Employee Benefits
The Commonwealth of Virginia provides comprehensive employee benefits to all full-time faculty, administrators, and classified employees. Benefits are an integral part of an employee’s total compensation package. The state benefits package includes:
Description of Benefits
HEALTH CARE PLAN: Group health insurance is available through the Commonwealth of Virginia. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield provide medical benefits for the self-insured plan. Other benefits - prescriptions drugs are provided through Medco/dental benefits through Delta Dental/ mental health through Value Options. The selected plan is effective the first day of the month following enrollment. Enrollment is accomplished through a web-based enrollment process (Edirect) or by submitting a paper enrollment form to Human Resources within 31 days of hire.
RETIREMENT PLANS: Administrative and Professional Faculty members may choose the Virginia Retirement System or an Optional Retirement Plan.
Virginia Retirement System (VRS) Full contribution paid by the Commonwealth of Virginia:
- Five years service to be vested
- Benefits determined by formula based on years of service and highest salary average
- Benefit options available
- Cost of living Increase for Retirees
- No portability between VRS and other state retirement plans
- Members are elibible to enroll in short/long-term care benefit (VSDP)
- Members may purchase prior service (See enclosed Purchasing Prior Service brochure or VRS website at www.varetire.org)
Optional Retirement Plans
Companies: Fidelity Investments or TIAA-CREF
- Full contribution paid by the Commonwealth of Virginia
- Vested immediately
- Benefits determined by invested amount, growth and loss factors, and life expectancy
- Benefits options available (Distribution of Funds upon leaving employment)
- No cost of living increase for Retirees
- Portable: May transfer among companies on annual bases and possible roll into plans available at other institutions
- Members may start annuity payment when disabled
SUPPLEMENTAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS AND CASH MATCH PLAN: Employees who make a contribution to a 403(b) tax deferred annuity or 457 deferred compensation plan, are eligible to participate in the Commonwealth of Virginia's Cash Match Plan. Employees must have an account with a company 1) participating with the College and participating in the cash match program. Employees will receive each pay period, the lesser amount of $20 or 50% of the employee’s contribution amount.
GROUP LIFE INSURANCE: The College provides group term life insurance coverage at no cost for full-time employees. The amount of coverage is twice the employee's annual salary rounded to the nearest $1,000 for natural death and four times the rounded annual salary for accidental death. This insurance is provided without a medical examination. Employees may purchase additional life insurance for themselves, spouses and children at group rates.
VOLUNTARY LIFE AND ACCIDENTAL DEATH AND DISMEMBERMENT INSURANCE: Active employees eligible for group life insurance may participate in the Optional Life and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Plan. Insurance may be purchased for employee, spouse and children. Premiums are based on low group rates and are paid through payroll deduction. Enrollment forms must be completed within 31 days of hire date to ensure coverage without evidence of good health for most options.
PAYROLL DEDUCTION FOR TAX DEFERRED ANNUITIES (403b): The College will make payroll deductions for tax-deferred annuities of participating companies. (Liberty, Great West, AIG-VALIC, TIAA-CREF.) The employee or the participating company pays an administrative fee.
PAYROLL DEDUCTION FOR DEFERRED COMPENSATION PLAN (457): The College will make payroll deductions for the Commonwealth of Virginia Deferred Compensation Plan. This plan is a defined contribution plan where the participant assumes the investment risk. The minimum an employee may contribute is $10 per pay period. There is also no loan provision in this plan and hardship withdrawals are more restrictive than 403(b) plans.
FLEXIBLE REIMBURSEMENT ACCOUNTS: Employees are eligible to establish a Dependent Care and/or a Medical Account. Contributions are made with pre-tax dollars, offering additional tax savings for participants.
HEALTH AND WELLNESS PROGRAMS: The Commonwealth of Virginia offers several avenues for employees to utilize their health and wellness benefits. CommonHealth is a wellness program offering informational sessions, programs and activities free of charge. State employees can also benefit through a new online wellness resource, Revolution Health, and by utilizing all their health and wellness benefits annualy.
12 PAID HOLIDAYS ANNUALLY:
- New Year's Day
- Lee-Jackson Day
- Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- George Washington Day
- Memorial Day
- Independence Day
- Labor Day
- Columbus Day
- Veteran's Day
- Thanksgiving (2 days)
- Christmas Day
LEAVES OF ABSENCE:
ANNUAL LEAVE: A/P faculty accrue leave based on a state service months. If at the time of hire there is state service on record, the employee will be credited with that time in determining the leave accrual rate. At the time of leaving employment, employees may be paid the balance of leave not to exceed the service accrual fixed amount for the years of service. This is true regardless of whether the A/P faculty is covered by VRS or ORP pension plan.
SICK LEAVE: Traditional VCCS leave for A/P faculty is an accrual leave based on a fixed 5 hours per pay period with carry over, thus cumulative. There are provisions to cover absences due to illness of a family member as defined. Payment for 25% of sick leave balance is permitted at the time of departure if service has been continuous for 5 years within VCCS.
AP Faculty with ORP: A/P Faculty on twelve month appointments earn 5 hours of sick leave per pay period based on the amount of State Service (for a total of 120 hours per year). The amount can be accumulated, with no caps.
AP Faculty with VRS: A/P Faculty selecting VRS have two options for sick leave; (1) participation in the same sick leave program described above for faculty in an ORP or (2) participation in the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP). Leave under the VSDP consists of two components, sick leave and family & personal leave.
