This section provides information about the exit of an employee from the civil service. Exit management does not include the transfer and secondment of staff, because employees simply change departments or offices but remain within the civil service. The employee will normally exit themselves but in some cases it is appropriate for local HR to raise a case on behalf of an employee, such as death in service, ill-health retirement e.g. employee on sick leave, resignation, dismissal, severance, or preserved pension for a former employee.
Details of civil service superannuation schemes and Circulars are outlined at Appendix 1 of Notice of Exit Circular 10/12.
Local HR will notify NSSO to start the exit management process for the deceased. Local HR will be responsible for arranging the completion of the appropriate forms for death gratuity and, if applicable, spouses, civil partners and children’s pension.
The NSSO Exit Team will inform the pensions team about the employee’s death. Once the pensions team receives the completed pensions forms from Local HR, it will contact the appropriate representative about the gratuity or pension entitlements
Local HR may notify NSSO on behalf of an employee for some exceptional cases such as when an employee is out on long-term sick leave due to exit on ill-health retirement, for an employee that is going to be dismissed, or for a former employee’s preserved pension.
Supporting documentation on these cases should include an Exit Form and any other appropriate documents such as a letter of resignation or severance details. Local HR should complete details on the Exit Form that are appropriate such as fields to identify the employee and method of exit, however checks such as Annual Leave and outstanding schemes repayments will be part of a checklist for NSSO.
There is no need for an exit form with preserved pensions. In these cases, Local HR simply raise a case on the Case Management System or direct the former employee to contact NSSO to begin the process. The NSSO Pensions team will request a complete employee file.
Local HR is responsible for informing employees about retirement courses. To help identify possible candidates, they can request reports from NSSO about the age profile or pensions scheme type. As appropriate, Local HR will notify the Head of Division for cases raised by Local HR.
Note: NSSO does not currently administer pensions for the following groups: office holders, An Garda Síochána, OPW industrial staff, judiciary, the Defence Forces, and pensions appeals. In relation to the process to resign/retire, Local HR should still follow the exit process as usual and deal with the pension details.
If you are unsure how to use the online system, consult the how-to guides for exit process and Pensions.
You are responsible for making sure all forms submitted to NSSO are fully completed. The NSSO may not process incomplete forms.
