Separated Employee Information
This page provides more information for employees who are separating or separated and have questions about federal benefits.
INSURANCE BENEFITS
Federal Employees Group Life Insurance (FEGLI)
Employee's is provided paperwork (e.g., SF-2821 and SF-2819) to convert federal group coverage to an individual policy. Employee remains covered for an additional 31 days after separation date. Additional information is available online at https://www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance/life-insurance/
Federal Employees Health Benefits (FEHB)
Loss of FEHB coverage other than by cancellation (including cancellation by nonpayment of premiums) provides the employee with a 31-day temporary extension of coverage, at no cost, in the same enrollment category held at separation. TCC (temporary continuation of coverage) takes effect on the day that the 31-day temporary extension of coverage ends. Coverage is retroactive to that date if the enrollment processing is completed later.
To enroll for TCC, complete Standard Form 2809, Employee Health Benefits Election Form (enclosed) and submit it to this HR Office within 60 days of the separation notice. Additional information is available online at www.opm.gov/healthcare-insurance
FEHB- Temporary Continuation of Coverage booklet
Federal Employees Dental & Vision Insurance Program (FEDVIP)
Coverage through this program does not have a 31-day extended coverage after separation. The coverage ends the last day of the pay period in which the separation action is effective. Additional information is available online at www.benefeds.com.
Long Term Care (LTC)
Long term care insurance coverage under the FLTCIP is portable. This means that once you have coverage under the FLTCIP and later are no longer a member of an eligible group, you can keep your coverage if you continue to pay the required premium and have not exhausted your maximum lifetime benefit. Additional information is available online at ltcfeds.com
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
Health Care (HCFSA) or Limited Expense Health Care (LEX HCFSA) terminates as of the date of separation or retirement. There are no extensions. Any eligible health care expenses incurred prior to the date of separation will still be reimbursed but those incurred after the separation date are not reimbursable.
Dependent Care (DCFSA) remaining balance can continue to be used to pay for eligible dependent care expenses until account balance is depleted or the end of the calendar year, whichever comes first. Additional information is available online at www.fsafeds.com.
FEDERAL CIVILIAN RETIREMENT
When an employee separates, generally we only maintain their Official Personnel Folders (OPFs) for 90 days after separation.
Separated employees who have at least 5 years of creditable ("covered by retirement deductions") service, may be eligible for deferred retirement. Click the link for more information about deferred or postponed retirement.
Separated employees who have less than 5 years of creditable ("covered by retirement deductions") service, may elect to refund those retirement monies by completing the appropriate form and submitting directly to OPM (address on the form itself). Application for Refund of Retirement Contributions is the title of the form. Forms are available at www.opm.gov/forms - employee will need to know what retirement system they were under when employed (Civil Service CSRS or Federal Employee FERS)
UPDATE!!! Office of Personnel Management (OPM) announces that Separated Employees Must Submit Deferred or Postponed Retirement Applications Through ORA
handout-separated-employee-ora-07-01-26.pdf (147.19 KB)Starting July 1, 2026, as part of OPM's expansion of the Online Retirement Application (ORA), former employees seeking deferred or postponed retirement must submit their applications directly through ORA, instead of using traditional paper forms.
Agencies are not responsible for initiating these applications. Instead, separated employees should be guided to access ORA themselves and start the application process independently.
Deferred Retirement
Former employees eligible for a deferred retirement should submit their application through ORA at least 60 days before the date they want the annuity to begin.
Eligibility Reminder
Deferred retirement is available to former employees who left federal service before reaching their MRA (or with fewer than 10 years of service at MRA) but did not take a refund of retirement contributions. The annuity cannot commence until the applicable age threshold is met (age 62 with 5 years of service, or MRA with at least 10 or 30 years of service depending on the scenario). FEHB, FEGLI, and FEDVIP coverage cannot be reinstated under a deferred retirement.
To Appy, the Former Employee must:
- Create an ORA account
- Complete the required Login.gov identity verification process
- Submit the deferred retirement application directly through ORA
When Applying, the Former Employee should be prepared to provide:
- Beginning and ending dates of Federal service for each agency worked
- Beginning and ending dates of any honorable active duty military service
- Information about any military service deposit made or owed, if applicable
- Information about any military retired pay being received, if applicable
- Information on any prior refund of retirement contributions, deposit, or retirement application filed with OPM
- Information on any workers' compensation benefits received from the Department of Labor
- Survivor annuity election (a reduction applies if a survivor benefit is chosen)
For more information, please review OPM’s Deferred Retirement page.
