| Benefits
Welcome to the Queens College Human Resources Benefits Site!
Human Resources is responsible for implementing a benefits program that is responsive to the needs of a diverse employee population. Our benefits programs include health insurance, pension benefits, flexible spending accounts, transit check, dental insurance, etc.
Benefits Officer
Ms. Tellah Taylor
(718) 997-4460 or 4461
Tellah.Taylor@qc.cuny.edu
SUMMARY OF BENEFITS MANUALS
Full Time Instructional Staff (Teaching and Non Teaching)
Executive Compensation Plan
Medical Plans
The following medical plans are available to all Instructional and Non-instructional Staff.
POS Definition (Point of Service)
A type of managed care plan that allows members to choose at the point where care begins to receive services from a participating or a non-participating provider. There is usually a financial disincentive for going out of the network.
GHI-CBP/Empire Blue Cross Hospital Plan
This plan gives you the freedom to choose any provider worldwide. You can select a GHI participating provider and not pay deductibles or coinsurance, or go out of network and still receive coverage, subject to deductibles and coinsurance.
Learn more at: www.ghi.com
(212) 501-4444
Aetna HMO, Aetna Quality Point of Service
This program is available to residents of the five boroughs, several nearby counties, and the states of New Jersey, Connecticut, and Delaware, in addition to several counties of outlying states.
Learn more at: www.aetna.com
1-800 445-8742
HIP Prime POS
This is a point of service plan offering both in and out of network coverage. Non referred and out of network services are subject to deductibles and coinsurance. HIP’s New York service area includes the five boroughs of New York City as well as Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland and Orange counties.
Learn more at: www.hipusa.com
(800) 447-6929
HMO Definition
A Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) is a system of health care that provides managed, pre-paid hospital and medical services to its members
GHI HMO
This program is open to employees and retirees in the counties of Albany, Bronx, Broome, Columbia, Delaware, Dutchess, Fulton, Greene, Kings, Montgomery, New York, Orange, Otsego, Putnam, Queens, Rensselaer, Richmond, Rockland, Saratoga, Schenectady, Scholarie, Sullivan, Ulster, Warren, Washington, and Westchester in New York..
Learn more at: www.ghi.com
(877) 244-4466
CIGNA HealthCare
This program is available to City employees and non-Medicare retirees living in New York, New Jersey, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. Cigna is an HMO.
Learn more at: www.cigna.com
(800) 832-3211
Empire HMO
This program is available to New York State residents in a 28 county service area. You can choose from over 51,000 local provider locations and over 140 participating hospitals.
Learn more at: www.empireblue.com
Call (800) 767-8672
Health Net
Health Net is available in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania.
Learn more at: www.healthnet.com
(800)441-5741
HIP Prime HMO
This plan is available to New York state residents in Brooklyn, the Bronx, Manhattan, Queens, Staten Island, Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, and Orange counties.
Learn more at: www.hipusa.com
(800) 447-6929
Vytra Health Plan
City employees and retirees in Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk counties can participate in Vytra Health Plan.
Learn more at: www.vytra.com
(800) 406-0806
Comparison of Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Benefits.
Comparison of Exclusive Provider Organization (EPO), Point-of-Service (POS) and Preferred Provider Organization (PPO)/Indemnity Plan Benefits
Things to consider before choosing a health care plan.
Check with your physician
Family Needs
Choice of Doctors
Convenience of Access
Employee costs
Employees can also access additional information, by going to www.nyc.gov/html Click on the Office of Labor Relations and click on Health Plans. There you will find a description of all the health insurance programs offered by the City University of New York and the rates for each plan. You have 30 days from the time of hire to enroll in a benefit plan.
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PSC- CUNY Welfare Fund Benefits
You are eligible for benefits provided by the PSC-CUNY Welfare Fund if you are a member of the City University of New York Instructional Staff, with an appointment expected to last for more than six months. The web site for the PSC-CUNY is www.psc-cuny.org. They can be reached at (212) 354-5230.
