| Medical College of Georgia | |
| Faculty Wide Organization | |
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BenefitsSource: Medical College of Georgia Human Resources Division Vacation: All regular faculty and administrative officers (fiscal-year contract) working one-half time or more earn vacation leave. Leave accrual is at a rate equal to their current work commitment multiplied by 1.75 days per month (i.e., 100 percent W/C = 1.75 days, 50 percent W/C = .875 days, 60 percent W/C = 1.05 days). Faculty members who are on an academic year (nine-month) contract do not earn vacation leave. Maximum Accrual
The maximum vacation leave which may be accrued as of December 31 will be determined by their work commitment as of that date (i.e., 50 percent W/C = 22.5 days, 60 percent W/C = 27 days, etc.).
Scheduled Holidays: The following nine holidays are scheduled: New Year's Day, Dr.
Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day,
Thanksgiving, Friday after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day. Scheduled holidays
falling on Saturday are usually observed on the preceding Friday and those falling on
Sunday are usually observed on the following Monday, except for Christmas Eve and
Christmas Day. When Christmas Eve falls on a Friday, Christmas holidays will be observed
on the Thursday and Friday preceding Christmas Day. When Christmas Eve falls on Saturday,
the preceding Friday and the following Monday will be observed as holidays. When Christmas
Eve falls on a Sunday, the preceding Friday and the following Monday (Christmas Day) will
be observed as holidays. At all other times Christmas holidays will be observed on
December 24 and 25. Unscheduled Holidays (UH): Three unscheduled holidays are authorized. One unscheduled holiday is earned for each quarter beginning January, April and July. Faculty members employed on an academic-year basis do not earn unscheduled holidays. Eligible faculty personnel must be on the payroll in active status on the first working day of the applicable quarter in order to earn unscheduled holidays. The unscheduled holiday may be taken, with supervisor approval, any time after a departmental leave record is published showing a leave balance of UH time. Each day earned will be posted in an amount equivalent to the current work commitment multiplied by eight hours (for regular/part-time personnel). Unscheduled holidays will not accumulate beyond the end of each calendar year, and will be lost if not taken prior to the end of December of each year. Faculty terminating their employment with the university will not be paid for any unscheduled holiday not taken prior to the last working day. Sick Leave With Pay: All faculty and administrative officers working one-half time or more including academic-year faculty members earn sick leave. The monthly sick-leave accrual equals the current work commitment multiplied by one day. Accrual is cumulative with no maximum limitation for the faculty member's entire length of continuous service. Sick leave may be granted upon approval by a faculty member's supervisor for the following reasons:
If sick leave is claimed for a continuous period in excess of one week, a physician's statement is required to permit further claim of sick leave. A terminating faculty member shall not accumulate sick leave or be entitled to receive sick pay after the last working day of his employment. Sick Leave Without Pay: Any faculty member unable to return to work after exhausting all accumulated sick leave and accrued vacation leave may be granted sick leave without pay for a period not to exceed one year. An approved sick leave of absence without pay permits a faculty member to continue all group insurance in effect. No additional vacation leave or sick leave will accrue while the member is on sick leave without pay. Military Leave: Regular faculty and administrative officers (fiscal-year contract) working one-half time or more who are members of the National Guard or a reserve component of the armed forces of the United States are entitled to military leave with pay when ordered to military duty in the service of the state or United States. The maximum length of military leave with pay is to be 18 working days in one calendar year or in any one continuous period of absence. Professional Leave: According to The Policy Manual : Board of Regents, University System of Georgia (Section 803.15), leaves of absence may be granted to faculty members for the purposes of promoting scholarly work or encouraging professional development. These leaves may be with or without pay. The board ordinarily will not approve leave with pay for faculty members employed at the institution for less than three years, nor will it ordinarily approve a leave with pay for a person in an academic position who has not already completed the requirements for a master's degree. A faculty member who is granted leave with pay is required to sign an agreement to return the full amount of compensation received if the faculty member does not return to the institution for at least one year of service after the termination of the leave. Family Leave: All regular faculty who have been employed half-time or more for at least twelve months, and who have worked at least 1250 hours in the 12 month period, are eligible for up to twelve weeks of unpaid family leave. Family leave may be granted in the event of (a) birth or adoption of a child; (b) serious health condition of the employee which renders them unable to perform the duties of their