UNIVERSITY OF ARKANSAS AT PINE BLUFF
BENEFITS SUMMARY
TOPICS
Medical
The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas (UA) has chosen to sponsor a comprehensive program of medical care Benefits (Plan) for you and your covered dependents. We have contracted with QualChoice of Arkansas, Inc., a third party administrative services for these health care Benefits. Because of its importance, the University of Arkansas System has developed two (2) Medical plans to meet the needs of your and your covered dependents. Below are brief descriptions of the plans. For more information, refer to the Summary Plan Description (SPD) of that plan from the Personnel Office. (1) Classic. Under this Plan, the QualChoice program provides you with flexible choice in selecting Providers and reimbursement options when obtaining health care services. A number of independent, privately practicing physicians and medical facilities (A Network) are available to you. From this Network, "In-Network" you may select a Network Primary Care Physician to provide and/or arrange for all of your health care needs. This plan enables you to receive care directly from your Primary Care Physician (PCP) in the network. There are deductibles, co-payment and co-insurance for services. Prescriptions: Generic (Co-pay); Preferred Name Brand (Co-pay); Non-Preferred Name Brand (Co-pay). A list of preferred and non-preferred name brands is available to you in the Personnel Office. (2) Point of Service. This plan gives you a single benefit plan with two distinct approaches. font-family: Arial">POSfont-family: Arial"> Plan participants will have the same opportunity as the Classic, "In Network". The same requirements apply for accessing network specialists under In-Network of the POS plan as they do under the Classic Plan (remember that mental health services still required pre-authorizations following an initial visit). You may still seek covered medical Services from physicians who are not in the network, ("Out-of-Network"). When you select this Option, "Out-of-Network", you must satisfy an annual deductible. You must also pay a co-insurance up to the maximum out-of-pocket expense limitations.
Network specialist referrals will no longer be required by QualChoice and it
will be up to the specialist as to whether an office visit will require a
referral or not. To view a list of network specialist, please contact
QualChoice's website at www.gcark.com or limited copies are available in the
Personnel Office. You and your dependents are eligible for dental benefits. You may choose dental coverage for yourself and dependents even if you are not enrolled in the medical plan. The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas (UA) has chosen to sponsor Delta Dental Plan of Arkansas, Inc. (DDPA), for you and your covered dependents. This plan requires a yearly deductible of $50 for individual and $100 for family. The plan pays different amounts for different services. For instance, some basic services are covered at 100%, others at 80% and 50%. Delta Dental Plan of Arkansas (DDPA) provides you with a number of independent, privately practicing dentists. DDPA will pay the participating dentist directly for those charges covered by you. If care is received from a nonparticipating dentist, DDPA will pay 90% of the fee allowed for a participating dentist for covered services, providing such charge is not in excess of the usual customary charges. Usual and customary charges mean the amount usually charged by most of the dentists in your geographic area or network. You are responsible for any part of your dentist's charges that are higher than the usual customary charges, if you go to a non-participating dentist.
