Transferring USG and State Benefits

New Hires

Transfer USG and State Benefits

The Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) provides a tuition waiver to full-time, benefits-eligible employees who have maintained this status for at least six months within the University of System of Georgia.
Need Assistance? Contact the Administrative Services Center at (404) 385-1111 or submit a Request Help ticket here.

USG Inter-Institutional Transfers

Important Note: As an USG transfer, if your break of employment exceeds 30 calendar days, you will be treated as a new hire — no previous benefits or service time will be retained.  

Accumulated sick leave, retirement benefits, and service continuity will be transferred. Up to 160 hours (20 days) of accrued vacation leave will automatically be transferred, and any amount over 160 hours can either be:

  1. Transferred along with the first 160 hours (20 days). You may transfer a maximum of 360 hours (45 days) total, which is the USG limit an employee may have at any time, or
  2. Payed out by the former institution at your hourly rate, up to a maximum of 200 hours (25 days).

Transferring to a new position at a different USG institution restarts your provisional period. As a USG employee, you are required to serve the first six months in your new position on a provisional basis. See the Provisional Appointments policy to review terms and conditions of this period.

Transferring Benefits

  • Seamless Benefits Transfer: If you transfer between institutions within 30 calendar days in the same month, your current benefits elections will transfer without interruption.
  • Lapse Benefits Transfer: If your termination date and transfer start date occur in two different months and you decide to take personal time off between the two dates, your health benefits will restart on the transfer start date at the new institution. This will cause a lapse in coverage and you will receive a COBRA continuation of coverage notice from the OneUSG Connect-Benefits Center showing that the coverage provided through your previous institution has ended.

For example: An employee is transferring from Georgia State to Georgia Tech. Their last day at Georgia State will be Friday, June 15. Their first day at Georgia Tech will be Thursday, July 5, using some vacation time around the holiday. The employee’s benefit coverage provided by Georgia State will stop June 30 and their benefits coverage through Georgia Tech will begin on their first day at Georgia Tech, which is July 5. In this example, the employee will not have coverage from July 1 to July 4, which is why COBRA is offered.

Transfer Letters

The Transfer Letter includes your years of service, education support and FSA balances, retirement and supplemental elections, and vacation and sick leave balances (vacation and sick leave are usually delayed to allow your last accrual to update). If you are:

  • Transferring to Georgia Tech: The previous institution is required to send a Transfer Letter to USG Shared Services who will send to Georgia Tech Human Resources (GTHR Benefits). You will not receive this letter but may check with the Georgia Tech USG Transfer Coordinator to ensure it has been received.
  • Transferring from Georgia Tech: GTHR Benefits will send a Transfer Letter USG Shared Services to send to the new USG institution. You will not receive this letter but may check with your new Institution’s USG Transfer Coordinator to ensure it has been received.

FMLA eligibility and usage follow [you] from one USG Institution to another. If using FMLA, your transfer letter should include whether FMLA is continuous or intermittent and the number of hours used.  To make a telephone or virtual appointment to speak with a Benefits Leave Specialist concerning FMLA, click HERE.

Termination and Transfer Start Dates

Once hired at Georgia Tech, your last day worked at the previous institution must not overlap your new hire date. The same applies when transferring away from Georgia Tech. This information is recorded on your Personnel Action Request Form (PAR), which is managed by the Georgia Tech Transfer Coordinator and USG Shared Services Center (SSC).

Vacation and Sick Leave Accrual

Leave accrual is not always included in the Transfer Letter. It can take up to 30 days for final accruals to transfer.

Once leave accruals are transferred, you can confirm in OneUSG Connect employee self-service portal. If you need to take time off in the interim, discuss it with their immediate supervisor.

State of Georgia Agency Transfers

Employees transferring from a State of Georgia Agency must provide GTHR Benefits with an official letter of sick leave credit from the terminating agency. For more information see USG, policy 8.2.7.8 Acceptance of Leave from a State of Georgia Agency. If transferring from a State of Georgia agency to an USG institution:

  • You can transfer up to 96 hours of sick leave.
  • Health and retirement benefits are not transferrable.
  • Vacation accruals and benefits service date also do not transfer to State of Georgia Agency transfers
  • Local (county) school systems are not considered State Agencies

Career State Employees should also review USG Policy 8.2.8.4 Career State Employees Eligibility for Retirement with Health and Life Benefits.

After Your Transfer is Complete

View your personal information, payroll deductions for health and other benefit enrollment in OneUSG Connect via the employee self-service portal at the new institution. Have Questions? Submit a ticket to request at ServiceNow.

You can also make an appointment to speak with the transfer coordinator at your new institution. To schedule an appointment with the Transfer Coordinator for Georgia Tech, visit our website at hr.gatech.edu by following these steps.

    1. Click “Book an Appointment
    2. Select Benefits/Retirement
    3. Select General Benefits (Virtual)
    4. Select a staff member and best time for you