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Workforce Transition Act (State Employees)
Overview
If you are a state employee and involuntarily separated from employment, you may be eligible for transitional severance benefits under the Workforce Transition Act (WTA).
Involuntary separation means a layoff because of a budget reduction, agency reorganization, workforce downsizing or other cause not related to job performance or misconduct. If you voluntarily resign or retire from state employment, you are not eligible for benefits under WTA.
Eligible Employees
- Full-time classified state employees and qualifying part-time classified state employees covered by the Virginia Personnel Act.
- Faculty and administrators of the state’s public colleges and universities.
- Full-time restricted employees in grant-funded positions as defined in the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance if the provider of funding assumes financial responsibility for benefits.
- Full-time classified employees of the following agencies who are exempt from the Virginia Personnel Act:
- State Corporation Commission
- State Lottery Department
- Virginia Retirement System
- Virginia Workers’ Compensation Commission
Special waiver for selected positions
If you hold one of the following positions, are involuntarily separated from employment for reasons other than cause and are credited with 20 or more years of service credit at the time of termination, you may be eligible to retire with an unreduced benefit as early as age 50 if you are in Plan 1 or as early as age 60 if you are in Plan 2. Your employer must certify your eligibility on the Certification of Exception from General Early Retirement Provisions (VRS-8) 
22kb. If you return to covered employment, you will be subject to the normal provisions for unreduced or reduced retirement under your plan, unless you are in a position that qualifies for this special waiver:
- Agency head appointed by the Governor, a state board, commission or council
- School superintendent
- County, city or town manager or attorney
- Constitutional officer (if your position is abolished)