These insurance plans can help minimize the financial effect of your death or the death of your covered dependents. Insurance you need depends on your age, income, investments, family size, and financial obligations. The University recognizes these varying needs by providing a base level of insurance for all eligible employees and then offering you the opportunity to purchase additional insurance on yourself at low group rates. You may also purchase insurance on your spouse and dependent children. Basic Life Insurance (return to top) The University provides you with Basic Life Insurance at no cost and eligible employees are automatically covered. This coverage is equal to your base annual salary, up to a maximum benefit of $50,000. When your base annual salary increases, so does your Basic Life Insurance. The increase in Basic Life Insurance will be effective on the first day you are at work at the new pay level. Basic Life Insurance coverage will reduce to 65% of the base coverage at age 65; 45% at age 70; and 30% at age 75. Optional Life Insurance (return to top) This plan makes it possible for you to increase the Life Insurance coverage on yourself while taking advantage of low group rates. You may purchase coverage for yourself at one, two, three or four times annual salary (maximum benefit of $300,000). Dependent Life Insurance (return to top) You may also purchase life insurance on your spouse and/or dependent children. You may purchase this coverage even if you do not purchase additional coverage on yourself. If both husband and wife are eligible for insurance as employees, they will be insured as employees only. If both parents are insured as employees, the child(ren) will be considered eligible dependent(s) of either but not both employees. If you enroll for this coverage, you may elect coverage for your spouse at $10,000, $15,000, or $20,000. Each dependent child is covered at 50% of the spouse benefit until they attain age 19 or age 25, if a full time, unmarried student dependent on you for support. Children between 14 days and six months of age are covered for $100. Optional Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance provides additional insurance benefits when death or certain severe injuries are suffered as the result of an accident. Benefits for accidental death from this plan are in addition to the benefits received from Basic and Optional Life Insurance. In the event of your accidental death, the policy will pay the full amount of coverage to your beneficiary. For accidents resulting in the loss of limb and/or vision, the plan will pay a percentage of the maximum benefit. This percentage varies with the severity of the loss. You may choose employee coverage of $25,000 to $300,000. The cost of AD&D depends on the amount of your coverage and whether or not you choose to cover family members. Family. If you choose to cover your dependents, the plan pays benefits for their loss based on a percentage of the amount of your coverage. 1. Your spouse is covered at 60% of your benefit. 2. Each child is covered at 20% of your benefit. AD&D
Insurance coverage for both you and your family will reduce by 35% at age 70
with a further reduction of 20% at age 75 and additional 15% reductions at
ages 80 and 85. Basic Long Term Disability (return to top) A disability can have a substantial impact on your family's finances. Being disabled means the loss of your paycheck and the additional expense of extra bills for special care and services you may require. That is why disability protection is such an important part of the University's benefit program. If you are totally disabled for 180 consecutive days, the Basic Long Term Disability (LTD) plan begins to pay a monthly income while you remain totally disabled. The monthly payment equals 60% of your base salary to a maximum monthly benefit of $1,000. All eligible employees are automatically covered. The University pays 100% of the cost of the coverage. Benefits from the LTD plan will be coordinated with other forms of disability payments you are eligible to receive from other group insurance plans. LTD also coordinates with Social Security disability benefits, Worker's Compensation benefits, payments from any government program providing disability payments, or payments from a retirement pension plan other than TIAA/CREF and Fidelity Investments. Optional Long Term Disability (return to top) Employees earning more than $20,000 annually may want to increase the amount they can receive from the LTD plan. The Basic LTD plan pays a benefit of 60% of salary, up to a maximum of $1,000 a month. The Optional Long Term Disability coverage will provide you additional coverage for your salary in excess of $1,667 per month. You pay the full cost for this added coverage. The Optional font-family: Arial">LTDfont-family: Arial"> coverage, with the Basic LTD, will provide total disability income of up to a maximum benefit of $5,000 per month (based on an annual salary of $100,000). As with the Basic LTD plan, your benefits are coordinated with other group plans, Social Security, Worker's Compensation, or retirement pension plan payments.
A Flexible Spending Account allows you to lower your healthcare or dependent care expenses by letting Uncle Sam help pay for these costs. You do not pay Federal Income, State Income, or Social Security Taxes on the amount deducted from your pay and contributed to your Flexible Spending Accounts. Two separate types of Flexible Spending Accounts are available to you: 1. Health Care Account 2.
Dependent Care Account The Health Care Flexible Spending Account allows you to pay out-of-pocket healthcare related expenses for you and your dependents with tax- free dollars. You can use the Health Care Account to pay your medical and dental deductible, co-insurance amounts, and healthcare related expenses not paid by insurance. You may not use the Healthcare Flexible Spending Account to pay any insurance premiums. You do not pay Federal Income, State Income, or Social Security Taxes on the amount deducted from your pay and contributed to you Healthcare Account. You may open a Healthcare Flexible Spending Account even if you or your dependents are not covered under any of the University's other benefit programs. There is a minimum and maximum contribution amount per year for your Healthcare Flexible Spending Account. This tax- free money remains in your account until you apply for a reimbursement.
