Benefit Summary Plan for Full Time Staff

An employee scheduled to work at least 1,450 hours per fiscal year is eligible for the following benefits.

Health and Welfare Plans

Health/Dental Insurance

New employees are eligible for coverage effective the first day of employment and have 30 days to elect benefits.  Rates listed below are effective July 1, 2012.  (Rates change annually on July 1.)  Biweekly costs to employee:

Plan NameBiweekly Family RateBiweekly Individual Rate
HPHC $1000 Deductible

$106.07

$40.02
HPHC HMO 20B

$194.18

$73.28
HPHC HMO 20A

$214.94

$81.11
HPHC PPO

$338.65

$127.78

Altus Dental - High

$56.08

$15.26
Altus Dental - Low

$41.27

$11.70

Flexible Benefit Plan 

Eligible on the first of the month following date of hire.  This benefit allows you to reduce your compensation by elected amounts in return for certain non‑taxable benefits (e.g., health/dental insurance premiums, uncovered medical, dental or optical expenses, and dependent care expenses).

Group Life Insurance/AD&D

Eligible for coverage on the first day of the month following date of hire.  Value is two (2) times your annual salary up to a maximum of $300,000.  WPI pays the entire premium.  Group term life insurance in excess of $50,000 must be included in gross income and must be reported on the W-2. 

Group Short Term Disability

Eligible on the first of the month following date of hire. Weekly income benefit is 100% of base weekly earnings not to exceed $750/week, beginning with the 13th workday of absence for a maximum of 26 weeks per disability.  WPI pays the entire premium.

Group Long Term Disability

Eligible for coverage on the first of month following date of hire.  Benefit will pay 60% of your covered monthly salary to a limit of $10,000 per month if you are totally disabled for a continuous period of six (6) months or longer (less any amount received from Social Security or Worker's Compensation).  WPI pays entire premium.

Group Supplemental Life Insurance/Supplemental AD&D

Eligible for coverage on the first day of the month following date of hire.  The value of the supplemental life insurance can be up to five (5) times your annual salary or $500,000, whichever comes first.  The supplemental life insurance is also offered to spouses/domestic partners and dependent children.  Spouses/domestic partners are eligible for up to half of what an employee purchases for coverage and dependent children are eligible for up to $10,000 in coverage.

Long Term Care Insurance

Eligible for coverage on the first of the month following date of hire.  This is an individual, personalized benefit that is paid entirely by the employee.  For specific information on coverage and costs, a meeting with a representative is recommended.

Vision Service Plan (VSP)

The VSP is a voluntary vision insurance which covers routine eye exams, glasses and contact lenses.

Hyatt Legal Plans

Voluntary legal service including telephone and office consultations, legal representation, estate planning financial matters, real estate transactions, civil lawsuits and more.

Paid Time Off 

Vacation

Prorated vacation is awarded the first year, depending on date of hire.  Two (2) weeks of vacation are earned after one (1) year of service; three (3) weeks after five (5) years of service; and four (4) weeks after ten (10) years of service.  Vacation time is earned during the fiscal year July 1 ‑ June 30 and is taken the following year.  Vacation cannot be taken as you earn it and cannot be carried from one year to another. 

Holidays

No waiting period.  Eleven (11) per year as specified by WPI.  Academic year employees receive only those holidays that fall during weeks worked.  Two (2) floating holidays are also available during the course of a full year's employment.  After the first ninety (90) days of employment, you will have two (2) days if hired between July and December; one (1) day if hired after January.

Sick Days

Paid sick days are earned after successful completion of the 90-day introductory period.  From that point forward you will accrue one (1) sick day per month until the following June 30th.  On July 1st you will be credited with twelve (12) sick days for the coming fiscal year.   You are allowed to use up to six (6) sick days of your total accumulated sick days per year to care for a member of your immediate family or household.  Immediate family is defined as parent, grandparent, stepparent, sister, brother, child, spouse/domestic partner, or other member of the immediate household.

Sick Days Buy Back

Unused sick days in excess of the twenty (20) days accumulated by the end of the fiscal year will be exchanged at a rate of one‑for‑two, resulting in a credit of additional "personal" days that may be utilized during the next fiscal year.

Bereavement Leave

In the event of a death in an employee’s immediate family, a leave of up to five (5) consecutive days with full pay may be taken to attend a funeral or handle other affairs in connection with the death. "Immediate family" is defined as parents, stepparents, mothers/fathers-in-law, sisters, brothers, children, spouses, domestic partners or other members of the immediate household.
In the event of a death of a family member who is not an immediate family member, i.e. sisters/brothers-in-law, aunts, uncles, grandparents, grandchildren, cousins, nieces, nephews, etc. employees will be granted one (1) day with full pay to attend a funeral or handle other affairs in connection with the death.
LEAVE WITH PAY MUST BE PREARRANGED WITH SUPERVISOR OR DEPARTMENT HEAD.

