ELIGIBILITY: Adjunct academic employees are eligible for state-paid benefits, including medical insurance, dental insurance, basic long-term disability insurance and basic life insurance the second consecutive quarter of working 50% or more of a full-time academic workload (based on instructional hours only). Once an employee has met this threshold, he/she may miss up to six quarters of eligibility before the waiting period must be reestablished. Eligibility may also be established by providing information to the Benefits Office regarding combined workload assignments of concurrent employment by two or more state employers. Once an employee has enrolled in state-paid benefits, they may self-pay their benefits during subsequent quarters which fall below 50%. Medical, dental, long-term disability and life insurance come as a package. Please return all three forms.
Adjunct employees who worked 50% or more on an instructional year (school year) or equivalent nine-month seasonal basis are eligible for employer-paid during the “off-season” (for example, summer quarter) following each nine-month period of seasonal employment. The employee’s share of premiums for medical/dental, life and long-term disability insurance during summer quarter will be deducted from their June 30th paycheck. When the “off-season” occurs during a quarter other than summer, the employee must pay for the employee share of benefit cost in advance, by check.
EFFECTIVE DATE: For newly eligible employees, benefits begin on the first day of the month following the
beginning of the quarter. If the employee was participating in state-paid benefits or PEBB self-paid medical benefits in
one of the prior six quarters, benefits are effective the first day of the month in which the quarter begins.
NOTIFICATION: Eligibility for state-paid benefits is on a quarter-by-quarter basis. The benefits office begins calculation of benefit eligibility on the eighth day of each quarter. The calculation is based on contracts issued at that time by the campus divisions. Employees will receive notification of eligibility and effective date of coverage. Benefit forms are required for newly eligible employees and for changes in coverage. If the employee has made changes in benefits during a period of time they are “self-paying” their benefits directly with the Health Care Authority, they must also submit new forms to make the same change on their CCS-paid benefits. The benefits office will perform calculations again on the 15th day of the quarter. If late contracts are received after this time, the employee or supervisor should notify the benefits office; otherwise an employee who might be eligible will be omitted from consideration. If the employee is working on instructional timesheet basis, the employee’s supervisor must send the benefits office a memo estimating the prospective hours for the quarter. Instructional timesheet hours are not automatically included in the calculation. The deadline for returning forms is one week after receiving eligibility notification. Adjunct employees will be notified when their workload drops below 50% of full-time. Benefits for the quarter will end at midnight on the last day of the month in which the quarter ends.
OPEN ENROLLMENT CHANGES/OTHER CHANGES: When an employee has selected a medical or dental plan, they may only change plans once a year during “Open Enrollment Period” (usually November 1 through November 30). Selections are for a calendar year. Other types of changes must take place within 31 days of eligibility or wait until the next open enrollment period; for example adding or deleting dependents due to marriage or divorce; adding a newborn or adopted child; or deleting over-age dependents.
WAIVING COVERAGE: Medical coverage may be waived for employee, spouse, or dependents by making this indication on the enrollment form and marking the box, “Yes, I elect to waive medical coverage”. Dental coverage may be waived for spouse or dependents (but not for the employee). The employee must also sign the waiver, attesting to the fact that the individual waived has other medical coverage. If later, the other coverage is lost, the employee may reinstate coverage by completing a new medical/dental enrollment form and enclosing proof of loss of other coverage.
PREMIUMS: All medical plans require a monthly premium to be paid by the employee. The amount of the premium varies by plan. Contributions will be deducted from each paycheck on a before-tax basis unless you tell us otherwise. There is no premium for dental coverage.
MEDICAL PLAN OPTIONS: See Medical/Dental Benefits Booklet for comparison.
Uniform Medical
Deductible: $200/person or $600/family
Co-insurance (PPO=90% NPPO=60%
Does not require Primary Care Physician selection or referral
No plan service area limitations
Managed Care Plans:
Group Health Classic
*Group Health Value
Community Health Plan
Requires selection of a primary care physician who is contracted with the plan selected.
*$100 annual deduction per person, per calendar year to a maximum of $300 per family (Value only)
No deductible for Group Health Classic or Community Health Plan
Copayments - $10 or $15 depending on plan
Prescription copayments vary depending on each plan’s formulary- See summary in the Employee Guide.
Residents of counties other than Spokane County, should consult the medical/dental benefits booklet for
plans available by county.
DENTAL PLAN OPTIONS: See Medical/Dental Benefits Booklet
LONG TERM DISABILITY: Basic Plan: Disability benefit is 60% of the first $400 of predisability earnings after 90 day waiting period. There is no cost to the employee. Optional Plan (the employee pays the premiums): Adjunct faculty are eligible for optional LTD coverage. : Newly eligible employees applying within the 1st 31 days of eligibility may select coverage without supplying evidence of insurability. Disability benefit is 60% of gross salary. Premiums are based on monthly salary (quarterly contract amount divided by number of months in the quarter) times a percentage based on the waiting period selected. If a disability claim is filed, the first benefit payment is received at the end of the waiting period or when sick leave has been depleted (whichever is longer).