SUMMARY PLAN DESCRIPTION FOR FULL TIME ACTIVE EMPLOYEES
Eligibility
Covered Titles
Benefits
Dental
Drug
Optical
Disability
Major Medical
Death
Hearing Aid
Wellness
Survivor Benefits
Participant Rights
COBRA
HIPAA
Review and Appeals
Voluntary Coverage
Life Insurance
Long Term Care
Catastrophic Medical
Legal Note
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Termination of Coverage
Coverage terminates:
For you and your covered dependents when you stop receiving a paycheck except when you are eligible for:
a) Special Leave of Absence Coverage (SLOAC) as a result of your temporary disabilities or illness.
b) Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) which entitles you to an (12) weeks of leave in a 12 month period to care for a dependent child, a covered family member, a domestic partner and /or for your own serious illness.
c) For a spouse, when divorced from your retiree.
d) For a child, upon marriage or reaching an ineligible age, except unmarried dependent full time students who are covered on most plans up to age 23 or 25.
e) For all dependents, unless otherwise eligible when you die.
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Adjunct Health Coverage
SUMMARY PLAN DESCRIPTION FOR ADJUNCT EMPLOYEES
Eligibility
Basic Health Insurance Options
Coverage
Blue Cross HMO
Blue Cross PPO
Blue Cross EPO
HIP Prime HMO
Voluntary Coverage
Participant Rights
Review and Appeals
HIPAA
Legal Note
ADJUNCTS – YOUR RIGHTS, YOUR BENEFITS
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Flexible Spending Accounts
There are four types of spending accounts that employees can participate in:
- Health Care Spending Accounts. (HCFSA) In order to participate, employees must put in a minimum of $260 up to a maximum of $5000 in their accounts. IRS regulations state Use it or Lose it. We suggest that employees estimate conservatively, calculate out of pocket expenses not covered by health insurance.
- Dependent Care Assistance (DeCAP)
In order to participate in the “DeCAP” program employees must put in a minimum of $260 and a maximum of $5,000 per year. If you are using the Dependent Care account make sure the facility is an authorized center.
- Medical Spending Premium Conversion
The Medical Spending Premium Conversion Program enables eligible employees to pay for their health plan premium deductions on a pre-tax basis, thereby reducing their gross income for tax purposes. Currently, health plan deductions for basic and/or optional benefits are deducted from your salary. For tax purposes, payments made on a before-tax basis effectively reduce the salary on which your taxes are computed by the amount of the health plan deduction. Therefore, federal and Social Security taxes that must be withheld are reduced. The net effect will be that you receive more money in your paycheck. The booklet and application can be found on www.nyc.gov/html/olr or telephone (212) 306-7760. Please be sure to read the booklet carefully before signing up for either account.
- Transit Check Benefit
Offers employees the opportunity to save on transportation costs on a pre-tax basis.
Transit checks can only be used where you purchase your metro card. Transit checks can not be used on Metro North, LIRR, or New Jersey transit. Please click on Transit Benefit for complete details and application.
Learn more at: www.cuny.edu/transitbenefit
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Pension Plans
Within 30 days of your appointment date you must elect to join either the New York City Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) or the Optional Retirement Program (ORP), TIAA-CREF. Substitute appointees may elect to join if they choose to do so.
If you are already a member of the New York City Teachers' Retirement System (TRS) or the New York City Employee's Retirement System (ERS), www.nycers.org , you may continue your membership, by notifying your Benefits Coordinator. If you are retired and receive a pension from New York State or any of its political subdivisions, you must obtain approval, prior to appointment, to make sure you do not affect your pension; you are not eligible to participate in our pension program.
Teachers' Retirement System
TRS is a defined benefit plan which means that benefits are based on age, average salary and years of employment. The vesting period is 5 years and 3% of salary must be contributed. The City contributes a lump sum annually to its pension funds not to individual accounts. For additional information on TRS go to www.trs.nyc.ny.us
Teachers' Insurance and Annuity Association - College Retirement Equities Fund
TIAA-CREF is a defined contribution plan in that benefits are based on the amount contributed by the employee and employer and the success of the employee's choice of investments. Vesting is approximately 13 months (30 payroll periods). The employee contributes 3% and the City contributes 8% for the first seven years of employment and10% thereafter. For additional information you can go online www.tiaa-cref.org
Tax Deferred Annuities (TDA)
Members of the Full Time Instructional and Non-Teaching Instructional Staff may participate in a tax deferred annuity program known as a 403(b) plan. This plan allows participants to defer a percentage of salary before taxes through a salary reduction agreement.
The following Tax Deferred Annuities are available to Full-Time Instructional and Non- Teaching Instructional Staff:
- Supplemental Retirement Annuity - TIAA -CREF
- HRC Investment Services - Halliday Financial Group
Packages are available in the Office of Human Resources; Kiely Hall, Room 163. Employees may enroll in one tax deferred annuity program only, and may not exceed federal maximum limitations.