Retirement Plan

Two retirement plan options are available, TIAA-CREF and Fidelity.  Participation can be with one plan or a combination of the two.  The choices are outlined below:

Regular Annuity (RA)

Eligible on the first of the month after completing one year of service.  Participation is mandatory.  The waiting period will be waived for anyone who has had one year of continuous service as a non‑student at any non‑profit educational organization or teaching hospital or who is already participating in TIAA-CREF or Fidelity immediately prior to the start of employment at WPI.  Employee must contribute a minimum of 5% of salary; WPI will contribute 6% of the first $10,800 of salary and 11% of salary in excess of $10,800.

Group Supplemental Retirement Annuity (GSRA)

Eligible on the first of the month following date of hire.  The GSRA is an alternative tax-sheltered annuity for employees who want to set aside funds in addition to the amount being accumulated under the College's retirement plan.

 

Tuition Assistance

WPI offers tuition assistance to WPI employees, their spouses or domestic partners, and dependent children.  For details on the tuition assistance benefit, please consult the HR Policy and Benefits Manual.

 

Additional Benefits

Auto/Homeowners Payroll Deduction

The insurance payroll deduction program is available to employees and their family members living in the immediate household through Sullivan, Garrity & Donnelly and the Hanover Insurance Company. Automobile, property (home, condominium, rental), boat, and umbrella policies are offered.  Premium discounts for auto insurance are 6% off the regulated Massachusetts rates. Hanover's already competitive rates for property insurance are reduced by an additional 10%.  If an employee purchases both auto and property policies, an additional discount can be applied to the property premium. Final prices depend on the unique circumstances of each employee's current policy.  Please call Human Resources for more information.

Child Care

WPI in conjunction with the First Baptist Church has established a relationship with First Friends, an early care and educational center for infants, toddlers and preschool children.  First Friends provides a supportive, nurturing, stimulating program that responds to the developmental needs of each child.

First Friends is conveniently located within walking distance of the WPI campus in the First Baptist Church at the corner of Salisbury Street and Park Avenue.  For information on rates and availability, please contact the Executive Director of First Friends at +1-508-791-4884.

Domestic Partner Benefits

This benefit allows same sex and opposite sex domestic partners of employees, as well as dependent children of domestic partners, to participate as follows 

Employee Assistance Program

The EAP is provided to WPI by The Wellness Corporation, a locally owned and operated company specializing in Employee Assistance Programs.  Headquartered in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, The Wellness Corporation serves local and national needs with equal ease.  At no cost to the employee, the EAP can assist WPI employees and their families in obtaining confidential assessment, counseling, referral and follow-up services for problems covering a wide range of issues including emotional problems, marital and relationship concerns, family problems, parenting issues, stress, work problems, domestic violence, eating disorders, alcohol and drug use, communication problems, depression and suicidal thoughts, budget and debt problems, and legal concerns.

Consultations/assessments are available at no cost to you and your family members.  To access the services of the WPI Employee Assistance Program through The Wellness Corporation, call the nationally toll free number +1-800-868-6025 or locally +1-508-842-2780.

Fitness Center

The WPI Sports and Recreation Center is available to members of the WPI Community.  The Fitness Center’s hours are posted for the academic year, the summer, and the term breaks in October, March and December, respectively.

Worcester Fitness Memberships

WPI has partnered with Worcester Fitness, with locations downtown and on Grove Street in Worcester, to allow employees to purchase substantially discounted memberships.  Single memberships are $45 per month; couple memberships are $70 per month; family memberships are $99 per month.  Harvard Pilgrim Health Care offers a

 $150.00 annual reimbursement through its fitness benefit.  The Office of Human Resources can facilitate the fitness membership at Worcester Fitness with forms allowing employees to pay the entire amount of the membership up front, or per pay period through payroll deduction.

Lunchtime Fitness

Classes for employee wellness are available Monday through Friday. Yoga, cardio boot-camp, and dance classes are offered on an alternating schedule.  For an updated schedule, contact the Office of Human Resources.

Weight Watchers

Weight Watchers meetings are offered on a workday at lunch hour.  For updated information on the current Weight Watchers schedule and meeting locations, contact the Office of Human Resources.

Membership to Worcester Art Museum

The Worcester Art Museum's Institutional Membership Program provides WPI staff, faculty & students FREE admission to the Museum during regular hours.

HR Digest

This  weekly electronic publication designed to inform the WPI community of HR news, upcoming events, and benefits.

Parking

Parking in any of the WPI lots is available to all employees at no cost with a WPI parking decal.  All vehicles must be registered with the Campus Police Department located on the lower level of Founder's Hall.

Payday and Direct Deposit

Full-time staff is paid bi-weekly, with Direct Deposit into the bank or credit union of choice; funds are available as of each pay date.  Electronic pay stubs are available for viewing on the WPI Banner Web for employees

Summer Hours

During summer months (actual dates to be determined each year), the regular work schedule for most full-time, non-exempt staff is adjusted to allow a summer work schedule of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  Staff who normally work 37½ hours per week will work 35 hours but be compensated for 37½; those who work 40 hours will work 37½ but be compensated for 40 hours. 

Travel Accident Insurance

Employees who travel for the purpose of their job will be covered under the university's travel accident insurance.  The amount of coverage is dependent upon the position held within the university.

 

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Last modified: June 04, 2012 11:36:32