position; (c) serious health condition of the employee's child, spouse, parent, or spouse's parent requiring the employee's presence. Conditions (b) and (c) must be documented by a physician's statement requiring the absence. Miscellaneous Leave Voting: Employees of the University System are encouraged to exercise their constitutional right to vote in all federal, state and local elections. When an employee's normal working hours coincide with voting hours, the employee shall be granted leave as stipulated by his immediate supervisor for the purpose of voting. Selective Service and Military Physical Examination: Any regular employee required by federal law to take a Selective Service or military physical examination shall be paid for any time lost to take such an examination. Personal Leave: At the discretion of the president of an institution, personal leave of absence without pay for periods not to exceed one year may be approved. Such approved personal leave shall allow the employee the right to elect to continue group insurance benefits. If personal LWOP exceeds 14 days, the employee must pay the total cost of all health and life insurance that is in effect after the initial 14-day period of absence. Other Leave: In the event the Medical College of Georgia is closed by official action of an appropriately designated official of the institution because of hazardous weather conditions or other emergency situations, faculty personnel will receive inclement-weather leave with pay equal to the number of hours the institution is officially closed during their scheduled work day or work week. Temporary employees are not eligible for any inclement-weather leave regardless of work commitment. Insurance Group Health Insurance: MCG offers three (3) health insurance plans - the Regents Indemnity Plan, a Preferred Provider Organization (PPO) plan, and the Blue Choice Health Maintenance Organization (HMO) plan. Healthcare insurance, administered by the University System of Georgia, is available to all regular employees with a work commitment of half-time (20 hours per week) or more. Claims processing is administered by Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Georgia. The Plans cover employees, their spouses, and unmarried children under the age of 19, or age 26 if they are full-time students. New employees and their dependents must be enrolled within 31 days of employment. If not enrolled during the first 31 days of employment, no opportunity for enrollment will be available until the next open enrollment period, which occurs in October 15 - November 15 of each year. Newborns must be enrolled within 31 days of the date of birth. Other new dependents must be enrolled within 31 days of the acquisition of the new dependent. The Medical College pays 75% of the premium; the employee pays 25% of the premium. For additional information, see the booklet Health Benefit Plan. Group Dental Insurance: MCG offers 2 dental plans - The Regents Dental Plan and Delta Dental, both of which are 100% employee funded on a pre-tax basis. Group dental insurance is offered to all regular employees with a work commitment of half time or more. The plan is administered by the University System of Georgia with claims processing administered by Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Georgia. An election to enroll in this plan must be made within the first 31 days of eligibility. There is no open enrollment for the Regents Dental plan. If coverage is not applied for within the first 31 days of employment, there will be no other opportunities for enrollment. Unmarried dependent children are covered to the age of 19 or age 25 for unmarried full-time students. New dependents must be added within 31 days of acquisition. For additional information see the booklet The Dental Benefits Plan. Delta Dental is also offered to all regular employees with a work commitment of half time (20 hours) or more. The plan covers the employee, their spouses, and dependent children to age 25, if a full time student. New employees and their dependents must enroll within 31 days of employment. If you do not enroll within the first 31 days of employment, you will not be eligible to enroll until one of the following occurs: (a) you experience a change of status in your household; i.e.; marriage, divorce, birth, etc., or until open enrollment, which occurs October 15 - November 15. For additional information with detailed coverage information, please see the Delta Dental Plan Summary. Group Life Insurance: Group life insurance is offered to all regular employees with a work commitment of half time or more. The university provides $25,000 in free basic life insurance coverage for eligible faculty. Supplemental life insurance is also available at group rates and can be purchased in amounts equal to one time (1X), two times (2X) or three times (3X) annual base salary rounded up to the nearest thousand not to exceed $175,000 in supplemental coverage. Both the basic and supplemental life insurance have an accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) provision. When an employee reaches age 67, the amount of the supplemental insurance decreases. The supplemental insurance decreases again at age 70. The supplemental coverage must be applied for by the employee within the first 31 days of his employment. If insurance is not applied for during the first 31 days, a medical examination may be required and coverage is subject to approval by the insurance carrier. Dependent life insurance is also