Program Information
As part of an effort to reduce the structural budget, San Francisco State University is implementing a VOLUNTARY SEPARATION INCENTIVE PROGRAM (VSIP), intended to encourage employees to voluntarily separate with severance on June 30, 2024. This is a one-time, non-precedent setting program. SF State employees interested in participating in the VSIP should carefully read these TERMS AND CONDITIONS and APPLICATION. Participation in the VSIP requires the execution of a separation agreement, which includes a general release of all claims further explained in the above referenced terms and conditions.
The TERMS AND CONDITIONS are also available in Spanish (Read Only) and Chinese (Read Only).
Employee Eligibility
Employees must meet the criteria below that pertain to their bargaining unit to participate in the VSIP.
1.1. Employee Status – As of the application deadline on April 30, 2024, and continuing up until the date and time of the employee’s separation determined in accordance with the VSIP, an employee must be a current:
- San Francisco State University state-side represented employees in a permanently funded position;
- Confidential Employees;
- Employee in a permanent position; (including those who have permanency in a previous position and are currently probationary in a new position with no break in service.)
- Full-time faculty member with a three (3) year contract.
- Employees in the Management Personnel Plan (M80), and temporary and probationary employees (not having achieved permanency in another position) are not eligible to participate in the VSIP.
1.2. CalPERS Service Retirement Eligibility Required – As of June 30, 2024, an employee must be CalPERS service retirement eligible. To determine your eligibility, please contact CalPERS at 1 888-CalPERS (1888-225-7377). Please note that there is no requirement to retire, only that the employee is eligible to retire. Human Resources is not authorized to determine CalPERS eligibility.
1.3. Years of Service to the University – As of June 30, 2024, employees must have at least ten (10) or more years of service to SF State to be eligible. This excludes student employees.
1.4. No Faculty Early Retirement Program (FERP) – Faculty that are currently participating in the FERP program are not eligible to participate in the VSIP.
1.5. No Rehired Annuitants – Rehired annuitants are already CalPERS retired, are not permanent employees and, therefore, are not eligible for the VSIP.
1.6. Previous Notice of Retirement or Separation – Employees who have already established a retirement date effective June 30, 2024, are eligible for this program, provided that they comply with all terms and conditions of the VSIP.
Submitting your application:
Applications for the Voluntary Separation Incentive Program (VSIP) must be submitted:
- Using DocuSign [highly preferred]
- By mailing in an application on or before April 30, 2024.
Applications received after 11:59pm that day will not be considered. Complete applications will be processed on a first come, first serve basis in the order in which they were received and depending on the Tier in which the eligible employee falls within. For example, employees with the highest (20+, 15+, 10+) years of service will be given priority consideration. Submission via DocuSign is highly preferred to expedite processing. Mailed applications will be considered received as of the postmarked date.
For those who choose to send the form via mail, you may download and print out the form here.
Please send it to:
SF State Human Resources
ATTN: AVP Ingrid C. Williams
1600 Holloway Ave, ADM 252
San Francisco, CA 94132
Need assistance?
Email: workforce@sfsu.edu
FAQ
As part of an effort to reduce the structural budget deficit, the VSIP is a program designed to reduce payroll costs by creating an incentive for employees to voluntarily separate from their current position at the university. This is a one-time, non-precedent setting program.
Please review the VSIP Terms and Conditions document for eligibility requirements.
The terms and conditions of the program may be found here: VSIP Terms and Conditions.
Please see the severance package section of the VSIP Terms and Conditions.
No, an employee is not required to retire after separating from SF State through the VSIP.
This is a one-time program.
No, this is a strictly voluntary program.
Your final accumulated vacation accruals will be paid out on your final check. Please review your vacation balances and consult Payroll Services if you have questions related to your vacation accruals.
Please contact Benefits Services for additional information related to COBRA. Benefits generally end following the month of separation. For example, if separation occurs June 30, 2024, employee benefits will end on July 31, 2024. If you wish to remain benefits-eligible into retirement, the CalPERS retirement date must be within 120 days of the separation date from the benefits-eligible position. Therefore, if you retire after 120 days, you would be eligible for your pension but no longer eligible for health benefits into retirement.
No. This timeline is designed to provide an appropriate planning opportunity to both employees and managers.
Eligible employees may submit the Application form or via DocuSign or by mailing the completed forms to:
SF State Human Resources
ATTN: AVP Ingrid C. Williams
1600 Holloway Ave, ADM 252
San Francisco, CA 94112
Mailed applications will be considered received as of the postmarked date.
Employees last day on payroll is June 30, 2024 (unless a different separation date has been negotiated with the AVP for Human Resources). The effective retirement date is July 1, 2024.
Academic Year faculty are paid over 12 months. Therefore, faculty who retire with an effective date of 7/1/24 will receive their settlement pay for July and August 2024 in their June 2024 pay period. The July and August settlement pay is coded such that it counts toward the CalPERS' final calculation. This includes the 7/1/23 retroactive GSI.
No, the appropriate administrator is not required to approve participation in the plan. However, Human Resources will work in conjunction with the employee’s appropriate administrator to ensure business continuity.
Employees may inform their Appropriate Administrator of their intent to participate in the VSIP when submitting their application. Upon receipt of the executed Separation Agreement and Release, Human Resources will notify the employee’s Appropriate Administrator of the separation date.
The severance will be paid in a lump sum, less all applicable payroll deductions, on June 30, 2024.
No, a Golden Handshake retirement incentive is administered and directed by the Governor’s Office. SF State does not have the authority to make service credit decisions. The VSIP only provides a financial incentive.
Human Resources is unable to provide you with this information. We highly encourage you to contact CalPERS at 1-888 CalPERS (1-888-225-7377) or you may sign into your myCalPERS account and use the Calculate My Retirement Estimate tool to determine an estimate of your retirement benefit package. You can log into your myCalPERS account by following this link to the myCalPERS login page.
Employees must retire through CalPERS in order to be considered as a retired annuitant. Rules governing retired annuitants may be found by following the CalPERS Retired Annuitant link. Please note that there is a wait period of 180 days before a retiree can return to a CalPERS employer.
Yes, there is nothing prohibiting an employee from applying to another position at SF State.
Yes, you may participate in the VSIP if the date of retirement is June 30, 2024 and meets the parameters of the program.
No, you have already CalPERS Service Retired, therefore do not qualify for the program.
Employees with highest years of service will be given priority consideration as noted in the Terms and Conditions under Section, Limitations 3.3.