exit Interview Questionnaire just before they go. Participation is voluntary but, from the University’s perspective, the primary aim is to learn the reasons for you leaving, and the information you provide will be used to help drive organisational improvement. From your perspective, an exit interview is a chance to give some constructive feedback.
You will be sent a link to the questionnaire along with the acknowledgement of your resignation. If you experience any issues whilst completing this questionnaire, please contact a member of the Employment Services Team.
Alternatively, if you wish to request a face-to-face Exit Interview, please contact your HR Partner to arrange.
- References
-
The University owes a duty of care to departing/former employees when submitting a reference. Responses to questions will be factually correct and subjective personal opinions will be avoided.
Our standard reference template is designed to be accurate and fair and supplies information under the following headings:
-
Position Held
-
Start Date of Employment
-
End Date of Employment
-
Nature of Employment
-
Salary
If you require a reference please contact the Employment Services Team.
-
For additional guidance and information please click below:
