Faculty and A&P Benefits Summary
This information is designed to be a brief highlight of the benefits offered for employment with Florida Gulf Coast University and is subject to change. For additional information or details on any of these benefit items, please contact the Office of Human Resources at (239) 590-1400.
Holidays
There are 13 paid holidays per year: Independence Day, Labor Day, Veterans Day - November 11th, Thanksgiving Day, Day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, Winter Break (4 business days between Dec. 25 and Jan. 1), New Year's Day, Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr., and Memorial Day.
Annual Leave
Full-time employees appointed for more than nine (9) months shall accrue 6.77 hours per bi-weekly pay period regardless of years of service with proportionate accrual for less than full-time. Annual leave shall be accrued prior to use. There is a maximum accrual of 352 hours as of December 31. Employees may accrue in excess of the year end maximum during a calendar year, however accrued leave over 352 hours as of December 31 shall be converted to sick leave. Upon
separation, an employee shall be paid for up to 352 hours of unused annual leave.
An academic year (39 weeks) employee and an employee appointed for less than nine (9) months shall not accrue annual leave.
Sick Leave
Accrue four hours per bi-weekly pay period. (Proportional accrual for less than full-time employees.) No maximum accrual. Upon separation, an employee with 10 or more years of service shall be paid for one-fourth of unused sick leave up to a total of 480 hours. An employee with less than 10 years of service shall not be paid for any unused sick leave.
Sick Leave Pool
Click here to obtain information on our sick leave pool.
Administrative Leave
Jury Duty -Shall not exceed the number of hours in the employee's normal workday. If it does not require absence for the entire workday, the employee shall return to work immediately upon release by the court.
Under certain circumstances, other kinds of absences from work may be authorized for Faculty and A&P employees. Contact the Office of Human Resources for additional information.
Health Insurance- Pre-tax
Must enroll within 60 days of employment or during open enrollment period. Coverage is effective on the first day of a month and premiums are paid in advance by payroll deduction. Individual bi-weekly premium is $25.00; $90.00 for family coverage for State Self-Insured Plan. Appropriate dependent documentation is required when electing family coverage.
State Self-Insured Plan - Third party administered by Blue Cross/Blue Shield. Pre-existing condition clause. Prescription Drug Plan (administered by Caremark effective Jan. 1, 2001) provides up to a 30-day supply of a prescription medication for $40.00 co-payment for non-preferred brand medication, $25.00 co-payment for preferred brand medication and a $10.00 co-payment for generic medication from participating pharmacies. Mail Service Pharmacy allows
for up to a 90-day supply for $80.00 co-payment for non-preferred brand medication, $50.00 for preferred brand and $20.00 for generic medication.
State Basic Term Life Insurance- Pre-tax
A low cost group term life and accidental death and dismemberment policy. The amount of coverage is 1.5 times annual salary. The university pays 80% of the cost of the coverage for full-time employees and contributes toward coverage for part-time employees on a pro-rated basis according to their percentage of employment.
State Optional Term Life Insurance– Non Pre-tax
Employees may enhance the basic life coverage by selecting amounts from one to five times base annual salary, up to a maximum of $500,000. Although this is an "employee-pay-all" benefit, the premiums are extremely competitive.
Supplemental Insurance- Pre-tax
Supplemental insurances include four dental insurance options - Oral Health Services, American Dental, Cigna or Denticare; two cancer/intensive care insurance options - AFLAC or Colonial Life; two supplemental health options - Alta or Philadelphia Life; accident/disability insurance from Colonial Life. These are all pre-tax benefits available to state employees at group rates. Additional life insurance and short term disability income program are also available through the Gabor Agency.
Retirement Plans
Faculty and A&P employees may choose between the following retirement plans.
Optional Retirement Plan (ORP) - Available to all Faculty and A&P employees. Human Resources will notify eligible employees. Each pay period, the University contributes a percentage of the employee's earnings so that an annuity may be purchased. The University pays the full cost of the ORP, however employees can elect to contribute up to the same percentage of earnings that the University contributes subject to IRS regulations. ORP providers are outlined in the Retirement Plan Alternatives booklet.
Florida Retirement System (FRS) - The FRS provides two retirement options: the Pension Plan and the Investment Plan.
