Which aspect of termination usually occurs at the discretion of the department?

The aspect of termination that typically occurs at the discretion of the department is retirement. Retirement is a voluntary process where an employee chooses to end their employment, often after reaching a certain age or meeting specific service requirements. While departments may set policies regarding retirement, such as encouraging or providing incentives for employees to retire at certain milestones, the ultimate decision to retire lies with the employee.

In contrast, resignation involves the employee choosing to leave voluntarily, which also does not typically fall under departmental discretion. Compulsory layoffs and firings are actions taken by the department based on various factors, such as budgetary constraints or disciplinary actions, thus not under the employee’s discretion.