We deeply regret the death of your family member. The University of Iowa values each employee as a vital member of our community. We provide the following information to assist you in addressing items related to your family member's employment at the University of Iowa, and to inform you of some of our related internal processes.

Notification

In the event of the death of a current University of Iowa staff or faculty member on or off campus, notifications are confirmed among University Benefits, University Police, and the Office of Strategic Communication. Any one of the three may have been the first to learn of the death of your family member—whichever office learned first has notified the other two. The Office of Strategic Communication handles all requests from media for information and will not release the name or potentially identifying information about your family until informed by University Benefits or University Police that your family has been notified.

Employee Assistance Program

All University of Iowa employees who have an appointment of fifty percent time or greater, as well as their dependents, are eligible to receive free, confidential counseling services through the Employee Assistance Program. Counselors offer one to four sessions for assessment, referrals, and short-term counseling. This benefit is available to family members for grief counseling as well as stress management, family problems, physical or mental health concerns or job-related issues.

These services also are available to university staff and faculty members affected by your family member’s death. Call 319-335-2085 to schedule an appointment.

Payroll

University Benefits will notify Payroll Services of your family member's. Notification will include next of kin contact information. Payroll will send the next of kin a letter that explains that the deceased employee’s final payroll payment(s) cannot be paid directly to the deceased employee. Payment must be made either to the deceased employee’s estate or to their legal beneficiary. The letter will include instructions on how to proceed.

The employee’s final W-2 will be mailed to the employee’s home address unless otherwise directed by the executor of the estate. If other family members would like a copy of the W-2 or other arrangements are needed for the W-2, the executor of the estate may arrange to obtain a copy of the W-2.

A regular employee who passes away while actively employed is paid for any time worked during the current pay period, plus one additional month of regular base salary, plus any accumulated vacation time. An additional sick leave benefit is paid if the deceased employee qualifies for the payment.

The employee’s final check(s) will be paid through the University of Iowa Accounts Payable vendor payment system, and the recipient of the final payment(s) will receive an IRS Form 1099 at year end, or for any payments made to the beneficiary or to the estate.

Payroll questions can be directed to Payroll at 319-335-2381 of sent via email to payroll-web@uiowa.edu.

Benefits

University Benefits works with the respective health, dental, retirement, and life insurance vendors to process claims and work with the surviving family members and/or executor to continue coverage, if desired. The office sends claim forms to beneficiaries and works to finalize these transactions.

University Benefits will accept any university items your family member may have had at home and will answer questions and direct family members, executors, and/or representatives from employing departments regarding the following topics: email, parking, ID cards, paychecks, work materials, the self-service website, university property located at home, personal property at the work site, keys, and credit cards.

Continuing Benefits for Spouses/Domestic Partners

Health and dental insurance: Spouses/domestic partners and/or children of active faculty and staff whose deaths occur while employed may continue university insurances until such time that the children lose their dependent status or the spouse either remarries or obtains employment that includes an insurance policy. 

Contact benefits@uiowa.edu or 319-335-2676 for additional information.

Spouse/domestic partner ID card: A spouse/domestic partner of an active regular employee whose death occurs while employed may obtain a spousal university ID card from the Payroll Office that gives rights and access to certain university facilities and discounts. 

Contact payroll-services@uiowa.edu or 319-335-2381 for additional information.

Information Technology Procedures

Your family member’s department will determine how to handle university business email accounts and files stored on university computers. The considerations include the amount and type of email regularly received and the content of the files. Consult with your family member’s employing department or with University Benefits about the options available.

Returning Property

• ID cards: These are deactivated and need not be returned. The exception is University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics ID cards, which may be returned to University Benefits or University of Iowa Health Care Human Resources.
• Keys: Return to University Benefits or to the employing department.
• Credit cards: University procurement cards and credit cards should be returned to University Benefits.
• UI property at home: Return to University Benefits or the employing department.
• Personal property at the work site: Two persons from the department should itemize and remove the property to give to the family or executor.

Campus Mail Address

University Benefits changes your family member’s campus mail address to the Benefits office address and distributes mail appropriately upon its receipt.

Other University Notifications

University Benefits notifies Staff Council of a current staff member's death. Staff Council orders a book in the staff member's memory for the University of Iowa Main Library. You will receive a letter from Staff Council with specific information about the selection.

University Benefits also notifies the Iowa Now news service managed by the Office of Strategic Communication.

Parking and Transportation

If your family member had university parking privileges, Parking and Transportation requires return of the parking permit, which consists of a tag that hangs from the interior rear view mirror, and of the key or card if your family member parked in a keyed or carded lot or ramp.

Departmental parking placards (the laminated documents that are placed on the dashboard to access parking other than that to which the employee is regularly assigned) and the accompanying key or card must be returned to the employing department.

If your family member participated in the van pool to travel to and from work, contact the van pool office at 319-353-5770 or commuter-programs@uiowa.edu.

In the event that a surviving spouse or domestic partner is also a university employee and has been riding to work with the deceased spouse or domestic partner, the surviving spouse or domestic partner may retain parking privileges by requesting such to Parking and Transportation by email or letter. If the surviving spouse or domestic partner is assigned parking in a lot other than that assigned to the family member, they retain that assignment rather than assuming the assignment of the deceased spouse or domestic partner.

Contact Parking at parking-office@uiowa.edu.

University Bills

For inquiries about outstanding university charges, contact the Business Office at ubill@uiowa.edu or 319-335-0071.

For inquiries about outstanding charges at University Hospitals and Clinics, contact Patient Financial Services at 319-356-2211.

Athletic Tickets and Recreational Services

If your family member subscribed to athletic season tickets, contact Athletics at 319-335-9309 to inquire about current or future tickets.

If your family member retained a locker at Finkbine Golf Course, contact the course at 319-335-9556 to inquire about its contents.

If your family member retained a locker at any of the fitness facilities on campus, contact Recreational Services at 319-335-9293 or rec-services@uiowa.edu to inquire about its contents.