The FRS Pension Plan is a defined benefit plan, paid for by the State and requires 6 years of creditable service to vest and receive a retirement benefit. This system is combined with Social Security to assist you by providing an income for your later years or for an unforeseen disability. Once vested, you may retire at age 62 and receive full benefits or at an earlier age with reduced benefits. You may retire at any age after 30 years of service with no reduction in benefit. The monthly benefit payment you will receive when you retire depends on your years of creditable service and the average income of the five highest years (fiscal year) during your covered employment.
The FRS Investment Plan is a defined contribution plan that is paid by the State through contributions that are based on your salary and your FRS membership class (Regular Class, Special Risk Class, etc.) The Investment Plan requires 1 year of creditable service to vest (i.e. own the assets in your Investment Plan account.) The Investment Plan directs contributions to individual member accounts, and you allocate your contributions and account balance among various investment funds. (Participant contributions are not allowed.) Your Investment Plan retirement benefit is the value of your account. Unlike the Pension Plan, there is no fixed benefit level at retirement. However, the Investment Plan, like the Pension Plan, has a guaranteed lifetime payment option (based on the benefit to be distributed) and is available with annual 3% benefit increases like the Pension Plan.
SUS Long Term Disability- Non Pre-tax
Offered by UNUM through the Gabor Agency. Pays two-thirds of annual salary for as long as you remain disabled or until age 65. Employees may select between a 30 day or 90 day elimination period. The 30 day option costs $.94 per $100 of monthly pay; the 90 option costs $.61 per $100 of monthy pay. Employee must elect this supplemental option within the first 60 days of employment. Please note, it is not customarily available for enrollment during the annual open enrollment period.
Medical and Dependent Day Care Reimbursement Plans- Pre-tax
Lets you pay for eligible medical and/or eligible dependent day-care expenses on a pre-tax basis. The annual election amount you choose to set aside is automatically deducted from your gross salary and is deducted for the remaining pay periods for the calendar year. The annual maximum contribution is $2,400 for medical reimbursement. The annual maximum contribution is $5,000 for Dependent Day Care if you are single, or married and filing jointly on your income tax, or $2,500 if you are married filing separately on your income tax. The federal government has placed restrictions on reimbursement accounts. One restriction, referred to as "Use It or Lose It," requires that any money remaining in your account(s) after you have submitted all your claims for the Plan Year will be forfeited. Employees must enroll within 60 days of your employment, during open enrollment period or within 31 days of a change in family/employment status.
FGCU Bookstore
25 percent discount on selected items. Present your staff identification card to cashier to receive discount.
Credit Union
Suncoast Schools Federal Credit Union provides services to university employees. Payroll deduction is available. An ATM machine is located on the first floor of Howard Hall.
Electronic Direct Deposit
Florida Statute requires mandatory participation in the Direct Deposit Program for all employees hired on or after July 1, 1996. Employees must complete a Direct Deposit Authorization Form within thirty days of employment. This program is available at any financial institution. Adjuncts and other OPS are encouraged, but not required to participate.
Tax Deferred Annuities- Pre-tax
The university offers a tax sheltered annuity program which allows employees the opportunity to save an amount from each salary warrant and postpone payment of taxes on that amount until a later date. Brochures are available for VALIC, TIAA-CREF, Jefferson National, Aenta/ING, MetLife Investors, and Mass Mutual. The name of company representatives may be obtained from Human Resources.
Tuition Voucher
The tuition voucher is available to full-time FGCU employees, in an established position and /or on approved educational leave with or without pay, for FGCU courses only. Employees may take up to six credit hours of course work per term. Employees may assign this benefit to a eligible spouse and/or dependent who is enrolled in an undergraduate degree seeking program at FGCU. Registration is not subject to space availability, therefore employees may register according to the dates published in the Schedule of Classes. The guidelines, procedures and form for the FGCU Employee Tuition Voucher Program are available on the share drive at: marlin\Forms\HR Forms\Tuition Voucher Form & Guidelines Approved 10-04.doc
State Defereed Compensation- Pre-tax
Voluntary supplemental retirement (457) plan offered by the State of Florida. You are allowed to shelter a portion of your annual gross salary from Federal taxes, while your money is forwarded to your chosen Investment Provider. Your Investment Provider directs your money to your chosen investment vehicle, where your account grows tax-free. Obtain brochure from Human Resources.
Family and Medical Leave Act of 1993
FMLA requires covered employers to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to "eligible" employees for certain family and medical reasons. Parental Leave - employees shall be provided with up to six months unpaid parental leave when the employee becomes a biological or adoptive parent. (Accrued paid leave may be used.) Florida Gulf Coast University ensures compliance with FMLA.
Last updated May 2003
