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AFSCME Benefits Summary

This brochure highlights the State Employee Health Program, Retired Employee Health Program, Supplemental Benefits Program, and leave entitlements for Pennsylvania State System employees covered by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME) 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*
    • -Access Care II – Employee must reside within an eligible county
    • - Capital Blue Cross PPO – Employee must reside within an eligible county
    • -Highmark PPOBlue – Employee must reside within an eligible county
    • -Personal Choice PPO - Employee must reside within an eligible county
  • Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) Option * – Employee must reside within an eligible county
  • 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

  *Check availability of coverage by county
  

Supplemental Benefits Program

• 6 month waiting period
• Prescription Drug Plan
• Vision Plan
• Dental Plan
  • Delta Dental (fee for service)
  • Concordia Plus (dental HMO)

• 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
  

Retired Employee Health Program

• Various benefit plans available to annuitants under age 65
• Special coverage to supplement Medicare or Medicare HMOs available to annuitants age 65 and over
• Plans to be determined by PEBTF Board of Trustees
  

Eligibility/Contribution

State Employee Health Program

• 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 bi-weekly gross salary

• For permanent full-time employees hired on or after August 1, 2003 who elect coverage:
  • First 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 employee contribution
    • -May purchase health benefits for eligible dependents -in same health plan as employee enrolled
  • Beginning with 7^th 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

Retired Employee Health Program

• If employee retires July 1, 2004 through June 30, 2005:
  • at age 60 with at least 15 years of credited service
  • at any age with at least 25 years of credited service
  • on approved disability with at least 5 years of credited service
    • 100% paid for annuitant and dependents
    • Will receive the medical and prescription plan of benefits in effect for active employees
• If employee retires on or after July 1, 2005:
  • at age 60 with at least 15 years of credited service
• at any age with at least 25 years of credited service
• on approved disability with at least 5 years of credited service
  - Will contribute 1% of employee’s final annual base salary at the time of retirement
  • - Will receive the medical and prescription plan of benefits in effect for active employees

• If employee retires on or after July 1, 2008:
  • at age 60 with at least 20 years of Commonwealth/State System service
  • at any age with at least 25 years of credited service
  • on approved disability with at least 5 years of credited service
    • -Will contribute 1% of employee’s final annual base salary at the time of retirement
    • - Will receive the medical and prescription plan of benefits in effect for active employees
• State System pays $5 toward cost of coverage for annuitants not qualifying under above criteria

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 $3,000
• Eligible expenses for reimbursement include co-insurances, 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, 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 $40,000
• Coverage reduced at age 70 to 65%; coverage reduced at age 75 to 50%
• $10,000 additional work-related accidental death
• Three-month waiting period
• Right to convert upon termination/retirement

Eligibility/Contribution

• 100% paid for permanent employees
• Other employees 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
• 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 three years of service	7 days/yr. (2.70% of hrs. paid)
Over 3 years to 15 years of service	15 days/yr. (5.77% of hrs. paid)
Over 15 years to 25 years of service	20 days/yr. (7.70% 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 days maximum accumulation
• Leave in excess of 45 days not used within the first seven pay periods of the new leave calendar year will be converted to sick leave up to the maximum accumulation
• Payment for unused leave at termination/retirement

Sick Leave (Includes Bereavement and Sick Family Leave)

• Paid leave earned at 5% of regular hours paid biweekly which equates to 13 days per year
• Unused leave may be carried from one year to the next
• 300 days accumulation
• 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; additional leave for sickness in immediate family may be used for a serious health condition after meeting certain criteria; additional leave is earned as follows:

Leave Service Credit	Sick Family Allowance
Over 1 year to 3 years	Up to 52.5/56 additional hours (7 days)
Over 3 years to 15 years	Up to 112.5/120 additional hours (15 days)
Over 15 years to 25 years	Up to 150/160 additional hours (20 days)
Over 25 years	Up to 195/208 additional hours (26 days)

• Payment in accordance with the following schedule for accumulated leave at retirement or death while in active service if certain eligibility is met:

Days Accumulated	% Payout	Maximum Days Paid
1 - 100	30%	30
101 - 200	40%	80
201 - 300	50%	150
Over 300	50% up to 300 days 100% thereafter	163

• 100% of unused leave paid to survivor for work-related death

Personal Leave

• Paid leave earned as follows:
  • 1 day in first calendar year of employment
  • 1 day per half calendar year in second year of employment
  • 1 day per calendar quarter in third and subsequent years of employment
• No carry-over from previous year
• Payment for unused accrued leave at termination/retirement
  

Leave Donation Program

• Permanent employees may donate maximum of 5 days annual and/or personal leave to management employees or union employees whose union has agreed to participate in the plan to be used for catastrophic illness/injury of employee or family member
• Can donate within university or Office of the Chancellor
• Donations may not result in annual leave balances of less than 5 days
• Employees receiving donated leave must use 20 days for the catastrophic illness/injury each year before utilizing donated leave and must use all accrued leave
• Employees may use up to 12 weeks donated leave per year, but not more than 2 consecutive calendar years
  

Holidays

• 11 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
      • -AIG-VALIC
      • -ING
      • -Met-Life
      • -TIAA-CREF
    • -Employee may participate in one or more of the ARP companies at one time

• Civil Leave With Pay
• Educational Leave With or Without Pay
• Family Care Leave Without Pay
• Injury Leave With or Without Pay
• Military Leave With or Without Pay
• Parental Leave Without Pay
• Deferred Compensation/Tax Deferral of Leave Payouts
• Direct Deposit of Pay
• Leave Donation Program (effective January 2004)
• 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 11/04