Summary of Benefits for Full-Time Staff, Administration and Research Fellow Positions
The following information is a representation, in summary form, of the benefits offered to all Full-Time Staff, Administration and Research Fellow positions. For more detailed information please visit the “Benefits and Policy Guidelines for Administration and Staff” on-line at www.clarku.edu/offices/hr/sbenefits.cfm or call the Human Resources Office at X7294.
HEALTH AND WELFARE PLANS
Health Insurance
Beginning May 1, 2009 Clark will offer eligible faculty and staff a choice of six health plans. Four are HMO (Health Maintenance Organization) plans; the other two are PPO (Preferred Provider Organization). The University will contribute $ 336.00 per month toward any individual plan; or $764.00 per month toward any family plan. You are eligible on the first of the month following your date of employment. Your cost per month effective May 1, 2009 is listed below depending on the plan and coverage you select.
| Plan | Individual | Family |
| Fallon Community Health Plan Direct | $ 82.64 | $324.52 |
| Fallon Community Health Plan Select | $209.51 | $656.66 |
| Fallon Community Health Plan Premium Saver 500 | $162.44 | $533.00 |
| Fallon Community Health Plan PPO | $310.43 | $915.26 |
| Harvard Pilgrim Health Care - HMO | $429.15 | $1,225.39 |
| Harvard Pilgrim Health Care - PPO | $518.47 | $1,457.62 |
Plan descriptions are available in the Office of Human Resources.
Dental Insurance
You are eligible on the first of the month following your date of employment. Rates are effective May 1, 2009. The monthly cost to you is:
Individual Family
Dental Blue $47.65 $126.29
Plan descriptions are available in the Office of Human Resources.
Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA)
The University provides at no cost to you the opportunity for you to set aside a portion of your salary on a pre-tax basis to be used to pay for qualified health care and/or dependent care expenses. A debit card with the annual amount you elect will be provided. You may set aside $100 to $5000 for each of the health and/or dependent care accounts thus lowering your taxable income. See the Office of Human Resources for a complete plan description and enrollment forms. New employees have until the first of the month following their date of hire to elect this benefit or may wait until the annual open enrollment period.
Group Life Insurance
You are eligible on the first of the month following your date of employment. This benefit is provided at no premium cost to you and is valued at two times your annual salary. If your annual salary is over $25,000 and you prefer to reduce your University provided life insurance to $50,000 to avoid being taxed, you may do so by requesting this in writing to the Human Resources Office.
Group Long Term Disability
You are eligible for coverage on the first of the month following date of hire. Benefit will pay 60% of your base monthly salary to a limit of $10,000 per month if you are totally disabled for a continuous period of six months or longer (less any amount received from Social Security of Worker’s Compensation). The University pays entire premium.
Paid Time Off
Hourly paid staff is required to complete the standardized bi-weekly time report reflecting all hours worked as well as any paid time off. Completed and signed time reports must be submitted to Payroll by 10:00 am on the Monday of the scheduled pay week.
Administrators are required to document any paid time off on an Administrative Time Report. These completed Administrative Time Reports should be submitted to the Human Resources Office monthly with all required signatures.
Vacation
Employees working in 12 month positions earn 20 days per fiscal year. Employees working in 11 month positions earn 18 days per fiscal year. Employees working in 10 month positions earn 16.5 days per fiscal year. Employees working in 9 month positions earn 15 days per fiscal year.
Vacation time is allocated at the rate of one week's paid vacation for every full quarter worked. New employees are eligible to take their earned vacation time (in consultation with their supervisor) after completion of a satisfactory 6-month introductory review. Clark’s fiscal year begins on June 1st, and quarters begin on September, December and March each year. As of July 1st each year, you may only have the maximum annual number of days allowed (20 days for 12 month positions; 18 days for 11 month positions, etc.) carried forward. Any additional days will be forfeited.
