October Employee Benefits Spotlight

From: Human Resources

Please see the following announcements from the Benefits Team.

Oct. 24 authorized closing leave reminders for Blacksburg Campus

Virginia Tech will host a nationally televised football game on the evening of Friday, Oct. 24, against California. Kickoff for the game is 7:30 p.m. To ensure the orderly flow of traffic and increase safety, the university will close all university administrative and non-instructional offices on the Blacksburg Campus at 2 p.m. that day. All in-person classes held after 3:15 p.m. will be canceled. The authorized closing for Oct. 24 will begin at 2 p.m. and run through midnight. 

• Employees who are deemed emergency personnel and are required to work during the authorized closing are eligible for compensatory leave and should record ACW on their leave report for the hours worked during the time period of the closing.  
• Non-emergency employees that work on campus and don’t have a remote work agreement should record AC on their leave reports for the number of hours that the closing will overlap with their regular work schedule. 
• Employees who worked remotely or who are able to work remotely on Oct. 24 are required to work their entire schedule and will not receive AC leave. 

For more information about the Oct. 24 authorized closing, read the campus notice. For more information about leave during an authorized closing, see the university’s Policy 4305: Authorized Closings Leave and Compensation Policy. 

Plan now to use annual leave

All faculty and staff are encouraged to plan ahead and work with their supervisor to schedule annual leave. The deadline to use annual leave exceeding the maximum carryover balance for 2025 will be Jan. 9, 2026. 

More information about leave carryover limits for different position classifications is available on the HR Leave website. For more information on Virginia Tech holidays please refer to University Policy No. 4315: Guidelines on Holidays. If you have questions about leave and leave usage, contact your college or department HR representative or the HR Leave Team at hrleave@vt.edu.

Election Day Reminder

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 4. Virginia Tech supports all faculty and staff exercising their right to vote in the upcoming elections. As a reminder, the university is open on Election Day; employees are asked to work with their supervisor should their work hours need to be adjusted so they can exercise their right to vote.

Unsolicited retirement emails and phone calls 

If outside agencies contact you under the guise that they are endorsed by Virginia Tech to provide financial advising services, please remember that Virginia Tech does not endorse unaffiliated financial advisors. Notices such as this can be reported as spam or phishing using these instructions from 4help.

Virginia Tech employees have access to free financial counseling sessions at with representatives from our retirement account providers including, TIAA, Fidelity, and VOYA.

Benefits representatives in Human Resources are also available to answer general questions related to employee retirement benefits. Employees have the option to seek outside financial counseling. This is a courtesy reminder to exercise caution when responding to unsolicited offers of retirement planning or advice, as well as learn about the resources available to Virginia Tech employees. 

Fall Retirement Information Sessions 

Human Resources will be offering retirement information sessions in November for both the Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) and the Virginia Retirement System (VRS). These sessions provide a great opportunity for all employees (not just those nearing retirement) to learn more about retirement options, benefits, and next steps. Additional details, including dates, times, and sign-up information, will be shared soon.

For questions or to schedule a retirement counseling appointment, contact the HR Service Center at 540-231-9331 or hrservicecenter@vt.edu.