Alternate Funding Vehicles
Are available to supplement and diversify your optional retirement program investments. At the present, the AFV’s are with The Guardian and Met-life. For additional information contact Human Resources.
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Leaves
Temporary Disability Leave (Sick Leave)
(PSC/CUNY Agreement, Article 16)
Temporary disability shall be defined as "any temporary physical or mental incapacity, including pregnancy, complications of pregnancy and childbirth."
"Employees covered by this Agreement shall be granted temporary disability leave of twenty (20) calendar days, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays and authorized holidays and recesses during each year of service. The unused portions of such temporary disability leave shall be cumulative to a maximum of one hundred and sixty (160) calendar days during which the college is in regular session."
Special Leaves for Child Care
(PSC/CUNY Agreement, Article 16.8)
A member of the instructional staff may be granted a special leave to care for a newborn infant provided he/she has legal responsibility for the care and/or support of the child. Such leaves shall be granted without pay upon notification to the President and application for such leaves. Contact the Office of Human Resources for use of available leave time, if applicable.
Retirement Leaves ("TRAVIA")
(Bylaws. Section13.3 and Section 3107 of the State Education Law)
"Members of the New York City Teachers' Retirement System and members of the permanent instructional staff and lecturers (full-time) with administrative certificates of continuous employment, who announce their bona fide intention to retire shall be granted a retirement leave of absence with full pay consisting of oneself of their accumulated unused temporary disability leave up to a maximum of one semester, or the equivalent number of school days." Retirement leaves can be granted only to individuals who meet the retirements.
Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) of 1993
Covered employees are eligible for Family Medical Leave if they worked for the college for a total of 12 months AND for at least 1,250 hours during the year preceding the effective date of the leave. The leave year for determining usage of the 12 week entitlement shall be the Academic Year: September 1 through August 31.
Permissible Reasons for Taking FMLA Leave:
1. Birth of a son or daughter, and to care for the newborn child.
2. Placement with the employee of a son or daughter for adoption or foster care.
3. To care for the employee's spouse, domestic partner, son, or daughter (under the age of 18, unless the person is incapable of self care because of a mental or physical disability) or parent with a serious health condition, and
4. Because of a serious health condition that makes the
employee unable to perform the essential functions of his/her job.
Any approved leave for illness granted under the University's temporary disability leave provisions which extends beyond five days will be counted as part of the employee's FMLA entitlement, if it qualifies. Authorized absences for medical reasons, paid or unpaid, anticipated and unanticipated, which extend for more than FIVE (5) days will be counted as FMLA leave from the beginning of the absence. A notification of such absences must be made to the Office of Human Resources. However, such notification whether written or oral does not amend or change the continuance of any and all internal college, Board of Trustees, CUNY Rules and Regulations, or other contractual notification requirements currently in effect.
FMLA forms for both the employee and physician are available in the Office of Human Resources or online on the Forms page.
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Additional Benefits
Direct Deposit
Employees are eligible for direct deposit of their paycheck. Applications are available in the Payroll Department and Human Resources Kiely Hall room 163 or online under forms.
Tuition Waivers
As a full time instructional staff member you are eligible for tuition waivers for undergraduate and graduate courses at any College of the City University of New York. There is a one year eligibility period for undergraduate courses and there is no limit on the number of credits.
For graduate courses, there is no wait and there is a limit of 6 credits per semester. Summer session is not included. Graduate courses require management certification forms with the course description and bursar's receipt attached. Tuition waiver forms are available in the Office of Human Resources.
New York State College Choice Tuition Savings Program
The New York State College Tuition Choice Program provides individuals with the opportunity to save for a child's college expenses while gaining tax advantages. Participants may deduct up to $5000 of their contributions from their New York State taxable income. Contributions to the program may be made through payroll deductions or direct payment to the plan. Minimum paycheck deductions must be at least $25.00 per paycheck.
If you want more information about the program, call the College Savings Program at 1-800-NYSAVES. The Office of Human Resources also has informational brochures, enrollment materials and payroll deduction forms for the program.
US Savings Bonds
Bonds are available for purchase through payroll deductions. The phone number is 1-800-4US BOND. Please refer to your paycheck stub for the department code which is needed for this process.
Jury Duty
"Employees who are required to serve on jury, or are required to report to Court in person in response to a jury duty summons, or they are required to report for jury examinations or to qualify for jury duty, shall receive their regular salary during such absences provided that they remit to the University an amount equal to the compensation received by them, if any, for jury duty."
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