Your Employee Benefits for employees hired after 1/1/2006 Revised 1/1/2015 Medical Insurance Dental Insurance Vision Insurance Life Insurance Accident Insurance Disability Insurance Flexible Spending Accounts Important Contacts
Teachers College provides a comprehensive benefits package designed to best meet the needs of you and your family. Your Teachers College Benefits Package The chart below illustrates benefits available to full-time employees (as defined by the College), and when those benefits begin and end. Changes to Your Benefit Elections Whenever you have a qualifying life event, you can add or remove yourself or your family members from your applicable College benefits plans. These changes are only valid for medical, vision, dental, optional life insurance, optional accidental death & dismemberment insurance and flexible spending accounts. Your Teachers College Benefits Change in your work status that affects your benefits-eligibility Change in dependent status (i.e., dependent child reaches age limit) Within 30 days of the qualifying life event you must notify Human Resources and submit the required benefit change forms. If you miss this deadline, you can change your benefit elections during the next benefits open enrollment period. Qualifying life event changes include: Marriage, divorce, legal separation or annulment Birth, adoption or placement for adoption of an eligible child Death of your spouse or covered child Change in your spouseõs work status that affects his or her benefits-eligibility Benefit Who Pays When Benefit Begins When Benefit Ends Medical Insurance You and The College First of the month following 30 days of employment Last day of the month in which you terminate employment or in which a family status change occurs Dental Insurance You and The College First of the month following 30 days of employment Last day of the month in which you terminate employment or in which a family status change occurs Vision Insurance You and The College First of the month following 30 days of employment Last day of the month in which you terminate employment or in which a family status change occurs Basic Term Life Insurance, The College First of the month following 30 days of employment Last day of employment Basic Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance Supplemental Life Insurance, You First of the month following 30 days of employment Last day of employment Supplemental Accidental Death & Dismemberment Insurance Short-Term Disability Insurance You and The College Immediately upon date of employment Four weeks after last day of employment Long-Term Disability Insurance You and The College After six months of Short-Term Disability Last day of employment Health & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts You First of the month following 30 days of employment Date you terminate employment or in which a family status change occurs 403(B) Retirement Plan You and The College Two years after hire, upon application. Waiver available for employees with 24 months of employment in a comparable institution directly prior to TC. If waiver approved, benefit begins first of the month following 30 days of employment. Contributions end with your last paycheck 2
Additional Benefits Provided for You Vacation Days Full-time professional staff receive 15 vacation days per year (20 days after 10 years of service), accrued at the rate of 4.375 hours per pay (semimonthly) or 4.038 hours per pay (biweekly). Vacation earned between September 1 and August 31 must be taken before August 31 of the following year. Vacation not used is usually forfeited. Should any vacation accruals remain at the time of employment termination, you will be provided a lumpsum payment for these days at your last salary rate. There are certain restrictions to employees paid on gifts and grants. Please refer to the policy for additional information. Personal Days Full-time professional staff receive one personal day per year (two days after 10 years of service). Personal days expire at the end of the academic year if unused. Sick Days Full-time professional staff receive 12 sick days per year, at the accrual rate of one day per month, up to a maximum of 24 days, for use when an employee misses work due to injury or illness not attributed to a work-related injury. Holidays In addition to vacation, personal and sick days, Teachers College observes the following paid holidays. New YearÕs Day Martin Luther King Jr. Day The Friday of the Academic Spring Holiday Memorial Day July 4 Labor Day Thanksgiving Friday after Thanksgiving Christmas Day Week between Christmas Day and New YearÕs Day Tuition Exemption Full-time appointed professional and instructional employees are eligible to receive tuition exemption, at the beginning of the term following the completion of a three-month waiting period, up to a maximum of 12 credits per fiscal year at Teachers College or nine credits per year if enrolled in a graduate level degree program at Columbia University. These credits may not be carried over into a new academic year. Employees are eligible to use tuition exemption at the beginning of the term following the completion of the required