available to employees who are eligible for group life insurance. Dependent life insurance is issued as a family unit that covers the spouse and all children who are between 14 days and 19 years of age. The spouse and each child who is between 6 months and 19 years of age is insured for $10,000. Unmarried, unemployed children who are full-time students may be covered to the age of 25. Children who are between 14 days and 6 months of age are insured for $2,000. For additional information see the booklet, Your Group Life Insurance Plan, Medical College of Georgia. Group Long-Term Disability Insurance: Long-term disability insurance is available to all regular employees with a work commitment of half time or more. The plan provides for a monthly income for employees who become totally disabled equivalent to 60 percent of salary not to exceed a monthly benefit of $6,000. For additional information, see the booklet, Long-Term Disability Plan for Employees of the Medical College of Georgia. Group Accident Insurance: Accidental death and dismemberment insurance is available to all regular employees with a work commitment of half time or more. Coverage is also available to eligible dependents including spouse, and unmarried children under age 19 or under age 25 if unmarried full-time students. Coverage is paid for by the employee and is available in increments of $10,000 up to a maximum of $500,000 without regard to the employee's salary. Coverage for dependent spouse, if there are no children, is 50 percent of the employee's coverage. If there are dependent children, the spouse's coverage is 40 percent and the coverage for each child is 10 percent. If there is no spouse, the coverage for each child is 20 percent. For additional information, see the booklet, Personal Accident Insurance Plan for Employees of Medical College of Georgia. Long Term Care Insurance: Long Term Care insurance is available to all regular employees with a work commitment of half-time or more and may include their spouses, parents, and grandparents. This insurance, which is offered through CNA Insurance Company, provides coverage in the event of nursing home confinement, home health care, or adult day care. New employees must enroll within 31 days of employment or within 31 days of becoming benefits-eligible. Coverage for a spouse may be added within 31 days of employment or marriage. Spouses must be able to perform certain basic activities of daily living without assistance. Parents and grandparents are subject to medical underwriting. If application is made outside the 31-day time limit, coverage will be subject to medical underwriting. Premiums are age-rated and intended not to increase once enrolled in the plan. For additional information, see the booklet, Group Long Term Care Plan from CNA. Tax-Sheltered Annuities: The Medical College of Georgia currently has 3 firms approved for the sale of tax-sheltered annuities (TSA) to faculty and staff, under the provisions of section 403 (b) and/or 403 (b) (7) of the Internal Revenue Code. A list of these firms and their designated agents is available in room 1111 of the MCG Annex Building. All employees are eligible to participate in this program. To participate, an employee signs a salary reduction agreement with MCG, and designates an approved TSA company to receive the employee's monthly deductions. The company will invest the money as directed by the employee. State and federal income tax on money deposited in a TSA is deferred until the money is withdrawn from the TSA. At this time, the maximum amount that can be deferred is $12,000. Contributions to the Teachers' Retirement System, State of Georgia Deferred Compensation Plan or any other retirement income investments may affect the deduction amount allowable under each plan. Additional information concerning the tax-sheltered annuity program can be obtained in room 1111 of the MCG Annex Building. Deferred Compensation Plans: Medical College of Georgia Plan - The Medical College of Georgia also offers a Deferred Compensation Plan, also known as a 457 Plan, which is authorized under Section 457 of the Internal Revenue Code. An employee who elects to participate in the Medical College of Georgia 457 Plan will be allowed to contribute up to $12,000.00 for the 2003 calendar year to their 457 Plan on a pretax basis. A 457 Plan is available with three providers, TIAA-CREF, Fidelity and VALIC. To participate, an employee must complete a 457 Plan Enrollment Form, available in Human Resources. The employee must also complete the application required by the provider company, TIAA-CREF, Fidelity or VALIC. Worker's Compensation: Permanent and temporary employees of the Medical College of Georgia are covered by provisions of the Georgia Worker's Compensation Law. Injury or disease sustained by an employee while actively engaged in work assigned is covered by the Worker's Compensation Law. Injury or disease that is believed to be work-related should be reported by the employee's supervisor without delay, using MCG form 419, Supervisor's Report of Accident/Injury. Medical treatment of the injury or disease will be paid, in accordance with provisions of the law, by the Georgia Department of Administrative Services. Employees injured on the job must seek treatment from a physician listed on the Panel of Physicians posted and approved by the university. Information pertaining to the Worker's Compensation Law is contained in MCG Administrative Policy and Procedures 1.4.17, Worker's Compensation/On the Job Injuries.