On/about June 1st, September 1st, December 1st, and March 1st each year you will be allocated earned vacation according to the following schedule:
On Sept 1st: If appointment is for 12 months, you will be allocated 5 days If appointment is for 11 months, you will be allocated 3 days If appointment is for 10 months, you will be allocated 1.5 days If appointment is for 9 months, you will be allocated 0 days (This will be in effect even for those 9-month positions that do require some partial work during the summer, or if your time off is spread out over the calendar year.)
On December 1st, March 1st, June 1st: HR/Payroll will allocate 5 days at the end of each full quarter worked.
Holidays
No waiting period. There are ten (10) per year as specified by the University. One is a floating holiday which may be taken any day during the fiscal year, with the approval or your supervisor, or it will be forfeited. New staff and administration earn the floating after 3 completed months of employment.
Sick Time
Sick leave is accrued at the rate of one (1) day for each calendar month worked. The total number of days can not to exceed sixty-five (65). You may use two sick days per year for personal business. The "personal days" must be approved by your supervisor.
Sick Time Donation
This policy is intended to be sensitive to the fact that employees may have extended conditions or re-occurring serious illnesses that may leave them without adequate sick leave. Employees may be allowed to donate a portion of their sick time to a fellow worker using the guidelines outlined in the Benefits and Policy Guidelines for Administrators and Staff.
Bereavement Leave
In the event of a death in your (or spouse’s) immediate family, the University will grant leave with pay up to a maximum of three (3) consecutive work days to attend the funeral or handle other affairs connected with the death. “Immediate family” is defined as; mother, father, brother, sister, grandparent, grandchild, child, spouse, step-parents, step-child.
Retirement Plan
University Retirement Plan – 403(b) Defined Contribution Plan
Vendor choices: TIAA/CREF or Fidelity
This is a voluntary tax-deferred retirement plan. You are eligible to participate if your position is approved for 1,000 or more hours/year and you actually work at least 1,000 hours/year. You may join the first of any month and must contribute 5% of your salary. There is a 2-year wait before you are eligible for the University’s 10% contribution to this plan. However, if you have previously worked in a regular position (not as a student or a temporary worker) at another higher educational institution, the time you worked at this predecessor employer may be counted toward Clark’s 2-year wait. Documentation on the dates of employment from the previous employer may be required. If you wish to contribute more than 5% of your salary, you may enroll in Clark’s Supplemental Tax-Deferred Retirement Plan (SRA). Detailed information is available in the HR Office. Deferred Compensation Plan - Supplemental Retirement Annuity (GSRA)
You are eligible on first of month following date of hire. The SRA is an alternative tax sheltered annuity for employees who want to contribute funds in addition to the 5% being accumulated under the University’s regular Defined Contribution Plan retirement plan; or for employees who work less than 1,000 year.
Tuition Program
(Benefits below apply to those hired after June 1, 1996)
COPACE (College of Professional and Continuing Education)
Employee: Effective the semester following employment, the employee may take two undergraduate or one graduate course per semester in the College of Professional and Continuing Education, full tuition waived. Spouse/Child: In addition, after one year of employment, either your spouse or one child may take one undergraduate or one graduate course per semester with Clark paying $500 toward tuition. (2009-20010 full tuition costs are: UG = $900/course; GR = $1,800/course).
Graduate School of Management (GSOM)
Employee: Effective the semester following employment, the employee may take two (2) courses per semester, pending acceptance through the GSOM admissions process. Spouse/Child: After one year of full-time employment either your spouse or one child may take one course per semester with a $1,000 waiver ($500 waiver/7-week course), pending acceptance through the admissions process. (2009-2010 full tuition costs are: $3,310/14-week course and $1,655/7-week course)
Undergraduate Tuition for Dependent Children Matriculating Towards a Degree
After three years of full-time employment, your dependent children under age 24 may attend the University’s day undergraduate college (pending acceptance through the admissions process) or COPACE full or part-time with tuition cost waived for up to 36 courses or an earned degree, whichever comes first.