Basic Plan:
$25,000 term life insurance plus $5,000 accidental death & dismemberment.
CCS pays premiums
Part C: Newly eligible employees applying within the 1st 60 days of eligibility may select up to maximum
amount of annualized salary without supplying evidence of insurability.
Part D: Increments of $1,000 up to maximum of $350,000. Amounts over $50,000 require evidence of
insurability.
Part E: Accidental Death/Dismemberment, sold in increments of $25,000 up to $250,000 for employee only
or with dependents.
Spouse Coverage:
Part B: Basic coverage $2,500
Part B, Supplemental: Limit is one-half of employee’s combined coverage amount in Parts C and D.
Coverge in excess of $25,000 require evidence of insurability.
Dependents Coverage: Part B Basic $2,500.
Please Note: If employees do not elect to continue optional life insurance coverage on a self-pay basis during period of non-eligibility, they will need to reapply and provide evidence of insurability when they return to state-paid coverage. The approval process by the insurance company is currently taking up to three months.
ELIGIBILITY: Adjunct academic employees are eligible for retirement participation with TIAA-CREF the second consecutive quarter of working 50% or more of a full-time academic workload (based on instructional hours only). Once an employee has met this threshold, participation is mandatory and begins immediately. If workload in later quarters drops below 50%, participation continues. However, if there is a break in service (employee does not work at all during fall, winter or spring quarter); employee retirement participation ends.
Eligibility may also be established through combining workload assigned through concurrent employment by two or more state employers. Part-time faculty who have established eligibility participate in the State Board’s TIAA-CREF retirement plan with one Washington State community and technical college employer may maintain eligibility when moving to another community or technical college employer without a break in service. If this situation applies, please contact your benefits office.
PERS plan 1 & 2 does not allow dual membership simultaneously.
Adjunct employees who are active PERS members through concurrent employment with another employer must choose one of the following options:
EFFECTIVE DATE: When an Adjunct employee becomes eligible for retirement, participation begins on the first day worked.
NOTIFICATION: The benefits office begins calculation of retirement eligibility on the eighth day of each quarter. The calculation is based on contracts issued at that time by the campus divisions. Employees will receive notification of eligibility and effective date. A packet of information will be included with the notification. Three forms must be filled out and returned: 1) Salary Reduction Form; 2) Retirement Enrollment Form; and 3) Plan Options Form. A second calculation will take place on the 15th day of the quarter. If contracts have been cancelled or added, eligibility could be affected.
PLANS AVAILABLE: Newly eligible Adjunct faculty are only eligible to participate in TIAA-CREF Retirement Plan unless they are currently an active member of the Teachers Retirement Plan 1(TRS1). Participants in TRS1 may irrevocably elect to retain such membership or, if not vested in that system, retain membership until vesting occurs and then irrevocably elect to participate in the TIAA-CREF plan.
TIAA-CREF: This is a “qualified defined contribution” plan, which means that the amount contributed by the employee and employer is defined and the benefits received at retirement are based upon the amount of money contributed and return on investment. Employee contributions are fully matched by the college and are contributed on a “before-tax” basis. Vesting is immediate. The amount of contribution depends on the age of the employee:
5% of CCS gross salary – under age 35
7.5% of CCS gross salary – age 35 through age 49
10% of CCS gross salary – age fifty and thereafter. Employees are not allowed to withdraw retirement money until they leave employment except in cases of severe financial hardship. There are a variety of income options available to retirees in addition to the annuity option. Additional information is available at the benefits office.
TEACHERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM (TRS): TRS is a “defined benefit plan”, which means that the amount of retirement benefit is defined by a formula based on two percent, years of service and average final compensation. The benefit is not affected by amount contributed or return on investment. TRS Plan 1: Available to eligible teachers hired before 10/1/77. Adjunct currently participating in TRS1 with another employer must begin participating with CCS immediately upon employment. Please notify the benefits office immediately. Employee contributions to TRS plan 1 are 6.0% of CCS gross salary; CCS contributes 1.27%. Employees are eligible to retire at any age with 30 service credit years, age 60 with 5 service credit years, or age 55 with 25 service credit years.
SUPPLEMENTAL RETIREMENT OPTIONS: Adjunct faculty who are eligible for a regular retirement plan (above) are also eligible to participate in a “supplemental” retirement plan. Employee contributions are not matched by the college.
Tax Deferred Annuities (403b Plans): There are a variety of approved investment companies to choose from, including TIAA-CREF. Contributions are made on a before-tax basis. Each employee has a maximum amount they may contribute each calendar year. The benefits office will compute this amount for you.
Deferred Compensation Program (457 Plan): This program is available through the State of Washington Department of Retirement Systems. There is a also a maximum amount which can be contributed for this plan.
If you would like to make an appointment to review benefits options or would like assistance in completing forms, please call the benefits office at 434-5291 for an appointment.
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