Postponed Retirement
Separated employees eligible for a postponed retirement must also apply directly through ORA. This option is only available to employees who separated at or after their MRA with at least 10 years of service and did not immediately commence their annuity.
Postponed retirement allows eligible former employees to reinstate FEHB and FEGLI coverage when their annuity begins, provided they had continuous coverage for the 5 years immediately before separation.
The application may be received at least 60 days before the selected annuity commencement date.
The Annuity Commencement Date must be:
- The first day of a month after separation, and
- No later than 2 days before the individual's 62nd birthday
NOTE: Setting the commencement date on or after the 62nd birthday will convert the application to a deferred retirement, permanently eliminating eligibility to reinstate FEHB, FEGLI, and FEDVIP coverage. This is the most common and consequential error on these applications.
For more information, please review OPM’s FERS Voluntary Retirement Page.
To Apply, the Former Employee must:
- Create an ORA account
- Complete the required Login.gov identity verification process
- Submit the postponed retirement application directly through ORA, including the selected annuity commencement date
When applying, the former employee should be prepared to provide the same service, military, and any prior refund information required for a deferred retirement application, plus:
- The specific date they want the postponed annuity to begin (must fall within the eligible window above)
- Survivor annuity election and, if applicable, spousal consent (Schedule A)
- FEHB/FEGLI/FEDVIP coverage reinstatement information
Thrift Savings Plan
Thrift Savings Plan is similar to a 401(k) type of investment program. Employees have a variety of options for the funds after separation. Separated employees must submit online application through TSP Website - www.tsp.gov
Separated employees who have applied for their TSP funds and TSP has informed them that a "TSP Separation Code" is needed from last employing Agency, please contact your servicing Benefits Specialist with the following information name while employed; date of separation, email address, and contact phone number (so that we can gather additional required information).
TSP Separation codes cannot be mailed, emailed, called in, or faxed to TSP.
Copies of Prior Year W2s
Human Resources Office does not issue W2s, Interior Business Center - Payroll Operations issues W2s late January each year.
If you want the duplicate W-2 sent to an address other than the one to which it was originally mailed, you must make a written and signed request. Mail or fax the request directly to Customer Support Center at the following address:
Interior Business Center
Customer Support Center
Attention: Code D-2605
P.O. Box 25365
Denver, CO 80225
FAX 303-236-1011
Include your name (as it appears on your LES), your Social Security Number (last 4 digits only), your employer agency/organization, and a daytime telephone number to reach you in case we need additional information. Also, include the statement that you need a duplicate Form W-2 issued, your old and new mailing address, and the applicable tax year. Be sure to sign the request.
In most cases, the Customer Support Center will mail the duplicate to you within 24 working hours of receiving the request.
You may contact Interior Business Center - Payroll Operation at 1-866-367-1272
Option 3 for HR Applications, then Option 1 for payroll assistance.
PERSONNEL RECORDS
Official Personnel Folder (OPF) for Separated Employees who have been separated for less than 120 days, may have an eOPF with BIE HRO.
Employment Verifications can be emailed to BIE-Benefits@bia.gov
Long-term records documenting individuals' Federal careers are stored in the Official Personnel Folder. The employee received copies of these records when they were created. When an employee separates from the Federal service, the last employing agency sends the Official Personnel Folder to the National Personnel Records Center for storage. Normally, the agency sends the Folder within 120 days after the employee separates. The National Personnel Records Center retains the folders for 65 years after separation.
Former employees' request for copies of their personnel records must be in writing to the National Personnel Records Center. For the list of information to be included in the request, click here.
Employee Medical Folder (EMF)
Since 1984 the Employee Medical Folder has been used to store long-term occupational medical records that were created during an employee's Federal career. These records do not include records on claims filed under the Federal Employee's Compensation Act.
When an employee for whom there are long-term occupational medical records separates from Federal service, the last employing agency sends the Employee Medical Folder to the National Personnel Records Center. The National Personnel Records Center retains these Folders for 30 years after separation. Former employees' requests for copies of their Employee Medical Folder should be in writing, click here for more information.