three-month waiting period. Spouses of full-time faculty receive 12 credits of tuition at Teachers College if enrolled in a degree program. Spouses of full-time instructional and professional employees may receive the unused portion of the employeesõ tuition at Teachers College if enrolled in a degree program. Spouses and eligible partners of employees have a six-month waiting period. A professional or instructional staff employee who becomes eligible for the tuition exemption benefit within the first month of the semester may receive tuition exemption for TC courses based on this policy. Employees who become eligible after the first month of the semester will receive a prorated benefit for tuition exemption for TC courses based on the time elapsed between the semester start date and the date that the employee is eligible to begin the benefit. Benefits eligibility is within first month of semester: 100% of benefit applied Benefits eligibility is after first full month but less than two months from the date the semester began: 2/3 benefit applied Benefits eligibility is after second full month but less than three (3) full months from the date the semester began: 1/3 benefit applied Annual Tuition Assistance for Dependent Children Teachers College: Full tuition in a degree program at TC. There is a three-year waiting period to be eligible for the benefit. Undergraduate School: Teachers College will pay up to a maximum of 35% of Columbia CollegeÕs tuition toward the annual tuition (exclusive of fees) for children enrolled in a degree granting program at undergraduate colleges and universities. This includes undergraduate schools of Columbia University/Barnard, and non-columbia undergraduate colleges and universities. The College will pay the equivalent of eight semesters of full-time study in an undergraduate degree program. Tuition assistance may also be available in situations when the specific undergraduate program requires additional coursework beyond the eight semesters of full-time study. There is a three-year waiting period to be eligible for the benefit. Complete information regarding the tuition policy is available in Human Resources. All benefits are subject to modification by trustee action and government regulations. 3
To help protect both your physical health and your financial health, Teachers College offers this package of employee benefits. Aetna Access Plan Benefits Comparison Chart: Applicable for full-time members of the faculty, instructional, and professional staff Aetna Direct Plan Aetna Exclusive Plan Aetna Value Plan Medical In-Network Out-of-Network 1 In-Network Out-of-Network 1 In-Network In-Network Out-of-Network 1 Annual Deductible Single None $500 $300 $750 N/A $1,300 $1,300 Family None $1,000 $600 $1,500 N/A $2,600 $2,600 Coinsurance None 20% 10% 30% N/A 20% 30% Annual Out-of-Pocket Maximum Single $2,500 $3,000 $1,300 $4,250 $2,500 $3,300 $5,800 Family $5,000 $6,000 $2,600 $8,500 $5,000 $6,600 $11,600 Outpatient Care PCP PCP Office Visits/Specialist $15/$20 copay $15/$30 copay $15/$25 copay Surgery Lab services 2 2 Radiology Preventive Care Adult Preventive Care Pediatric Preventive Care Mammography Emergency Care Hospital $150 copay** $150 copay** $150 copay** $150 copay** $150 copay** Ambulance Hospital Care Semi-Private room Physician & surgeon services Medication Mental Health Inpatient Outpatient $20 copay $30 copay $25 copay Home Health Care $20 copay 20% 30% ded. waived $25 copay 25%* 60 visits/year 60 visits/year 60 visits/year 60 visits/year 60 visits/year 40 visits/year 40 visits/year Skilled Nursing Facility 60 days/year 60 days/year 60 days/year 60 days/year 60 days/year 60 visits/year 60 visits/year Hearing Aids ($3,000 every 24 mo.) Durable Medical Equipment Retail Rx Copays Tier 1 (Generic) $10 copay $10 copay, $10 copay $10 copay, $10 copay $10 copays apply $10 copay, then then 20% then 30% after ded. 20% after ded. Tier 2 (Preferred Brand) $25 copay $25 copay, $25 copay $25 copay, $25 copay $25 copays apply $25 copay, then then 20% then 30% after ded. 20% after ded. Tier 3 (Brand Name) $40 copay $40 copay, $40 copay $40 copay, $40 copay $40 copays apply $40 copay, then then 20% then 30% after ded. 20% after ded. Mail Order Rx Copays Tier 1 (Generic) Tier 2 (Preferred Brand) Tier 3 (Brand Name) $10 copay $25 copay $40 copay $20 copay $50 copay $80 copay Your Medical Insurance $10 copay $25 copay $40 copay $20 copays apply after ded. $50 copays apply after ded. $80 copays apply after ded. Dependent Coverage To age 26 To age 26 To age 26 To age 26 To age 26 To age 26 To age 26 1 Out-of-Network coinsurance is charged as a percentage of Reasonable & Customary rates. Reasonable & Customary rates are based on the research of a provider s usual, actual, and community average rate as determined by Aetna. *After deductible. 2 At participating laboratories only. This chart summarizes only certain features of the above benefit plans and is not a contract. To be covered, services must be medically necessary and may require preauthorization or a written referral. For a complete description of benefits, including limitations and exclusions, consult the applicable plan documents. **Waived if admitted. 4
