Employee Group Insurance Benefits for Graduate Student Academic Employees

1. Employee Group Insurance Benefits for Graduate Student Academic Employees Human Resource Service Center April 27, 2010

2. Agenda • Benefits Eligibility • Summer Insurance Eligibility • For continuation of employment during the summer • For new employment during the summer • Communication

3. Benefits Eligibility • Insurance and Benefits for Student Employees • www.utexas.edu/hr/student/insurance.html • Graduate students are eligible for employee group insurance benefits if assigned in an academic title for at least 20 hours per week for at least 4.5 months (135 days) • Fall Assignments • September 1 – January 15 • Insurance coverage continues through January 31 • Spring Assignments • January 16 – May 31 • Insurance coverage continues through May 31 and possibly later (Summer Insurance Eligibility)

4. Benefits Eligibility cont. • Graduate Academic Job Titles • 0045 Assistant Instructor (AI) • 0061-0063 Teaching Assistant (TA) • 0064 Tutor (Graduate) • 0065 Academic Assistant • 0071 Assistant (Graduate) • 0090 Graduate Research Assistant (GRA) • Student non-academic positions and undergraduate positions are never eligible for employee group insurance benefits

5. Benefits Eligibility cont. • May combine more than one graduate student academic position to equal 20 hours and meet benefits eligibility • May not combine a graduate student academic position with a staff or faculty position to meet benefits eligibility • Coding an individual as benefits eligible is a fully automated process that occurs after final approval of assignments

6. Benefits Eligibility cont. • Eligible for: • Full-time employee premium sharing contribution (university’s portion of health insurance premiums) • All employee insurance plans for self and eligible dependents • UTSaver voluntary retirement programs • Not eligible for: • Teacher Retirement System or Optional Retirement Program • Paid annual leave • Paid sick leave • Paid holiday leave • Student Employee Benefits: www.utexas.edu/hr/student/student_empl_benefits.html

7. Group Insurance Enrollment • Benefits eligible graduate student academic employees are automatically enrolled in the UT Select health insurance plan effective as of the assignment begin date • Have 31 calendar days from assignment begin date to make insurance selections • If assignment begin date is 90 or more calendar days back, contact HRSC to confirm benefits eligibility and effective date

8. Summer Insurance Eligibility for Continuation of Employment • TAs and AIs • 9-month pay basis (like faculty) • If benefits-eligible during the spring and assigned any amount of hours greater than zero as a TA or AI on May 31, will automatically pre-pay for summer insurance coverage through August 31 on their June 1 paycheck • May cancel pre-payment if assigned in a benefits eligible position June 1 – August 31 and earn enough to pay for insurance on each summer paycheck

9. Summer Insurance Eligibility for Continuation of Employment cont. • Other Graduate Academic Positions • 12-month pay basis (like staff) • Must be assigned in a graduate academic position for at least 20 hours, June 1 – August 31, to maintain insurance • If working in a staff or faculty position during the summer, the staff or faculty position must be at least 20 hours per week and at least 4.5 months to obtain benefits as a staff or faculty member • Assignments final approved after 6:00 p.m. on June 2 through June 3 won’t be coded as benefits eligible until the early morning hours of June 4

10. Summer Insurance Eligibility for New Employment • All new graduate student academic employees who begin during the summer may only be assigned through August 31 • They will not meet the 4.5 month (135 day) requirement and will not automatically be coded as benefits eligible and enrolled in the UT Select health insurance

11. Summer Insurance Eligibility for New Employment cont. • To manually code them as benefits eligible and complete the insurance enrollment, HRSC must receive confirmation of their fall assignment • Copy of offer letter or email/letter from department • Must include begin and end dates, hours per week and job title • Once coded as benefits eligible, they will be enrolled in the UT Select health insurance effective as of the start date of their summer assignment

12. Summer Insurance Eligibility for New Employment cont. • If it’s not possible to provide confirmation of the fall assignment, the graduate student academic employee will not be enrolled in UT Select health insurance • If a benefits eligible fall assignment is final approved prior to August 31, they will be enrolled in UT Select health insurance as of the start date of their summer assignment • If a benefits eligible fall assignment is final approved after September 1, they will be enrolled in UT Select health insurance as of September 1

13. Communication • By mid-May, HRSC will communicate summer insurance eligibility for new graduate student academic employees to Graduate Program Coordinators and HR Contacts

14. Human Resource Service Center • E-mail: HRSC@austin.utexas.edu • Phone: 512-471-HRSC (4772) • Fax: 512-232-3524 • Location: North Office Building A, Second Floor Lobby • Campus Mail Address: HRSC, J5600 • U.S. Mail Address: P.O. Box V, Austin, TX 78713