HMS Staff Departure FAQ’s and Checklist
for Department Administrators and Supervisors
The purpose of this information is to assist the Department Administrator or Supervisor in the departure
process when an employee voluntarily leaves his or her current position and department. This process will
need to be followed in order to ensure he or she is properly deactivated from all necessary systems.
FAQ’s
1.
As a Department Administrator or Supervisor, what is the first step I should take if an
employee informs me he or she is leaving? The first thing you should do is obtain written
documentation from the employee stating his or her intended end date. If you do not have this, please ask
the employee for this documentation. To begin the departure process, you will need to forward the
documentation to your Human Resources Coordinator along with a signed etad with the appropriate end
date and departure reason.
2.
Will the employee be asked to participate in an Exit Interview by Human Resources? Yes,
once you have forwarded the etad and documentation to your HR Coordinator, he or she will reach out to
the employee to schedule an Exit Interview. The Exit Interview is a time for the employee to reflect on his
or her experience with Harvard, and to review details such as how the employee’s final paycheck is
processed, benefits/COBRA information and what happens with his or her unused paid time off bank.
3.
What will I need to collect from the employee on his or her last day? Please be sure to collect
any items that are University property such as Harvard ID cards, keys, laptop computers, PCards,
Corporate Cards and any other items that are applicable. Please note all PCards, Corporate Cards, and
Harvard IDcards will need to be shredded. Please send an email to Jonathan Knight regarding the
Corporate Cards and Christine Jones regarding PCards, letting them know of the discontinued use. Please
make sure the Corporate Card balance is fully reconciled, cancel any recurring charges to either type of
card. You will need to continue to monitor PCard activity for several months.
4.
Will I need to work with the employee to transfer any electronic documents with University
or department information to a shared space? Yes. Prior to the employee’s departure date, you should
work with the employee to migrate any pertinent electronic documents with University or department
information, stored in the employee’s email account or in his/her Home folder, to a departmental shared
drive. This will ensure the department has access to all the documents and information needed for the
course of business after the employee’s departure from HMS. Upon the departure of an employee, access
to any electronic documents with University or department information saved within an employee’s email
account or in his/her Home folder, will be restricted. If the information is not transferred prior to
departure and access becomes restricted, the department will need to submit a special request to their
Human Resources Consultant (HRC) outlining the specific information that is needed, the reason it is
needed, and the business purpose it will fulfill. Access will only be granted if approved by the Electronic
Access Committee. If the request is approved, only the HRC will have file/email access and will work
with the department to retrieve the specific requested information. All requests for access will be
documented. The employee should be aware that he or she should remove any personal electronic
information from all University systems.
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Please note: per Harvard University’s Enterprise Information Security Policy, High Risk Confidential
Information (HRCI) should not be saved/stored on any individual user computer or portable storage
device, however, in the case where an employee’s position requires him or her to work with HRCI, please
work with employee and IT to ensure all HRCI is removed from all applicable places.
5.
What will happen to the employee’s systems and email access? The employee’s systems
access will be terminated effective his or her termination date. He or she will retain access to PeopleSoft
Self Service for 30 days in order to view his or her personal information. Employees should post an
approved out of office message stating their departure from HMS and contact information for any new
incoming HMS related emails. Please see below for examples:
A. Betty Sue no longer works at HMS. Please direct all business inquires to Lucy Lu
([email protected]).
B. Hello, thank you for your message. I am no longer employed at HMS as of 01/01/14. For all business
related emails please contact Lucy Lu at [email protected] or 617-123-4567. To reach me personally –
[email protected].
6.
Will the employee’s time need to be approved? Yes, please approve the employee’s final time
in PeopleSoft, and reconcile any vacation time or absences. He or she will receive a final paycheck in the
course of the regular paycheck timeline. His or her final check will include any unpaid vacation and
longer service time if applicable.
7.
When will the employee’s building access be deactivated? The employee’s building swipe
access will be deactivated effective his or her termination date. In order to ensure building access is
deactivated completely, please collect and shred his or her Harvard ID badge. Please note: the situation
will vary based on whether the individual is leaving the University or transferring schools within the
University. If the employee is leaving the University, please collect his or her Harvard ID. If the
employee is transferring to a different school within the University, please work with the ID Office
located in the Kresge Building (432-0389) in order to deactivate any department specific access. General
HMS building access will vary based on the affiliation of where within the University the employee is
transferring.
8.
Is it possible for an employee to take a vacation day as his or her last day? If an employee is
leaving the University, he or she must be physically in the office on his or her last day.
9.
Who should I contact if I have any further questions about the departure process? Please
reach out to your Human Resources Consultant or Human Resources Coordinator with any questions
regarding the process. You can find a list of HMS Human Resources contact information here (link to
HMS contact list).
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CHECKLIST

Obtain written documentation from employee outlining intended end date

Provide your HR Coordinator with the documentation along with a signed and completed etad

Work with employee to transfer any file with department/University information to department
shared drive

Work with IT and the employee to remove any High Risk Confidential Information from all
applicable places.

Instruct employee to remove any personal electronic information from all University systems (if
applicable)

Work with employee on his or her last day to create and activate out of office language for email
message

Collect appropriate Harvard property from employee on his or her last day, including Harvard ID,
keys, laptop computer, PCard, Corporate Card and any other items that are University property.
Send communication to Jonathan Knight regarding the Corporate Cards and Christine Jones
regarding PCards, letting them know of the discontinued use. Make sure the Corporate Card
balance is fully reconciled, and cancel any recurring charges to either type of card. You will need
to continue to monitor PCard activity for several months. Shred cards once details complete.

Instruct employee reach out to the Parking Office in order to deactivate parking privileges (if
applicable)

Ensure employee enters forwarding address in Peoplesoft (if applicable)

Approve employee’s time and reconcile absences in Peoplesoft in order for his or her final
paycheck and vacation/longer service time to be processed.
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