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_ 620 Item Details($) Appropriations($) ITEM 469. First Year Second Year First Year Second Year FY2025 FY2026 FY2025 FY2026 agency shall not be required to pay the Virginia Retirement System the costs of enhanced retirement benefits provided for in § 2.2-3204(A), Code of Virginia for employees who are involuntarily separated from employment with the Commonwealth if the Director of the Department of Planning and Budget certifies that such action results from 1. budget reductions enacted in the Appropriation Act, 2. budget reductions executed in response to the withholding of appropriations by the Governor pursuant to §4-1.02 of the Act, 3. reorganization or reform actions taken by state agencies to increase efficiency of operations or improve service delivery provided such actions have been previously approved by the Governor, or 4. downsizing actions taken by state agencies as the result of the loss of federal or other grants, private donations, or other nongeneral fund revenue, and if the Director of the Department of Human Resource Management certifies that the action comports with personnel policy. Under these conditions, the entire cost of such benefits for involuntarily separated employees shall be factored into the employer contribution rates paid to the Virginia Retirement System. 2. Notwithstanding the provisions of § 2.2-3205(A), Code of Virginia, the terminating agency shall not be required to pay the Virginia Retirement System the costs of enhanced retirement benefits provided for in § 2.2-3204(A), Code of Virginia, for employees who are involuntarily separated from employment with the Commonwealth if the Speaker of the House of Delegates and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules have certified on or after July 1, 2016, that such action results from 1. budget reductions enacted in the Appropriation Act pertaining to the Legislative Department; 2. reorganization or reform actions taken by agencies in the legislative branch of state government to increase efficiency of operations or improve service delivery provided such actions have been approved by the Speaker of the House of Delegates and the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules; or 3. downsizing actions taken by agencies in the legislative branch of state government as the result of the loss of federal or other grants, private donations, or other nongeneral fund revenue and if the applicable agency certifies that the actions comport with the provisions of and related policies associated with the Workforce Transition Act. Under these conditions, the entire cost of such benefits for involuntarily separated employees shall be factored into the employer contribution rates paid to the Virginia Retirement System. L. The purpose of this paragraph is to provide a transitional severance benefit, under the conditions specified, to eligible city, county, school division or other political subdivision employees who are involuntarily separated from employment with their employer. 1.a. "Involuntary separation" includes, but is not limited to, terminations and layoffs from employment with the employer, or being placed on leave without pay-layoff or equivalent status, due to budget reductions, employer reorganizations, workforce downsizings, or other causes not related to the job performance or misconduct of the employee, but shall not include voluntary resignations. As used in this paragraph, a "terminated employee" shall mean an employee who is involuntarily separated from employment with his employer. b. The governing authority of a city, county, school division or other political subdivision electing to cover its employees under the provisions of this paragraph shall adopt a resolution, as prescribed by the Board of Trustees of the Virginia Retirement System, to that effect. An election by a school division shall be evidenced by a resolution approved by the Board of such school division and its local governing authority. 2.a. Any (i) “eligible employee” as defined in § 51.1-132, (ii) “teacher” as defined in § 51.1- 124.3, and (iii) any “local officer” as defined in § 51.1.124.3 except for the treasurer, commissioner of the revenue, attorney for the Commonwealth, clerk of a circuit court, or sheriff of any county or city, and (a) for whom reemployment with his employer is not possible because there is no available position for which the employee is qualified or the position offered to the employee requires relocation or a reduction in salary and (b) whose involuntary separation was due to causes other than job performance or misconduct, shall be eligible, under the conditions specified, for the transitional severance benefit conferred by this paragraph. The date of involuntary separation shall mean the date an employee was terminated from employment or placed on leave without pay-layoff or equivalent status. b. Eligibility shall commence on the date of involuntary separation. 3.a. On his date of involuntary separation, an eligible employee with (i) two years' service or less to the employer shall be entitled to receive a transitional severance benefit equivalent to