If you want to keep both eyes and teeth healthy, getting regular checkups is necessary. ThatÕs why Teachers College vision and dental plans include regular checkups Ñ and just about any other type of vision/dental care you might need. Vision Program The College maintains a reimbursement program through EyeMed. In this program, eye exams and lenses are available at no cost when purchased through an in-network provider. The plan will also reimburse for glasses and contact lenses purchased in-network. There are also out-of-network benefits available through the program. Please contact the Human Resources Office for complete details on your vision plan. Your Vision and Dental Insurance Dental Coverage Type: Type A - Preventive Type B - Basic Restorative Type C - Major Restorative Type D - Orthodontics Deductible:**** Individual Family Annual Max. Benefit: Per Person MetLife Preferred Dentist Program Benefit Summary Columbia Dental Plan Plus In-Network Out-of-Network In-Network Only 100%* 80%* 50%* 50%* $0 $0 100%** 60%** 40%** 50%** $75 $225 $2,000 (Combined maximum in- and out-of-network) 100% of scheduled fee*** According to schedule*** 50% of scheduled fee*** 50% of scheduled fee*** $0 $0 $2,000 Orthodontia Lifetime Max.: Per Person $1,500 (Combined maximum in- and out-of-network) $1,500 * Of PDP fee. PDP refers to the fees that participating Preferred Dentist Program dentists have agreed to accept as payment in full. ** Of R&C fee. Reasonable & Customary charges are based on the research of a dentist s usual, actual and community average charge as determined by MetLife. *** Maximum fee schedule, provided patients use Columbia Dental Plan dentists. **** Applies to Type A, B & C Services. Please refer to the applicable plan document for complete details on your Dental Insurance plan. Your Employee Assistance Program Employee Assistance Program (EAP) The EAP is administered by Bensinger, Dupont & Assoc. (BDA), a firm specializing in employee assistance programs. The EAP provides professional assistance to you, your spouse, children, immediate family or life partner to resolve personal and family problems on a confidential basis. Any help you receive from the EAP is completely confidential and is not shared with Teachers College. If you need assistance, you can call and speak to an EAP counselor. Counselors are available 24 hours a day, including holidays. The toll-free phone number to call is: 1-877-851-1631. To access the EAP online, follow these steps: 1. Enter this address in your Web browser: www.eapbda.com 2. When prompted enter standard6 as the login ID and eap4u6 as the password 5
Your Life and Accident Insurance Group Life Insurance for Employees The College offers Basic Group Term Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance of $30,000 for full-time faculty and professional staff. Basic Group Term Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance is offered at no cost to the employee. Full-time employees have the option of buying supplemental insurance in multiples of $10,000 from $10,000 to $500,000. The guarantee issue is $100,000. The amount of insurance will be reduced at age 70 and again at age 75. 6 Supplemental Short-Term Disability Short-Term Disability (STD) During absences due to a non-work-related illness or injury, the College will continue the salary of faculty and professional staff for a period of up to six months, if on an approved disability, as long as you have at least one year of service in an eligible position. Anyone with less than one year of service at the time of claim will be eligible for STD benefits, according to New York State law. In accordance with state law, disability begins after seven consecutive calendar days. If you are out for a period exceeding seven consecutive calendar days, please contact the Office of Human Resources so a claim form for temporary disability may be completed and filed. Long-Term Disability Full-time faculty and professional staff are offered long-term disability coverage, provided the employee contributes a portion of the premium and does not opt out of the program. Benefit payments begin after six months of total disability. The monthly income benefit is equal to 60% of covered monthly salary up to a maximum monthly benefit of $12,000. The definition of disability or disabled includes when you are unable as a result of physical disease, injury, pregnancy or mental disorder to perform with reasonable continuity the material duties of your own occupation AND are suffering a loss of at least 20% of your indexed predisability earnings when working in your own occupation for up to 60 months. Group Life Insurance for Dependents Employees purchasing supplemental insurance have the option of buying spouse life insurance in increments of $5,000 up to $50,000, not to exceed 100% of employeeõs combined basic and supplemental life insurance amount. Spouse life insurance must be purchased with employee supplemental life insurance. Spouse life insurance will be subject to age reductions. Employees purchasing supplemental insurance also have the option of buying child life insurance of either $4,000 per eligible child or $8,000 per eligible child.
