This brochure highlights the State Employee Health
Program, State System of Higher education Annuitant
Health Care Program, Supplemental Benefits Program,
and leave entitlements for State System employees
covered by the State college and University
Professional Association (SCUPA) collective
bargaining agreement. The benefits described are
available to most employees; however, certain
eligibility requirements must be met
This brochure is provided for general purposes only.
Legal Plan Documents will govern any discrepancies
that may arise. For additional information
concerning health and supplemental benefits, contact
the Pennsylvania Employees' Benefit Trust fund (PEBTF).
Benefits, benefit levels, and eligibility rules are
subject to change.
Basic Health Care and Supplemental Benefits
Coverage
State Employee Health Program
-
Employees may
choose from:
·
Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) Option
·
Health
Maintenance Organization (HMO) Option
– Employee must reside within an eligible county
(check availability of coverage by county)
·
Consumer Driven Health Plan –
effective 1/1/06
·
Basic Option (Blue Cross Medical/Surgical and
Major Medical) EFFECTIVE 7/1/03, AVAILABLE ONLY
FOR EMPLOYEES CURRENTLY ENROLLED IN THE PLAN
-
Survivor benefits
for dependents of employees who die as a result
of a work-related injury
-
Benefits
determined by PEBTF Board of Trustees
Supplemental Benefits Program
-
6 month waiting
period
-
Prescription Drug
Plan
·
United Concordia Dental PPO (fee for service) - uses
Advantage Plus dental network
·
Concordia Plus (dental HMO) - uses DHMO Concordia
Plus dental network
-
Hearing Aid Plan
-
Survivor benefits
for dependents of employees who die as a result
of a work-related injury
-
Benefits
determined by PEBTF Board of Trustees
Eligibility/Contribution
-
For permanent
full-time employees hired before August 1,
2003 who elect coverage:
• Effective the first full pay period in July 2005
employee contribution for health care - 0.5%
of bi-weekly gross salary
•
Effective the first full pay period in January
2007 employee contribution
for
health care - 1% of by-weekly gross salar
-
For permanent full-time employees hired on or
after August 1, 2003 who elect coverage:
•
For 6 months of Employment
•
Single coverage only in the least costly plan in
their county of residence
•
Employee
contribution for health care - 1% of bi-weekly
gross salary
•
May not elect Basic Option
• No
supplemental
benefits
•
May purchase a more expensive plan; must pay
cost difference in addition to the
to the employee contribution
•
May purchase health benefits for eligible
dependents - in same health plan as
employee enrolled
•
Beginning with 7th Month of Employment
•
Employee and eligible dependents covered for
medical benefits under least
expensive plan
•
Employee and eligible dependents receive
supplemental benefits
•
Continue to contribute 1% of bi-weekly gross
salary
•
May purchase a more expensive plan; must pay
cost difference in addition to the
employee contribution
-
For
permanent part-time employees - employees
contribute 50% plus an employee contribution at
the same percentage rate as permanent
full-time employees
Annuitant Health Care Program – Retired
Employees
Coverage
-
For annuitants retired 7/1/05
and later
•
Annuitants under age 65 - ClassicBlue/Major
Medical coverage ($500 deductible)
with prescription
drug card, PPO coverage with prescription drug
card, HMO coverage
with prescription
drug card
•
Annuitant pays 10% of plan premium under which
they are enrolled until he/she
reaches age 65 - if annuitant, subsequent to
retirement, changes plans or adds
or deletes dependents, the dollar amount of
contribution will change to conform to
the dollar amount of contribution for the most
comparable plan and size of contract
that was in effect on the date the annuitant
retired
•
Annuitants age 65 and over - Signature-65 and
Major medical coverage ($500
deductible) to supplement
Medicare and prescription drug discount card
•
Annuitant pays same flat percentage amount of
Signature-65 premiums paid by
employees who are enrolled in the PPO Plan
(Currently 10%)
•
Annuitants benefits continue to include coverage
for dependents
•
State System pays $5 toward cost of coverage for
annuitants not qualifying under
eligibility requirements listed below
Eligibility
• at age 60 with at least 10 years of credited
service (may include purchased service)
•
at any age with at least 25 years of credited
service (may include purchased service)
•
on approved disability with at least 5 years of
credited service (may include purchased
service)
•
at age 60 with at least 15 years of
Commonwealth/State System service only
•
at any age with at least 25 years of
Commonwealth/State System service only
•
on approved disability with at least 5 years of
Commonwealth/State System service only
•
at age 60 with at least 20 years of
Commonwealth/State System service only
•
at any age with at least 25years of
Commonwealth/State System service only
•
on approved disability with at least 5 years of
Commonwealth/State System service only
Flexible Spending Accounts
Reduces the amount
of taxes paid by designating a portion of salary to
an account for eventual reimbursement of certain
medical and dependent care expenses. Account
balances not used by year’s end are forfeited.
Medical
Reimbursement Account
·
Maximum
annual contribution is $3,500
·
Eligible expenses for reimbursement include Major
Medical deductibles and amounts in excess of plan
allowances or maximums, prescription drug
co-payments, POS, PPO, and HMO doctor office visit
charges, lasik eye surgery, chiropractic services,
most over -the-counter medications and supplies,
etc.
