Employee Benefits Policy

Purpose

The University provides benefits programs for employees and their immediate dependents. The University attempts to provide plans that offer the best benefits at a reasonable cost to employees.

Policy

The cost of most University benefits plans is determined by the University’s own group experience, and therefore, premiums are determined by the claims paid on behalf of University group members.

1) The plans and programs described in the following policies (Human Resources Policy and Procedure (HRP&P) Numbers 91.0 – 96.0) are governed by the applicable contracts.

1. Official actions of the Board of Trustees and the contracts with external companies shall prevail over the terms of these policies.
2. Each plan’s certificate of coverage or current plan document governs the benefit plan. Additional information may be provided in brochures, however, contracts, certificates of coverage, Governing Regulations and Administrative Regulations prevail over brochure information.
3. The terms of the Long Term Disability Plan, the Supplemental Long Term Disability Plan and the Long Term Disability Employee Benefits Trust Agreement prevail over any statements in HRP&P 95.0: Long Term Total Disability Program.

2) The University reserves the right to seek quotations or competitive bids, to change, abolish or consolidate any of these programs and plans, as appropriate and in the best interests of the University and its employees.  Any financial committment made by the University to the benefits programs must be in accordance with availability of supporting resources.

3) With the exception of life insurance, these policies apply primarily to University employees who are not covered by the United States Civil Service benefits package.

Process

Administration of all of these policies is a function of the Human Resources Office of Employee Benefits.