Before leaving a U.S. job, confirm your last day and resignation requirements, secure records you are entitled to keep, and get exact answers about final pay, health coverage, retirement accounts, and other benefits. The checklist below applies whether you resign, retire, or lose your job; your state law, employer policies, and plan documents determine many of the details.
1. Review your written terms before giving notice
Check your offer letter, employee handbook, employment contract, union agreement if applicable, and relevant policies. Look for notice and resignation procedures, confidentiality obligations, non-solicitation or intellectual-property terms, repayment obligations, and equipment-return rules. There is no single notice period established for all U.S. workers; your agreement and state law may matter.
2. Confirm your last day and how to resign
Set your intended final workday and follow the employer’s required delivery process. Keep a copy of your resignation notice and any acknowledgment. Ask how the date affects payroll, benefit coverage, bonus eligibility, or stock-award vesting; these dates may not align.
3. Save personal employment and pay records
Before work-system access ends, save personal copies of records you may need, such as pay statements, tax forms, benefit elections, employment records you are entitled to retain, and plan-administrator contact details. Do not copy confidential business information, customer data, or proprietary files.
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Review your expected final pay for regular wages, approved expenses, commissions, bonuses, and accrued paid leave. Ask payroll when each item is expected and request a written breakdown if the final statement is unclear.
5. Check your state’s final-pay and leave rules
Federal law does not require an employer to issue the last paycheck immediately; some states set faster deadlines. The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) also does not require vacation, holiday, severance, or sick pay. State law and employer policy may provide for these payments, so verify the rules for your state with its labor agency rather than assuming unused leave will be paid. The U.S. Department of Labor explains final-paycheck rules and federal leave-pay requirements.
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6. Find out exactly when health coverage ends
Ask HR or the plan administrator for the coverage end date for you and each covered dependent. Do not assume coverage ends on your last workday or at the end of that month; the plan’s actual date determines when you need replacement coverage.
7. Compare health coverage options and deadlines
Depending on your circumstances, options may include a spouse’s or partner’s employment-based plan, Marketplace coverage, COBRA continuation coverage, or Medicaid or CHIP. Compare start dates and any gap, premiums, deductibles, maximum out-of-pocket costs, provider and prescription networks, and dependent coverage.
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- Marketplace: HealthCare.gov says you generally must apply within 60 days of losing job-based coverage to use the special enrollment period. See HealthCare.gov’s guidance on losing job-based insurance.
- COBRA: The U.S. Department of Labor says the election period is 60 days from the later of the date coverage ends or the date you receive the election notice. In qualifying circumstances, continuation commonly lasts up to 18 months, and you may have to pay the full plan premium plus an administrative charge. Check your notice and eligibility; see the Department of Labor’s COBRA guidance.
8. Download retirement-plan documents and statements
Before losing account access, obtain your Summary Plan Description, current statement, and plan-administrator contact details. Check your balance, employer-contribution deposits, vesting, fees, distribution choices, and mailing address. The Department of Labor explains what to consider in its retirement-money guidance for workers changing jobs or losing a job.
9. Decide what to do with retirement savings
Depending on the plan type and its terms, you may be able to leave the money in the former employer’s plan, make a direct rollover to a new employer plan or IRA, or take a distribution. Compare fees, investment choices, tax treatment, access, and portability before deciding. Taking cash may have tax and possible penalty consequences. A defined-benefit pension works differently from a defined-contribution account, and the plan documents control your options.
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10. Ask about plan loans or repayment obligations
If you have a retirement-plan loan or another outstanding repayment obligation, ask the administrator how leaving affects repayment, what deadlines apply, and whether any tax consequences may follow. Verify the answer in your specific plan documents; loan terms are not universal.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.11. Review stock awards and deferred compensation
For stock options, restricted stock units (RSUs), an employee stock purchase plan, or deferred compensation, get the grant agreement and plan rules before access ends. Check vesting, exercise or settlement windows, tax treatment, and any post-termination deadlines. These terms are grant- and plan-specific, so do not rely on a general deadline.
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12. Check FSA, HSA, and HRA balances separately
Ask each account administrator about eligible expenses, claim-submission deadlines, remaining balances, account access, fees, and any continuation options. Flexible spending arrangements (FSAs), health savings accounts (HSAs), and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) are different arrangements, not interchangeable balances. The IRS discusses tax-favored health accounts in Publication 969; your plan documents also determine important details.
13. Update your address and personal contact information
Update your mailing address and contact information with payroll, health and retirement plan administrators, and any insurer or equity-plan provider. This helps later notices, account statements, and tax forms reach you. Keep account numbers and administrator contact details securely in your own records.
14. Prepare for tax forms and final payments
Keep your final pay statement and note any bonus, vacation, or sick-time payment. The IRS says accumulated vacation or sick-time payments are taxable; consult the applicable year’s IRS Topic No. 761 and current filing instructions for your situation. You may receive Form 1095-B or 1095-C for job-based health coverage, but HealthCare.gov says those forms are not needed to file a federal tax return. See HealthCare.gov’s Form 1095 information.
15. Arrange a clean handoff and close out access
Agree with your manager on ownership and status for active work, return employer equipment, and follow company policy for removing personal files from work devices. Keep contact details for colleagues who agree to stay in touch. Do not retain confidential or proprietary materials.
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