Dependent Care
Reimbursement
·
Maximum
annual contribution is $5,000 ($2,500 if you are
married and filing a separate income tax return)
·
Dependent care must be necessary so that you, and if
you are married, your spouse can work or look for
work
·
Eligible expenses for reimbursement include child
care centers that care for six or more children and
that meet the IRS definition of a qualified day care
center, caregivers for a disabled spouse or
dependent who lives with you, babysitters, nursery
schools, household expenses provided that a portion
of these expenses are incurred to ensure a
dependent’s well-being and protection
Eligibility/Contribution
·
Permanent full-time employees
·
Permanent part-time employees working at least 50%
time
·
100%
employee-paid
Premium Conversion Plan
Allows employees
who are contributing to the cost of health care to
pay those contributions on a pre-tax basis,
resulting in higher take-home pay
Eligibility/Contribution
All employees enrolled in a health care plan and
contributing toward the cost of that plan
Group Life
Insurance
Coverage
·
Term
life insurance equal to nearest $1,000 of annual
salary
·
Minimum
coverage $2,500; maximum coverage $50,000
·
Coverage reduced at age 70 to 65%; coverage reduced
at age 75 to 50%
·
$20,000
additional work-related accidental death benefit
·
Three-month waiting period
·
Right
to convert upon termination/retirement
Eligibility/Contribution
·
State
System pays 100% for permanent employees
·
Dependents ineligible
Voluntary Group
Life and Personal Accident Insurance
Coverage
·
Employee term life and personal accident insurance
in increments of $10,000; maximum coverage $500,000
·
Spouse
term life and personal accident insurance in
increments of $10,000; maximum coverage $100,000
·
Children term life and personal accident insurance
in amounts of $5,000 or $10,000
Eligibility/Contribution
·
Permanent full-time employees and dependents
·
Permanent part-time employees and dependents, if
employee works at least 50% time
·
100%
employee-paid
Voluntary
Long-Term Disability Insurance
Coverage
·
Income
protection equal up to 60% of gross annual base
salary
·
Amount
offset by retirement benefits, workers’
compensation, social security, and paid leave with a
guarantee of 10% of long-term disability benefit
amount or $100/month, whichever is greater
·
Employee may elect either a 90-day or 180-day
elimination period
·
Cost of
living adjustments
Eligibility/Contribution
·
Permanent full-time employees
·
Permanent part-time employees working at least 50%
time
·
100%
employee-paid
Annual, Sick,
and Personal Leaves
Annual Leave
·
Paid
leave earned based on percentage of regular hours
paid biweekly and years of service as follows:
Up to one year of
service 10.4
days/yr. (4% of hrs. paid)
Over 1 year to 15
years of service 15.6
days/yr. (6% of hrs. paid)
Over 15 years to 25
years of service 20.8 days/yr.
(8% of hrs. paid)
Over 25 years of
service
26.0 days/yr. (10% of hrs. paid)
·
Unused
leave may be carried from one year to the next
·
45 day
maximum accumulation
·
Payment
for unused leave at termination/retirement
Sick Leave
(Includes Bereavement and Sick Family Leave)
·
Paid
leave earned at 6% of regular hours paid biweekly
which equates to 15.6 days/yr.
·
Unused
leave may be carried from one year to the next
·
300
days accumulation
·
Must
contribute 2.6 days annually to sick leave bank
·
3-5
days of leave may be used for death of relative,
depending on relationship
·
5 days
of leave may be used for sickness in immediate
family
·
Payment
of 30% accumulated unused sick leave to a maximum of
90 days upon retirement if certain eligibility is
met
Personal Leave
·
12-month employees earn 5 days per year
·
9-month
employees earn 4 days per year
·
No
carry-over from previous year
●
Payment for unused accrued leave at
termination/retirement
Holidays
·
10 paid
holidays per year
·
Observation of holidays may vary by university
Retirement
·
Choice
of:
·
State
Employees’ Retirement System (SERS)
·
6.25%
employee contribution to SERS
·
Public
School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS)
·
7.5%
employee contribution to PSERS
·
Alternative Retirement Plan (ARP)
·
5.0%
employee contribution to ARP
·
Participating ARP companies
·
ING –
effective 7/1/03
·
Met-Life – effective 7/1/03
·
TIAA-CREF
·
AIG
VALIC – effective 7/1/03
·
Employee may participate in one or more of the ARP
companies at one time
·
Employer contribution and benefits vary by plan (view
the Retirement Comparison Chart by visiting
the State System's website at
www.pashe.edu
keywords "Benefits, "Retirement Plans")
·
Selection of retirement plan must be made within 30
days of date of hire; if no choice is made, employee
will automatically default to SERS
Other Benefits
·
Civil
Leave With Pay
·
Educational Leave With or Without Pay
·
Family
Care Leave Without Pay
·
Military Leave With or Without Pay
·
Parental Leave Without Pay
·
Work-Related Disability Leave
·
Deferred Compensation/Tax Deferral of Leave Payouts
·
Direct
Deposit of Pay
·
PA
State Employees Credit Union (1-800-435-6500)
·
Savings
Bonds Through Payroll Deduction
·
State
Employee Assistance Program (1-800-692-7459)
·
Social
Security
·
Tax-Sheltered Annuities
·
Tuition
Waiver
·
Unemployment Compensation
·
Workers’ Compensation
Revised 7/13/06
SCUPA Benefits