Additional Benefits
Automobile/Homeowners Insurance
Auto and/or homeowners insurance is available through the Knight-Dik Insurance Agency. A 6-10% group discount is provided if you select automatic payroll deduction. Please call Knight-Dik directly (508-753-6353) for details.
Direct Deposit
Employees have the option of having their checks deposited directly into the bank or credit union of their choice at the same time checks are normally distributed.
Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
The EAP is provided to Clark by the Wellness Corporation, a locally owned and operated company specializing in Employee Assistance Programs. Headquartered in Shrewsbury, Massachusetts, the EAP can assist Clark employees and their families to obtain – at no cost to the employee – confidential assessment, counseling, referral and follow-up services for problems covering a wide range of issues including: emotional problems, martial and relationship concerns, family problems, parenting issues, tress, work problems, domestic violence, eating disorders, alcohol and drug use, communication problems, depression and suicidal thoughts, budget and debt problems, and legal concerns. Consultations/assessments are at no cost to you and your family members. To access the services of the Clark Employee Assistances Program through the Wellness Corporation call them at 1-800-828-6025.
Discount Movie Tickets
Valid at Showcase Theaters, which include Showcase North and Blackstone Valley Cinema, as well as some selected theaters outside the area. The current price is $7.75/ticket. Tickets may be purchased in the Human Resources Office either by cash or check payable to Clark University. Please be prepared to show your employee Clark ID card when purchasing tickets.
Fitness Center
The Clark Fitness Center is located in the Kneller Athletic building on Downing Street. Employees and their dependent family members have access to the fitness center during their posted hours. Access cards for eligible dependent family members are available in the Athletics’ Department Office.
HomeBenefits™ Program
Receive a cash benefit when you buy or sell a house or other real estate. Visit: http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/clarkhomebenefits/. Through Location, Inc™ Clark is able to make available to faculty, staff and their family members, the new HomeBenefits™ Program. HomeBenefits™ provides you a substantial cash benefit anytime you buy or sell a house or other real estate using the HomeBenefits™ Program. For example, if you buy a home for $200,000 using the HomeBenefits™ Program, you will receive a cash benefit of about $1,080. The program can be used for buying and selling a primary home, a vacation home, or even undeveloped land. If you both buy and sell real estate using the benefit program, you will receive a cash benefit for each transaction. How the HomeBenefits™ Program works:
To learn more about this benefit; to calculate what your benefit would be based on your estimated selling or buying price; or to fill out an application, go to: http://www.neighborhoodscout.com/clarkhomebenefits/. Location Inc™ is a Worcester, MA-based company born of university research, specializing in nationwide relocation software, retail site selection, and real estate investment advising.
Owner/Occupancy Incentive Program
Full-time regular faculty and staff are eligible for a special incentive program if they purchase and reside in a home within a designated area around campus. The program provides a $5000 payment at the time of closing, and for the next 7 years after the purchase, a payment of 12% of base salary up to $4000. Specifics on program requirements are on file in the Human Resources Office. Jack Foley, Executive Assistant to the President, administers this program.
Parking
There are several designated lots within the Clark University periphery. Any person wishing to use or park a vehicle on Clark University property must obtain a parking detail available at the University Police Office, or online at www.clarku.edu/intranet/vehicles.cfm. Parking decals are valid from September 1st through August 31st and cost is $40.00 per year.
Payday
Faculty and Staff are paid biweekly with checks being distributed to your department every other Friday.
Savings Bonds
The University offers a payroll savings bond plan with the Federal Reserve Bank. Employees authorize the withholding of a portion of their wages for payroll savings bonds. Both Series EE and I Bonds are available. If you need more information about savings bonds you may access www.savingsbonds.gov.
Membership to Worcester Art Museum
The Worcester Art Museum’s Institutional Membership Program provides Clark staff, faculty, and student’s FREE admission to the Museum during regular hours with the Membership Card pass. These passes will admit up to four (4) individuals and may be obtained in the Human Resources Office.
Please contact the Human Resources Office if you have any questions about benefits, (508)793-7294 or HR@clarku.edu.