Benefits and Resources

Rainbow over Los Osos Valley Road

We recognize that a layoff can be a challenging and emotional experience, and we want to ensure you have access to the resources available to support your well-being and get answers to all of your questions during this time. 

This page includes information on continuing your healthcare coverage, mental health and wellness services, and other benefits that may help you and your family as you navigate this transition.

Related Services

Frequently Asked Questions

Medical, dental and vision coverage will remain active until the end of the month following your last day worked. In most cases, employees with medical, dental and vision coverage at the time of termination have the option to continue benefit plans through Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) which is administered by Benefit Coordinators Corp (BCC).

COBRA allows employees and covered dependents to purchase medical, dental and vision coverage for up to 18 months, or up to 36 months for dependents with a specific qualifying event. The cost of COBRA is 100% of the health plan premium plus a 2% administrative fee. For more information on the continuation of coverage, contact BCC at 1-800-685-6100.

For more information on benefits upon separation, click here. 
Any employee who is involuntarily unemployed, available for employment, and actively seeking employment, is eligible for Unemployment Insurance. Benefits under the existing Unemployment Insurance system are a function of the employee’s earnings in the highest paid quarter for his/her base year. Determinations on benefit payments are made by the Employment Development Department. Visit www.edd.ca.gov to apply or contact EDD by phone at 1-800-300-5616.
 
There is no payoff for any unused administrative or personal leave balances. Employees will be paid at their regular straight-time rate of pay for annual leave to a maximum of twelve (12) days and for any remaining compensatory time off (CTO) balance.

Under the County’s Retirement Plan (administered by the Pension Trust), (Sections 2.05 and 2.05.1), layoffs requested by the County shall not be deemed a break in continuous County Employment when a County employee (permanent employee and Retirement Plan Member) returns to active County employment within the time period specified by the Plan. (The County’s offer to return must occur within 12 or 24 months depending on which bargaining unit the employee is in and the employee must return within 10 days from the offer).

When the employee does not return to active employment within 12 (or 24) months (and 10 days), the Member’s County employment shall be deemed to have been terminated as of the day before the first day of the layoff. For example, if an employee is laid off July 1, 2025 and the employee returns to County employment in the same or different job class on June 20, 2026, the employee returns to the same Pension Tier they were in prior to the layoff. No Pension Trust Service Credits are accrued during the layoff for that period of time.  If the employee takes a refund of their pension contributions and interest during the layoff period, it will become a break in service for pension purposes. If the employee does not return to County employment prior to July 11, 2026 (one year plus 10 days), the employee will be deemed to have terminated County employment June 30, 2025. Pension Trust should be contacted for specific information.

Depending on your age and vested status, various options are available to receive a refund of your pension contributions and interest (which may be in the form of a rollover to an IRA), leave your funds on deposit with Pension Trust, or retire if eligible. Pension Trust’s office is located at 1000 Mill Street, SLO; the phone number is 805-781-5465.

If you have participated in the Deferred Compensation Plan (a “457 plan” under the tax code) and have funds in your account, you do not have to do anything with your funds and they can be left in place. To discuss options available to you regarding your Deferred Compensation account you can contact Nationwide Retirement Services at 877-677-3678.

Your Deferred Compensation account is also available to you for rollovers, distributions, or loans. Once you are in layoff status you are able to do a rollover to an IRA or other tax-qualified plan and continue to defer taxes on those funds. You may also withdraw Deferred Compensation Plan funds as a distribution, but they will be taxable income (unless the plan is a ROTH 457). There is no additional 10% tax penalty on distributions from a 457 Deferred Compensation Plan, even if you are under age 59 ½. Distributions may be in the form of a taxable lump sum, or you could set up a series of regular taxable distributions. If you take a lump sum payout, it may be subject to ordinary income taxes, unless it is a ROTH 457. You could also set up a loan from your Deferred Compensation account which is paid back by automatic debits from your personal checking account. A loan is not considered a taxable distribution from your Deferred Compensation account as long as you are paying it off each month.

If you return to active employment with the County at any time, you can resume your participation in the Deferred Compensation Plan. However, if you were taking regular distributions from your Deferred Compensation account and then return to employment, you must cease those distributions to avoid violating IRS rules.

Representatives from Nationwide are available several weeks each month and appointments can be scheduled through Nationwide’s website dedicated to SLO County at www.sanluisobispo457.com.
 
Employees with an FSA can make claims for eligible services received up to their last working day (date of termination). All claims must be submitted within sixty (60) days of the termination date

An HSA is different than an FSA. The employee is the custodian of their HSA account, and any remaining balance of funds remains the employees after you separate from the County. You can continue using the funds for eligible medical expenses. For more information, contact BCC at 1-800-685-6100.

If you separate from County service, either voluntarily or through a layoff, and have completed your first probationary period, you are entitled to be paid for accumulated vacation hours, to a maximum of three hundred twenty (320) hours (for most employment groups).

If you have less than five (5) years of service with the County as a permanent employee, per ordinance 2.44.60, you are not eligible for payout of any accumulated sick leave. If you are reemployed within one year of separation, you will recover sick leave balances.

If you have more than five (5) years of service with the County as a permanent employee, except for some peace officers, you are entitled to receive payment for one-half of your accrued sick leave at your current rate of pay as of the date of layoff/separation, not to exceed ninety (90) days. However, an employee laid off because of a reduction in force shall not be entitled to payment for accrued sick leave unless the employee forgoes placement on the reemployment list, or until such time as the employee is removed from the reemployment list. (County Code Section 2.44.060(n).

Yes. We understand that this transition can be stressful and the County provides access to mental health and wellness resources. You can find more information on these services here.

Visit the Benefits Upon Separation webpage at slocounty.ca.gov/separation for information on benefit plans, ancillary plans, COBRA, PEHP, Deferred Compensation, and Pension Trust.