The care of a young child or a disabled member of your household can be paid for with tax- deductible dollars through a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account. To qualify, the dependent care must be necessary in order for you or your spouse to work or for your spouse to attend school. A Dependent Care Account allows you to use pre-tax dollars to pay for the care of a dependent. You do not pay Federal Income Tax, State Income Tax, or Social Security Taxes on the money that you contribute to your Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account. You are paying for dependent care with untaxed dollars. You may use the account to pay dependent care costs for your dependents even if they are not covered under any of the University's other benefit programs. The
Internal Revenue Service limits the amount you may contribute to a Dependent
Care Flexible Spending Account each year. There is a maximum contribution
amount per year. It is important that you contribute only what you are certain to use. Money that you contribute to your Healthcare Flexible Spending Account must be used to pay out-of-pocket healthcare related expenses. What you contribute to your Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account must be used to pay for dependent care expenses. These expenses must be incurred during the current year. You have until the last day of January to submit claims for the prior year's expenses. Any money left in your account(s) after January is forfeited. Keep in mind that your contribution amount remains in effect for the entire year.
The University of Arkansas Retirement Plan (the "Plan") is a Defined Contribution Plan pursuant to section 403(b) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 ("Code"). It was originally established by the Board of Trustees effective July 1, 1923, and has been amended and restated effective January 1, 1994. Benefits are provided through: A. Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association (TIAA). TlAA provides fixed dollar annuities. B. College Retirement Equities Fund (CREF). CREF is TIAA's companion organization, providing variable annuities C. Fidelity Investments. Fidelity Investments provides mutual funds. D. Metropolitan Life. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company provides fixed dollar annuities through the MetLife Guaranteed Account. Fidelity services the MetLife Guaranteed Account during the accumulation phase and can provide information regarding MetLife retirement annuities. You must choose between TIAA-CREF and Fidelity as your Benefit Provider. You will begin participation in this Plan on the first day of the month coincident with or next following employment at the University. The appropriate enrollment forms must be completed and returned to the University. When contributions become vested, they cannot be forfeited for any reason. Contributions by the University for all non-classified employees (including faculty members) are immediately vested. For all other employees, all plan contributions made by the University are vested at the earliest of: 1. Completing of three years of services. 2. Attainment of age 65 3. The end of six consecutive months during which the participant contributed at least 5% of regular salary. For this purpose, a year of service is the 12-month period beginning on the first day of the month coincident with or following date or hire, or any anniversary of such date. If an employee terminates employment before completion of three years of service and later is reemployed, the employee must satisfy the three years requirement after reemployment. When you begin participation in the Plan, contributions will be made automatically to the funding vehicle that you have chosen. Contributions will be made by the University and may also be made by you. Plan Contributions by you are made on a before tax (salary reduction) or after-tax (salary deduction) basis. To contribute to the University of Arkansas Retirement Plan by salary reduction, you must enter into a salary reduction agreement with the University .Under a salary reduction agreement, you agree to a reduction in salary and the University of Arkansas agrees to make a contribution equal to the amount of the reduction to your Retirement Account(s). You may elect to have a portion of your salary deducted on either a "before tax" or "after tax" basis to be contributed toward TIAA/CREF and/or Fidelity. The University will contribute a sum equal to 5% of your salary into TIAA/CREF and/or Fidelity Investments for your retirement with no contribution required by you. If you do elect to contribute to the Plan, the University will match up to 10% of your annual base salary. You may also have an amount deducted greater than 10% through a supplemental retirement annuity. Contact the Personnel Office for additional information.
This plan allows you to tax shelter your medical, dental, insurance premiums from federal, state and social security taxes. Election required annually.
As an employee with the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, you are eligible for group discounts on automobile and home insurance. For more information, you may contact Liberty Mutual at 1- 800-524-9400 or to receive an instant quote on-line at www.libertymutual.com/lm/arkempl. Long-term care is available to you and your family. Long-term care insurance coverage encompasses a variety of services available to people for assistance with the ordinary activities of daily living. For more information, you may contact CNA Long Term Care at 1-877-777-9072 or www.ltcbenefits.com with the password UALTC. CNA have created an interactive web site designed specifically for the University of Arkansas. The site contains design, rates, exclusions, and enrollment criteria. Critical Illness policy is available to you through MetLife in addition to covering cancer, critical illness policy will cover cancer, heart attack, stroke, kidney failure, major organ transplant and coronary artery bypass graft. To enroll and receive additional information, call 1-800-438-6388 or www.metlife.com. Spectera have been selected to offer vision care benefits for the employees and eligible dependents of the University of Arkansas System. This benefit is offered once a year at the beginning of the year. For more information, you may contact Spectera at 1-800-638-3120 or www.sDectera.com.