VSDP Sick Leave: New employees are allotted eight days (64 hours) of sick leave each year if hired between January 10 and July 9. New employees hired between July 10 and January 9 are allotted five days (40 hours) of sick leave for the remainder of the year. Sick leave is credited each January 10 thereafter. You may use credited sick leave for absences due to personal illness or injury or for appointments with a physician. This leave does not carry forward into the next calendar year nor is a payoff made for unused sick leave upon separation.
VSDP Family & Personal Leave: New employees are allotted four days (32 hours) of family & personal leave if hired between January 10 and July 9. New employees hired between July 10 and January 9 are allotted two days (16 hours) of family & personal leave for the remainder of the year. Family & personal leave is credited each January 10th thereafter. Family & personal leave must be pre-approved by your supervisor and may be used for personal illness, family illness, bereavement or personal business. This leave does not carry forward into the next year nor is a payoff made for any unused leave upon termination.
SHORT-TERM AND LONG TERM DISABILITY: The Virginia Sickness and Disabiilty Plan (VSDP) provides participating state employees with income security when they cannot work because of a partial or total disability. The program includes sick, family and personal leave; short-term disability benefits; long-term disability benefits and a long-term care program. VSDP benefits cover non-work-related and work-related conditions.
LONG TERM CARE INSURANCE: The Commonwealth of Virginia offers long-term care insurance to eligible state employees with coverage available for their spouses, parents, parents-in-law, and state retirees and their spouses (if purchased before retirement date). Aetna U.S. Healthcare administers the long-term care coverage. Long-term care refers to a wide range of personal care, health care and social services for people of all ages who can no longer care for themselves. Employees enrolled in the Virginia Sickness and Disability Program (VSDP) receives a $75 daily benefit at no cost. Additional coverage for employees or eligible dependents may be purchased. These benefit options range from a $50 to $200 daily benefit. For more information, contact Aetna at 877-894-2470 or visit their web site.
TUITION ASSISTANCE: The College provides tuition assistance to qualified employees who apply for it. Tuition assistance is available for both credit and non-credit (CEU) SVCC courses. Tuition assistance is neither a guaranteed benefit nor an entitlement of employment at SVCC and is limited by the availability of funds. Priority will be given to education or training directly related to job performance.
EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (EAP): Counseling and referral for problems such as alcohol or substance abuse, marital or family difficulties, financial problems, and mental and medical disorders are available. These services are provided by ValueOptions, Inc. Additional information is available by phoning 1-866-725-0602 or visiting the web site at http://www.achievesolutions.net/covacare.
WORKERS COMPENSATION: Under the Workers Compensation Act, medical bills and compensation for loss of pay are paid if injuries were received on the job or while on official College business. Accidents must be reported immediately to your supervisor to ensure coverage.
Worker’s Compensation is an important benefit that provides medical coverage and compensation to employees, should employees become injured during the performance of their job duties. Full and part-time classified employees in either probationary or non-probationary status have benefits as guaranteed under both the Worker’s Compensation Act and the Rules for the Administration of the Personnel Act. Wage employees have benefits under the Worker’s Compensation Act.
The Commonwealth of Virginia’s Worker’s compensation claims are administered by the Department of Human Resource Management, Division of Risk Management. The Division of Risk Management “pays” a Third Party Administrator to manage our Worker’s Compensation claims.
Until deemed compensatory by the Worker’s Compensation Third Party Administrator (WC TPA), sick, compensatory or annual leave must be used by employees to cover absences. Leave (with or without pay) may only be converted to Worker’s Compensation Leave (WT) after the agency is advised that the claim is approved. If the claim is approved, the employee may receive full pay for the first 92 calendar days missed and no personal leave is charged against him.
Employees who become injured on the job are responsible for reporting the injury to their immediate supervisor as soon as possible (at least before leaving the workplace the day of the injury).
The employee will complete an Incident Report and provide information relative to the incident which caused the injury. The supervisor will notify the Vice President of Finance of the accident immediately and complete the Employer’s First Report of Accident and forward to the Human Resources office.
The employee will be given a copy of the Approved Panel of Physician List and will complete the Selection of Panel Physician form. If an employee seeks treatment from a physician who is not on the approved list, the employee will be responsible for all expenses incurred. The employee is responsible for following all physician’s orders. The employee is responsible for securing a clear, specific account of work restrictions, if any, the approved physician places on him/her upon his/her return to work. If the employee fails to follow all physician’s orders, compensation may be denied.
Medically approved (as determined by WC TPA) time away from work may be charged to Worker’s Compensation (WT) leave. The employee will notify his/her supervisor and the Human Resources Department immediately of lost time from work and will bring in a doctor’s excuse for any such lost time on the day he/she reports back to work. The employee’s Sick Leave (SP) and/or STD if a VSDP participant will be used to cover absences until the Worker’s Compensation claim is approved or in cases where Worker’s Compensation is determined to be non-compensable.
Supervisors will refer employees to an approved physician or local emergency care facility (whichever is appropriate) immediately upon learning of an injury. The supervisor will immediately begin investigating the cause of the incident and gather witness statements. The supervisor will report findings to the Vice President of Finance. The supervisor and the Human Resources Department will review all physician notes and restrictions so that an appropriate work assignment may be chosen.
For more information, contact Human Resources at 434.949.1007 or 1091.
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