State service credit is earned through employment with a State of Texas agency or a public institution of higher education. Verified prior state service may be applied toward an employee’s total state service time at the University of Houston.

Purpose

Verified prior state service is used to determine:

• Vacation accrual hours, if applicable

• Eligibility for longevity pay, if applicable

Eligibility

This process applies to benefits-eligible employees who have prior employment with one or more Texas state agencies or public institutions of higher education.

Process

Employees with prior Texas state employment must complete the following steps:

1. Complete a Prior State Service Employment Verification Form for each state agency or public institution where service was performed.
   
   
2. Submit the completed form(s) to Human Resources.
   
   
3. Human Resources will:
   • Contact the listed agencies to verify prior employment
     
     
   • Confirm eligible service credit
     
     
   • Update the employee’s official state service years
     
     
   • Apply the appropriate vacation accrual hour and longevity pay, if applicable

Processing Time

Requests for prior state service are processed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Processing times may vary depending on the age and complexity of the records. Some requests may require additional research and coordination with prior agencies.

The University does not automatically receive prior state employment records. Employees are responsible for initiating verification with previous state employers and ensuring all submitted information is complete and accurate.

Once verification is received, Human Resources will:

• Update your state service credit
  
  
•  Adjust your vacation accrual hour, if applicable
  
  
• Apply longevity pay eligibility, if applicable

Impact of Incomplete Information

Providing incomplete or inaccurate prior state service information may affect your compensation and leave benefits.

Examples include:

• Vacation Accrual: Accrual hours are based on total verified state service. Missing or incorrect information may result in a lower accrual hour than eligible.
  
  
• Longevity Pay: Longevity pay is determined by total years of state service. Missing or incorrect service dates may delay or reduce payments.

If additional service is verified at a later date, adjustments will be made based on the updated information. However, delays in verification may impact when benefit adjustments are applied.

Employees are strongly encouraged to submit complete and accurate information as early as possible.

Submission Instructions

• Complete the Prior State Service Employment Verification Form and submit it to Human Resources – Records at hrrec@uh.edu.
  
  
• Alternatively, employees may request that each prior state agency complete the form and submit it directly to Human Resources on their behalf.

Important Reminders

• Prior state service is not applied automatically
  
  
• Incomplete or missing forms may delay processing
  
  
• Employees are responsible for ensuring all prior state service is properly documented and submitted

Contact Information

If you have questions or need assistance, please contact:

HR Records
📞 713-743-3988
📧 hrrec@uh.edu