Your Retirement Plan Defined Contribution Retirement Plan Full-time Faculty and Professional staff who retire after age 60 with at least five consecutive years of eligible service directly prior to retirement may elect to participate in the College's retiree medical insurance program with monthly retiree contributions. There is a normal waiting period of two years to participate in the program. However, employees who have completed at least 1,000 hours of service at a comparable institution in each 12-month period, over a full 24-month period immediately preceding employment with the College may apply to have the waiting period waived. Position(s) held at a comparable institution must be considered to be an eligible employment classification at Teachers College to be eligible. Tax-Deferred Annuity A Tax-Deferred Annuity (TDA) plan is also available on an optional basis with no waiting period and immediate vesting. Only employee contributions are made to this plan and are treated as salary reductions on a tax-deferred basis. Retiree Medical Benefits Full-time faculty and professional staff with 15 consecutive years of eligible service directly prior to retirement at age 55 or later participate in a retiree medical insurance program. Please refer to SPD for additional information. Nonmedical r etirement plans are administered by TIAA-CREF (Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association - College Retirement Equities Fund). Your Tax-Advantaged Spending Accounts Flexible Spending Accounts The College offers both Medical and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts. Contributions and reimbursements are not subject to federal, New York state or city income taxes. Thus, rather than paying for eligible expenses with after-tax dollars, participants can realize sizable tax savings by using pretax dollars. The minimum amount for participation in either plan is $200. You can use the debit card to withdraw money directly from your health care flex account. For this plan year, employees can incur expenses until March 15th of the following year. Any amounts remaining must be forfeited unless a request for reimbursement is submitted by April 30th of the following year for expenses incurred during the plan year. Flexible Spending - Health Care This account reimburses eligible out-of-pocket health care expenses not paid by health insurance. The maximum annual amount is $2,550. You can be reimbursed for certain health care expenses: Charges for medically necessary services not reimbursed by medical and dental plans, including but not limited to: Ñ deductibles Ñ out-of-pocket expenses Ñ copayments Ñ coinsurance Ñ charges exceeding Reasonable & Customary amounts Ñ charges exceeding plan limits Ñ prescription drug charges exceeding the networknegotiated price may be reimbursed All medically necessary prescription drugs and certain other prescription drugs permitted by the IRS (e.g., contraceptives and prenatal vitamins) Certain over-the-counter medicines with a physician s prescription starting in 2011, such as allergy and cold medications, aspirin and antacids, if they are intended to alleviate or treat personal injuries or sickness Eye exams, glasses (frames and lenses), contact lenses and solutions for contact lenses Hearing exams, hearing aids For special schools on the recommendation of a physician, including schools for the mentally impaired, physically disabled or individuals with severe learning disabilities For a complete list of IRS approved medical and dental expenses, please visit http://www.irs.gov/publications/p502/. For a complete list of IRS approved child and dependent care expenses, please visit http://www.irs.gov/publications/p503/. Flexible Spending - Dependent Care This account is for eligible expenses incurred in providing care for eligible dependents in order that the employee and their spouse may work. Pursuant to IRS regulations at the time of this publishing, the maximum amount, per family, is $5,000 under this program. Health Savings Account (Aetna Value Plan) A Health Savings Account, or HSA, is a personal savings account in which you can place tax-deferred money. All of the funds in your HSA are owned and controlled by you. You can use your tax-free HSA funds to help pay qualified medical expenses not covered by your medical insurance plan, including copays and deductibles. Withdrawals from your HSA for qualified medical expenses can be made at any time without penalties. And, whatever money you donõt use in your HSA rolls over from year to year. 7
Important Contacts Important Phone Numbers & Websites For any additional inquires, please contact the HR department at 1-212-678-3175. We will be happy to assist you with any questions you may have. You may also visit our web page at www.tc.edu/administration/hr. Plan Who to Call Phone Number Website Medical Insurance Aetna 1-800-872-3862 www.aetna.com Dental Insurance MetLife 1-800-942-0854 www.metlife.com Dental Insurance Columbia Dental Plan 1-212-305-0763 www.columbiadentalplan.com Vision Insurance EyeMed 1-866-723-0513 www.eyemedvisioncare.com Life & Disability Insurance About This Guide The Standard 1-800-628-8600 Life 1-800-426-4332 Disability www.standard.com Flexible Spending Accounts WageWorks 1-877-924-3967 www.wageworks.com Retirement TIAA-CREF 1-800-842-2733 www.tiaa-cref.org This guide describes the benefit plans and policies available to certain full-time employees of Teachers College. The details of these plans and policies are contained in the official plan and policy documents as required by ERISA, including some insurance contracts. This guide is meant only to cover the major points of each plan or policy. It does not contain all of the details that are included in your Summary Plan Description. If there is ever a question about one of these plans and policies, or if there is a conflict between the information in this guide and the formal language of the plan or policy documents, the plan or policy documents will govern. Please note that the benefits described in this guide may be changed from time to time and do not represent a contractual obligation on the part of Teachers College. 525 West 120th Street New York, NY 10027 Copyright 2015 Mercer LLC. All rights reserved. BP-14-303597 New Hire