Under the Optional Retirement Program employees contribute 5 percent of their monthly gross salary and the state contributes 10.02 percent. Employees who elect to participate in the Teachers Retirement System Plan contribute 5 percent of salary and the State contributes 9.24 percent. Employee contributions to the Optional Retirement Program or the Teachers Retirement System Plan are sheltered from federal and state taxes. New faculty age 60 or older may elect to decline membership in either program. Faculty members who do not make an election within the 60-day period will automatically be enrolled in the Teachers Retirement System for the remainder of their employment with the University System of Georgia. Federal legislation requires a maximum compensation limit which may be used in computing benefits under a qualified benefit plan. This limit can change each year. The Teacher's Retirement System sets the maximum compensation limit in accordance with the federal regulations. This applies to both the TRS and ORP plans. This limit does not apply to anyone who was employed prior to January 1, 1996 if an ORP participant, or prior to July 1, 1996 if a TRS participant. Substantial and important differences exist between the Teachers Retirement System Plan and the Optional Retirement Program. The staff of the Benefits Section is available for counseling with faculty members about their retirement options. Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account Plan: The Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account Plan provides an opportunity for employees who have regular dependent-care expenses, such as baby-sitting and day care, to contribute pre-tax dollars to a special account from which they are reimbursed for such expenses. Under certain conditions eligible employees may contribute up to $5,000 per year to a Flexible Spending Account. Contributions are made before taxes are withheld which results in a reduction in federal, state and Social Security taxes. Additional information about the Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account is available in the Employee Benefits Office. Health Care Flexible Spending Account Plan: Social Security: The Medical College of Georgia participates in the federal Social Security program. Currently employees contribute 7.65 percent of salary up to a maximum annual salary of $87,000 of salary for the Social Security portion (6.2 percent). Beyond that salary, only the remaining 1.45 percent (Medicare portion) is contributed. Liability Insurance: All Medical College of Georgia employees are protected under the Georgia Tort Claims Act (O.C.G.A. section 50-21-20 et seq.) from personal liability for claims arising out of the performance of duties within the course and scope of their MCG employment when such claims are made in the courts of the state of Georgia. For claims not covered by the Tort Claims Act, employees are covered by a self insurance fund maintained by the Georgia Department of Administrative Services providing coverage limits of not less than $1 million for each person and $3 million for each occurrence. Faculty physicians and psychologists may be covered by an additional policy of insurance for medical malpractice claims. Current information about whether additional coverage is available and the limits of coverage may be obtained from the dean's office. Additionally, all full-time MCG employees, excluding physicians, who act within the course and scope of their MCG employment are covered by the Board of Regents Professional Liability Plan for personal injury, bodily injury, and property damage claims which are not covered by the Georgia Tort Claims Act. Part-time employees are also covered. Information regarding applicability of coverage and coverage limits may be obtained from the legal office. This summary of the various insurance coverage available to MCG employees is not intended to be all inclusive. Where specific questions exist as to the applicability of coverage or limits of coverage, please contact the legal office (ext. 1-4018). Credit Union: The Health Center Credit Union operates under a charter granted by the state of Georgia, Department of Banking and Finance. Any employee of the university or its associated agencies may join the credit union by applying for membership and depositing at least $25 in a savings account with the credit union. There are many benefits in credit union membership, including a confidential account, dividends usually paid equal to or greater than those paid by other financial agencies and eligibility for low-interest loans. Termination of Services Faculty personnel will be paid for all accrued vacation leave up to the maximum specified above upon termination from the Medical College of Georgia for any reason. |
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© Medical College of Georgia |
Faculty Wide Organization
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Medical College of Georgia
Please email comments, suggestions or questions to Nancy Waks, September 21, 2004 |