Human Resources understands that during times of bereavement, the focus of surviving family members is on grieving their loved ones and not necessarily on various business matters that may need attention. Because of this, we have put together a set of helpful guidelines to provide the surviving family member with information you will need to handle some of the many important decisions and arrangements you may have to make.

Human Resources will assist the deceased employee’s department and surviving family members during this difficult time. One of the very first things you need to determine is what are the various benefits that the deceased employee was eligible for and participated in. Below is a list of some of the benefits that the deceased employee may have eligible for. If you have any questions regarding these benefits, please contact a Human Resources Benefits Representative at 702-895-3504 for assistance.

Required Documents

  • We advise surviving family members to order several copies of the death certificate since most benefit vendors will require an original death certificate to process the benefit.
  • It may also be necessary to have copies of the following:
    • Spouse’s birth certificate
    • Minor Children’s birth certificate
    • Marriage Certificate

Salary Still Owed

The employee’s final salary will be issued to the beneficiary the employee has designated on the “Beneficiary for Unpaid Compensation” form. If the deceased employee did not designate a beneficiary, the final salary will be issued to the deceased employee’s estate.

Employees who are on payroll at the time of death shall receive salary through the day of death plus any earned but unused annual leave.

Classified employees who have at least 10 years of service at the time of death may also be eligible to a payout of their earned but unused sick leave subject to certain restrictions.

Deceased academic or administrative faculty members who are on payroll at the time of death are also eligible to receive a death benefit equal to 1/12th of their current annual contract salary.

Health Benefits

If the deceased employee participated in the Health Insurance Program offered by UNLV through the Public Employees Benefits Program (PEBP), that benefit comes with a $15,000 basic life insurance policy. Upon notice of the employee’s death, Human Resources will contact PEBP so that the insurance company can send the required paperwork to claim the basic life insurance benefit to the beneficiary on file.

If the deceased employee had covered dependents under their policy, the dependents’ health insurance coverage will end at the end of the month of the deceased employee date of death. If the deceased employee was employed in a benefits eligible position with the University for 10 years of more at the time of death, covered dependents may be eligible to continue health insurance coverage as a Survivor participant. Surviving dependents include the spouse and dependent children up to the age of 26, who were covered under the deceased employee’s health insurance plan at the time of the employee’s death. If a deceased employee was employed for less than 10 years, covered dependents may be entitled to 26 months of COBRA coverage.

Retirement Benefits

If the deceased employee’s retirement plan is through the Public Employees Retirement System (NVPERS), dependents may be eligible for survivor benefits if the deceased employee has more than two years of service at the time of death. Human Resources will contact NVPERS to inform them of the employee’s death and NVPERS will contact the beneficiary on file. For additional information, please contact NVPERS directly at 702-486-3900.

If the deceased employee’s retirement plan is through the University’s Retirement Plan Alternative (RPA), the deceased employee’s retirement plan assets will be distributed to the beneficiary on file. Human Resources will contact the retirement vendors to inform them of the employee’s death and the retirement vendor will contact the beneficiary on file. For additional information, please contact your retirement vendor:

If the deceased employee had supplemental retirement accounts, the deceased employee’s retirement plan assets will be distributed to the beneficiary on file. Human Resources will contact the retirement vendors to inform them of the employee's ’ death and the retirement vendor will contact the beneficiary on file. For additional information, please contact your retirement vendor:

Supplemental Benefits

If the deceased employee purchased supplemental benefits, Human Resources will notify the appropriate vendor(s) of the employee’s death. The vendor will contact the beneficiary on file. Dependents can review the deceased employee’s last pay stub to determine if the employee purchased supplemental benefits. Human Resources representatives are available is any assistance is needed.

Grant-In-Aid

Dependents of deceased employees - who at the time of death were “A” or “B” contract or were on sabbatical leave – are eligible for grant-in-aid. The following applies:

  • The widow(er) of the employee is eligible to receive grant-in-aid for a minimum of six semester hours until requirement for a degree are complete. The registration period cannot exceed eight semesters.
  • Every child who qualified for grant-in-aid when the employee died may continue to receive aid until a bachelor’s degree has been granted. The registration period cannot exceed eight semesters.

Dependents of deceased classified employees are not eligible to receive grant-in-aid.