The University of Memphis

Eligibility and Enrollment in Health, Life, Dental, Disability, Retirement, and other Employee Benefit Plans

POLICIES

• A non-instructional employee who works 37.5 hours per week; or
• A modified fiscal year appointment employee who works 37.5 hour per week; or
• An instructional employee hired for a full academic year and who teaches the equivalent of 15 undergraduate hours or the equivalent of 12 graduate hours each semester

• A non-instructional employee who works less than 37.5 hours per week; or
• An instructional staff member who teaches less than the equivalent of 15 undergraduate hours or 12 graduate hours each semester

Group Health, Life, and Dental:  Regular non-instructional employees who work a minimum of 30 hours per week are eligible for enrollment in these insurance plans; instructional staff members hired to teach the equivalent of 12 undergraduate hours or 9 graduate hours a semester for the full academic year are also eligible for insurance enrollment.  Employees must work one full month and insurance will become effective the first of the next month.  There is no open enrollment for health and life insurance.  If an employee does not enroll upon employment, he/she must experience and document a qualifying event such as death of a spouse, divorce, or termination of spouse’s employment to enroll at a later date.

Disability Insurance Plans:  Regular full-time hourly paid employees are eligible for enrollment in the Hartford Long-term disability plan.  Full-time faculty and administrative staff are eligible for enrollment in the TIAA Long-term disability program.  Employees must work one full month and insurance will become effective the first of the next month.

Retirement: Regular full-time employees will participate in a retirement plan.   Regular part-time employees have the option of participating in a retirement plan.  Employees on an F-1 or J-1 visa are not eligible for enrollment.   Eligible hourly paid employees will be enrolled in the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System (TCRS).  Faculty and administrative staff may enroll in either the Tennessee Consolidated Retirement System, a defined benefit plan; or the Tennessee Optional Retirement Plan (ORP), a defined contribution plan, which includes Aetna, TIAA-CREF, and VALIC.  Contributions to the ORP and TCRS, which are 100% paid by the University, will be made beginning with the first payroll check.   Should an employee on an F-1 or J-1 visa later change to an eligible status, Human Resources Benefits should be contacted immediately for enrollment information.

Flexible Benefits Plans: All regular employees may participate in the medical spending and the dependent care account.  Health insurance premiums are deducted automatically on a pre-tax basis; a waiver is required if an employee does not want to pay on a before tax basis.  Dental premiums may also be paid on a pre-tax basis; an election form must be completed.

Retirement Savings Plans:  All employees of the University may participate in the 401(k) or 457 deferred compensation plans, and the 403(b) tax deferred annuity plan.   Contingent upon appropriate funding each fiscal year, the University matches $20 per month in this plan.  Temporary employees may participate; however, they are not eligible for the University match.

Social Security: Regular full-time and part-time employees make contributions to Social Security.  Exceptions include certain TCRS ‘prior class’ members and faculty members who joined TIAA-CREF Retirement Program in 1977, who had an option at those particular times and rejected Social Security coverage.

Educational Assistance Plans:  Three educational programs are offered to regular University employees.  Included are the Staff Scholarship Program available to regular full- and part-time staff members with six months of service; the PC191 Fee Waiver Program, available to full-time faculty and staff; and the Spouse / Dependent fee discount program available for eligible dependents of regular full and part-time employees for undergraduate coursework at Tennessee Board of Regents or University of Tennessee institutions.  Reference the University Human Resources policy on Educational Assistance for details.

Employee Assistance Program:  This program, available to employees and dependents eligible for the group health and life insurance program, is provided through the State of Tennessee and coordinated by United Behavioral Health.

Upon employment, regular, full-time and part-time employees attend an orientation session in the Department of Human Resources.  Materials describing details of the various programs will be provided prior to regularly scheduled orientation sessions.  Enrollment forms will be completed during orientation.

Insurance:  The State of Tennessee Group Insurance Program which includes health, life, and accidental death insurance, becomes effective the first day of the month following completion of one full month of employment.  Deductions for insurance will be made the month before insurance becomes effective.  For hourly paid employees, deductions will be made from the second paycheck of each month.  For monthly paid employees (faculty and administrative/ professional), deductions will be made from the monthly paycheck received the last banking day of each month.  There is no open enrollment for health and life insurance.  If an employee does not enroll upon employment, he/she must experience and document a qualifying event such as death of a spouse, divorce, or termination of spouse’s employment to enroll at a later date.

Retirement:  Enrollment in a retirement plan, coordinated through Human Resources, will take place during the first month of employment. 

Social Security:  Deductions for Social Security will be made beginning with the first payroll check.

Flexible Benefits:  Enrollment for medical/dental spending accounts, dependent care accounts, paying dental premiums on a pre-tax basis, or waiving the pre-tax of health insurance, is processed during the new employee orientation.  Re-enrollment or waivers are required on an annual basis during the enrollment/transfer period held October 15-November 15 each year to become effective January 1.

Educational Assistance Program:  Applications for enrollment and payment of fees under the PC191 Fee Waiver Program, Staff Scholarship, or the Spouse/Dependent Fee Discount program, should be submitted to Human Resources at least two (2) weeks prior to fee payment deadlines.

Deferred Compensation:  Enrollment in a deferred compensation plan, 401(k), 457, or 403(b), may be done at any time during the year.   Applications must be submitted in advance of the deferral.  The effective date will be determined by the day the form is submitted to the Department of Human Resources.

Leave Accrual:  Leave accrual begins with the first full month of employment.  Details of the employee leave program are contained in University procedures related to annual leave and sick leave.

Please visit the Benefits website at http://bf.memphis.edu/hr/benefits or email us at benefits@memphis.edu.