ANNUAL LEAVE - Minimum of 12 days per year, earned monthly. Faculty (twelve-month), administration and non-classified staff earn 22.5 days per year. Classified staff earn at a rate based upon years of service. A maximum of 240 hours may transfer over to the following calendar year. Nine-month appointments are not eligible for annual/vacation leave. SICK LEAVE - Every one receives 8 hours per month to a maximum of 960 hours on January 1 of each year. Nine-month appointments are eligible for sick leave hours. A maximum of 960 hours may transfer over to the following calendar year. CATASTROPHIC SICK LEAVE - Employees with certain medical conditions may be eligible for the Catastrophic Sick Leave Program. Full-time classified and non-classified staff are eligible to participate in the University's Catastrophic Leave Plan. This is not available to 100% full-time faculty. Contact Personnel Office for more information. AND MEDICAL LEAVE - Qualified employees may apply for up to 12 weeks unpaid leave per year for the birth or adoption of a child, to care for a spouse or an immediate family member with a serious health condition, or when unable to work because of a serious health condition. The University will maintain any existing health coverage during the leave and reinstate the employee to the same or equivalent job when the leave is concluded. There are obligations on the employee behalf and the University behalf. Contact the Personnel Office for more information. HOLIDAY PAY - Eleven paid holidays according to the State of Arkansas and the Board of Trustees. The days on which some holidays are taken may be directed by the University. FUNERAL LEAVE - You are allowed days (to be charged against sick leave) for the death of an immediate member of your family. JURY LEAVE - An employee who is summoned to serve on jury duty shall not be subject to discharge from employment, loss of sick leave, vacation time, or any other form of penalty as a result of the absence from employment due to jury duty. Documentation of such duty is required by your supervisor. COURT LEAVE - Employees who are accepted by the Court as expert witnesses and paid a fee in excess of the normal witness fee shall not loss any sick leave, vacation time, or any other form of penalty as a result of the absence from employment due to court duty. Documentation of such duty will be required by your supervisor. MILITARY LEAVE - With military orders, you will be granted 15 days per calendar year for annual training requirement or other duties performed in an official duty status. Necessary travel time is also allowed. The maximum number of military leave days that can be accrued in anyone year is 30 days. WORKERS COMPENSATION - It provides compensation when you are injured on the job. Please inform your immediate supervisor and the Personnel Office as soon as possible when a job-related injury occurs. Contact Personnel Office for more information. UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION - It provides compensation when you lose your job through no fault of your own. Contact the State Employment Security Division for Information. CREDIT UNIONS - The UAPB/AM&N Credit Union is a full service financial institution fully secured by NCUA (in association with the federal government) Membership required. Contact the UAPB/AM&N Credit Union (870) 575-7015. The AR Federal Credit Union is a full service financial institution fully secured by the federal government. Membership required. Contact the AR Federal Credit Union (501-982-1000). LIBRARY PRIVILEGES - Use of the University Library (Watson Memorial Library is open to all Faculty/ Staff and to the public. ATHLETIC TICKETS - All sport's athletic tickets may be purchased at the cashier's window in the Administration Building. BOOKSTORE - A full service bookstore (Foletti) providing textbooks, school supplies, university apparel and etc. located on campus. There are discounts for employees on most items. Check with the bookstore staff. TUITION REMISSION - Full-time permanent employees may take undergraduate or graduate semester credit hours at a cost of 10% of tuition fee. Spouses and dependent children (certain specification is required) may take up to 132 undergraduate semester credit hours at 50% of tuition fee. HPER FACILITY MEMBERSHIP - Full-time permanent employees may utilize the Health, Physical Education, and Recreation facility on campus. Contact HPER facility for further information.
Information taken from: |
|||